Newborn 411

I get a lot of questions all the time about all kinds of things, but I think one of the topics I discuss most is newborn sessions, so I thought I would address it here to help!

WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY SESSION?
I advise setting up a tentative date with me before your new addition arrives. Obviously, I do understand that things change, and a late arrival or extended hospital stay could mean rescheduling, and I will do my best to fit you back in. On most occasions, though, the tentative date we set up will work out fine, and then you know you have not lost the opportunity.

WHERE WILL THE SESSION TAKE PLACE?
One of the things I get told over and over by clients is that they LOVE that I come to them. Your session can be anywhere, but most people prefer the comfort of their own home for a newborn session. I will bring my small studio setup with me, but will also capture images throughout your home.

IS ONE WEEK TOO SOON FOR IMAGES?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! I am not joking when I say that I will come to your home the day you arrive back from the hospital. There is a small window of opportunity to catch that “fresh newborn” look. The first two weeks of life is preferable, the first few days is better.

SHOULD I BUY A SPECIAL OUTFIT FOR THE SESSION?
There is no need to have anything special on hand. As I always say, babies are better naked! However, if you have a special hat or blanket that will add color and texture to the images, we will definitely incorporate it. I will probably ask that a parent have a black shirt on hand in case I need to use you as a backdrop for your baby.

WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREPARE FOR MY SESSION?
Plan to feed your little one about 30 minutes before the session time, but if we do need to stop for a feeding, we will. It's best to keep them swaddled in just a diaper and blanket until prior to the session, that way we are less likely to wake them up by having to remove clothing. I would also ask that you turn up the heat a few notches so it is comfortable for your newborn to be bare. Don’t be surprised if I also request a hairdryer or warm towel to heat up cold furniture.

HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD I ALLOW FOR MY SESSION?
I will take as little or as much time as needed to capture your little one on film. It usually takes between 1 and three hours, depending on the individual needs of your child. I have no problem waiting for a baby to be fed and cuddled before I begin shooting again.

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions!

Your picture, my card...

I want to thank all of my clients who continually refer me to friends and family, in fact I am pretty sure I may wind up doing sessions with most of an entire playgroup thanks to "S.D"!

I am now making business cards out of your favorite session image. I will give you some free if you want them. Just leave a comment, email or call. Only stipulation is you have to hand them out! Here's a few samples!!!

Oh to have a baby bump this cute....

I am totally convinced that I was NOT this cute when I was pregnant. I guess I'll have to be better about taking pictures the next time to find out. Thanks to "C" and "M" for a fun session.

Those of you waiting on galleries, they will be up soon.

FYI-

My weekend sessions through March are booking up. I currently have openings available this weekend (Feb 24-25), March 4th and March 31st. Weekday sessions are available, but if you need a weekend date, try to book soon!

Also, I am tweaking my package pricing, so they will be taken down from the website later today. Anyone who books before I have them changed will still fall under the old pricing. Also, those of you who are currently thinking on orders will get an email with the current pricing for you to refer to.

And of course I am not going to leave you pictureless! Here is the baby brother of the little girl in my last post!

And one more of her and another of the two of them.

Peek a Boo!!!

More to come from this session soon...

If this kid doesn't go into show business...

I will be VERY surprised! He had some of the cutest expressions I have ever seen, at only four months old! Bonus for me: his mom was a super fun lady and I probably could have just stayed and talked to her for quite some time! Thanks to mommy and baby "G" for a wonderful session!

Travelin' soldier

I did this session for a friend who's son just left to serve the country. He is the one in the middle of the big group shot, holding his adorable baby nephew, who of course, I got plenty of pictures of. How could I not with that adorable smile and cute hat (good job, grandma)! The other two kids and all the adults were a blast to work with as well!

Uh oh!

It has been brought to my attention (thank you T.N.) that my contact form on my website may not have been working correctly in the last few days. If you tried to contact me and have not heard back, please email me directly at cvickers81@yahoo.com. I am looking into the issue and hopefully it will be resolved soon.

Perfect day

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous here in FL, and the wonderful weather greeted my Saturday session and I at the beach. I had a fabulous time with this fun family. As I snapped some of the last shots of the day, and elderly beach walker passed behind me and commented : "I hope those pictures are for a magazine, that is one GOOD LOOKING family!" Exactly buddy, I couldn't have said it better myself! Thanks "D" family for a great day...here's your preview as promised. Hopefully my client galleries will be working soon!

Ok, ok, I am done....

A baby, a fish and a mirror.

Here are some of my recent favorites. This little girl has such an engaging personality, I didn't ever want to stop snapping her picture! Thanks to baby "E", her Mommy and Grandma for being patient with me while I tried some things I have been itching to do for a while now.

Disclaimer: Neither the fish ("Linderman", points if you can tell me where we got his name) or the baby were harmed during the making of the first picture!

And the Winners are.....

Pictures #2 and #7

I considered having a tiebreaker vote, but figured maybe you all were sick of the pleas for votes. So I decided to just give both families an 11x14 print (moms, if there is another proof from the sitting that you prefer, let me know and I will use that one, but these were my favorites of your girls). Thanks to everyone who came by and voted. It was a wonderful kick-off contest!

Love is all that I can give to you....

Well, that and a free print! I love contests and giveaways (who doesn't) so I am going to do my first one. I'll be running different ones every month or two in which I will give away everything from free sittings to discounts to free prints and products. So here are the rules for the first one. In the three previous posts, I have numbered each picture. This is where you, my faithful reader(s) come in. I will be giving one of these pictures away as an 11x14 print to the parents of the winner. I need you to leave a comment on this post with the number of your favorite image from the past three posts. Yes, they are all adorable babies, so it's not a cutest baby contest. It's just about which one is your favorite, for any reason. I am asking you to use the honor system and only vote one time. The image with the most votes will win the print. You have from now until noon on Friday to submit your votes! Oh, and no, my child's picture does not have a number, I can't really give it to myself. Sorry Aunt "K" I know you're disappointed!

E...is even more than anyone that you adore...

Here are the rest of the pictures from the "playgroup fiesta". Again, thanks to all my mommy pals for being so awesome!
#12 #11 #10 #9 #8 #7

V.. is very very extraordinary

Here are the first half of the mini sessions I did for my young moms playgroup. We all had a blast, and I have to say, I think we have the best looking group of kids in Tampa! Many fellow photogs may dislike the cheesy-ness of the following images, and while I too prefer a more natural approach most of the time, that was not the point of these sessions. They were specifically for Valentines day, and I am totally pleased with how they turned out. Thanks moms for letting me share your kids in my blog. The rest to come later in the week!



#6 #5
#4

#3

#2

O...is for the only one I see...

I am sitting proofing the mini sessions I did for my playgroup today as I type this. Well, I happened to come across this one. I didn't even realize I had captured this moment, but THIS is why I love my job...(well, this and the fact that people willingly hand me their newborns on a regular basis). Just look at the mommy joy all over this mom's face as her little man made us all laugh! More to come, stay tuned!
#1