As beautiful and touching as newborn photography is, it doesn’t quite capture the experience of those first hours you spend with your new child in the hospital, birthing center, or wherever you gave birth. That’s why some families choose to supplement their newborn photos with fresh 48 photography - a special photo session that takes place during your baby’s first 48 hours of life.
How can you get the best fresh 48 photos? It starts with hiring a skilled baby photographer, of course, but you can use these tips too to make your session even better.
Apply Some Light Moisturizer
By the time we have your fresh 48 photo session, you will have been through so much throughout the experience of giving birth! Every mom has her own comfort level regarding whether she wants to do her hair and put on makeup for her photos or whether she’d rather keep it purely authentic and go makeup-free. There’s no wrong answer here, it’s all about what you want for your photos. Even if you choose not to wear makeup, some light moisturizer can go a long way toward helping you look more rested and refreshed.
Have Someone Give the Room a Once-Over
Your fresh 48 photography session will take place in your hospital room or wherever it is that you have given birth because we want to capture the atmosphere of that experience. Before your photo session begins, have your partner/spouse or someone else give the room a quick once-over, such as tidying the bed, throwing away any trash that’s sitting out, and so on. The room doesn’t need to be immaculate, just orderly enough that there won’t be distracting clutter in the photo backgrounds.
Relax and Be Authentic
Remember, these unique portraits are all about preserving the emotions and the experience of your baby’s birth story. We’re not aiming for perfection! We’re highlighting the authentic beauty of this time in your life, so just relax and go with the flow. I’ll direct some poses but I’ll also take photos of genuine moments between you and your baby, like feeding your baby, swaddling your baby or changing their clothes, or giving your baby some time with their new siblings.
Coordinate with Your Hospital or Facility
As important as your fresh 48 photos are, we need to remember and respect that at your hospital or other birthing facility, the first priority is patients’ wellbeing. Especially since COVID, most facilities have rules in place about when photographers or visitors can and cannot come, protocols we need to follow, etc. Please speak with your hospital or birthing facility in advance about these rules so we can plan accordingly and so you don’t have any unexpected hiccups when the day arrives.
Planning Your Fresh 48 Photo Session
If you want to document your baby’s beautiful first hours of life and you’re in the Bucks County area, I’d love to help. Contact Samantha Wilson Photography and let’s start planning your one-of-a-kind fresh 48 photography session.
