maternity + newborn sessions

Maternity sessions usually occur in your last trimester. Ideally, your belly will be large and round but at some point where you are still comfortable and getting around easily. I love to incorporate your spouse and/or child(ren) in these sessions too!

Location—-Orange County is an ideal outdoor studio and offers a variety of great maternity settings, e.g.open fields away from the crowds, quiet parks and beaches. But I do love to do maternity sessions at home and have even done them in a friend’s pool. Because I use natural light to make my photographs, I just need an abundance of light for an on-location indoor session. Windows or glass doors that open directly to the outside can provide good light for in-home sessions. Just let me know what feeling you’re looking for and we can work together to decide on a location to set the mood.

Wardrobe—-simple is best. Remember that the goal is to show off your beautiful belly. Think tank tops, swim suits, tube top, lingerie, camisoles, and front buttoning shirts or sweaters. On the bottom, jeans are cute if they are low waisted. Skirts and dresses are perfect. If you’re not sure what to wear, definitely bring multiple clothing changes.

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Newborn sessions are usually focused on your newborn and are generally more structured. I always love to capture the heart and soul of your brand new baby so the best time to photograph a newborn is 4 to 7 days old. This is important if you are interested in the curled up in a bowl and perfectly styled shots. Even though taking this time to let a stranger into the mix is challenging for the family and their new baby, it is thebest time. It is the time when babies are still in their womb-like state. Theynaturally want to sleep and they stay curled up as if still in the belly. You can expect your newborn photo session to be a relaxing, mellow experience, lasting from two to three hours.

When your baby arrives, it is important to contact me as soon as possible to determine a date and time for your baby’s session. Newborns are best photographed within the first 7 days of life but if you are more comfortable waiting, I am still happy to work with you.

Location—-My small residential studio is ideal for your newborn photo shoot, where I am able to closely control the climate conditions and have excellent lighting in almost all weather conditions—essential for a successful newborn session. I understand what it is like to have a newborn, so if you prefer to have your newborn photographed in your home, the primary requirement is an abundance of ambient light. Large windows or glass doors that open directly to the outdoors often provide the best light for in-home sessions.

Wardrobe—newborns always look adorable photographed in their bare naked skin but I do love to make images of babies in a special outfit or wrapped in a handmade blanket. There might be times when I use your chest as a backdrop, so I would love if both parents could bring black short sleeve shirts. Comfortable pants, especially jeans, are ideal. no matter what your wardrobe choice, simple is best. Oh, and please be sure that everyone has a change of clothing since newborn accidents happen frequently and out of the blue.

Diapers and textured fabrics can leave marks on the skin that take time to fade. To avoid marks and lines, simply apply a loose fitting diaper and clothing to your baby an hour before the session. During a newborn session, your baby’s comfort is my biggest concern. The session location should be kept cozy and warm for the utmost relaxing environment for your newborn. If the session is held in your home, please turn up the thermostat, to around 75 degrees, 30 minutes before your session. It will seem too warm to you but your baby will love it. Also, please feed your baby prior to the session. I know most babies will eat during the session as well but a content, relaxed baby is the perfect subject.

Combined session pricing

With the belly & baby combo session, photographs from both sessions can be combined into one gallery, allowing you the option of purchasing prints from both sessions at once. Please refer to the pricing tab for kristianne koch photography fine art print and product pricing.