Feature OMC Photographer Sessions | Erin Schedler

This was a pretty typical newborn session for me! It happened to be my last session of 2019, before I went on break. Such a beautiful one to end the year on! We shot in the client’s home, mid-morning. Most of my newborn sessions are in home since it’s easier for families, but I do have a natural light studio near the stadiums in downtown Seattle. I shoot mid-morning because babies are typically happier during that time, and the sun is higher in the sky to fill the home with more light. The session is really relaxed. I have a shot list I want, but don’t care about the order. We took the family photos first, since Dad had to leave for work. Though we’re striving for more parental leave as a society, a lot of dads don’t get much! It’s normal they can only be at the shoot for a few minutes. So I snapped those shots, then turned the focus back to mom and baby. The shoot is about an hour, more if baby needs a few feedings. I don’t like long sessions since parents and babies only have so much modeling in them, and they need their rest! I work quickly, snap photos mostly near big windows and stop whenever we need to for baby’s care.

My set-up is simple – baby on the bed with the best window light. A lot of babies don’t like to be flat on their back, so sometimes I’ll sneak more blankets underneath them to prop them at an angle. I also bring a portable heater. I find the whooshing sound, soft air, and heat can calm even the fussiest baby.

My goal is a lot of variety for the client, so I shoot baby with each parent a couple times (standing, sitting, close in, farther back). I also change out blankets so we have at least 3 “backgrounds” for baby’s portrait. Of course I make sure to snap details of toes, hands, and nursery too. I work quickly, but I shoot a lot. My galleries usually include 100+ images for a newborn session. I find parents don’t complain! It’s always fun to have tons of photos of our babies. They grow so fast!