On Tuesday, we had sweet little Miss Ella in to the studio.  Her Mommy was at one of our very first newborn sessions together, it was actually at her home, with her best friend and her baby, Bryce!  Bryce just turned a year, and now has a sweet new friend!  Bridie was in the best spirits, and as sweet as ever, even after a pretty rough birth experience, with her sister along for support.

I also thought I’d explain/clarify a little further about something Jodie mentioned in Jeremiah’s post about newborn photography and having 2 people to do it.  We’ve both done it solo, so KNOW it can be done.  We also know it can be limiting and weren’t getting nearly the variety and creativity with shots as we can with 2 people who are in total sync.  She was also saying for *US* to teach a workshop, it’d be pretty unfair to those who are doing it solo, to teach them tricks we do with two people without them having that second person available.

The Fresh Art newborn experience also is very much about letting the new mom relax and not work at all, aside from nursing a baby we bring right to them.  The above shots could absolutely be done solo, but the really nice part is while one of us is shooting simple shots like these, the other is right there making sure every tiny detail is perfect, the baby bits are properly covered, blankets are just right, and even there to shush a baby the extra person can spot is making small signs of waking up.   Things that make it easier and the session to go by much quicker.

And then there are shots where there absolutely has to be a second person there, whether that be an assistant, mom, or a second photographer.  We’ve both tried it with mom or an assistant, and since they didn’t understand completely the vision, lighting, etc, it just didn’t go as smoothly.  Throughout so much of the session, Jodie and I aren’t even talking in a language anyone can understand… a head tilt, hand gesture, or even grunt to each other and we just sort of know what the other needs/wants for the shot.

This is an example of a shot that should not be done without two people.

This chair has a strong sentimental value to Ella’s family and they wanted to have a shot with her on it.  We know you can’t just put a baby on a rocking chair and walk away to snap the shot.

Someone had to be right there with a hand on her, so I was able to be there, making sure she was positioned right for Jodie to get the shot, while Mom could just look on and smile at how sweet Ella looked on the rocking chair.

The shots like these can sometimes be accomplished alone with a stronger baby who could hold the position, but even then, I really like that someone is there, hovering just inches away.

And sometimes the baby just really needs the support, and so it only takes a second for one photographer to be ready, and the second to pop their hand out of frame.

All that to say, do you HAVE to have two people to do great newborn photography?  No.  We just believe it’s a nicer experience for all involved, and how we have chosen to brand our Fresh Art experience.  The session goes by much faster, which is nice not only for us, but for mom and baby too.  It was not unheard of for me to spend 5-6 hours on a newborn session, and that wasn’t including the unpacking and packing back up.   Our average time now is around 2-3 hours.  We can also do some really creative things, that safety concerns would prevent you from doing without an extra person with a hand on the baby at all times.

When we joined together our goal was to bring our own newborn photography to a higher level (that having two people allows) while at the same time giving our clients a more relaxing experience. So far it’s working great for both of us and our clients. We’re not saying it’s the best for every photography business out there, it’s just what’s best for us!

And to Bridie… thanks for bringing sweet Ella over! We loved seeing you again and will be praying for a quick recovery for you!