Newborn Photographer Checklist: Top 5 Questions Before Booking

As a newborn photographer in Austin, TX, I know parents come with lots of questions—and I love that! When it’s about your baby, every decision feels huge. And you’re not just looking for pretty photos. You want a photographer you can trust with your tiny, precious human.

That’s why I always start with a discovery call. It gives you space to ask anything. And, truly, nothing is off-limits!

As a mom, I understand that choosing a newborn photographer can feel overwhelming. With so many options, how can you be sure you are hiring the photographer that is right for YOU?

You want to know my number one tip? Ask questions – lots of them. If you are not finding the answers you are looking for on a photographer’s website, I encourage you to reach out. A simple, introductory conversation is the best way to find out if you are the right fit for each other.

But then again, what should you actually ask an Austin Texas newborn photographer?

Well, you’re in luck! I made you a list of the top questions I receive from Austin parents (with answers) about newborn photography. Keep reading!

1. When Should I Hire A Newborn Photographer?

The earlier the better! As an Austin newborn photographer, I know that calendars can fill up very fast. My recommendation is to start reaching out in your second trimester of pregnancy, giving you plenty of time to plan for your session.

2. How Old Should My Baby Be For Their Newborn Session?

Although you can never be sure of when baby will decide to make their grand entrance, your due date will serve as a placeholder. Flexibility is key! For this reason, I purposely restrict the number of newborn sessions on my calendar each month. Once baby is born, simply contact your photographer as soon as you’re able to. Ideally, your baby should be between 7 and 14 days old at the time of the newborn session. However, as a lifestyle newborn photographer, I still photograph babies up to 4 weeks old.

So why this specific age range? Well, unfortunately those tiny features do not last very long. And those first few weeks of life are truly the best time to bottle it all up.

Note: your baby’s age matters even more when you choose to book a posed newborn session. That is because your photographer will need your baby to be extra sleepy to position him or her safely.

3. How Do Newborn Photographers Handle Infant Safety?

If you retain one question from this list, this would be it. In fact, this should be one of the very first questions you ask any newborn photographer you inquire with. With newborn photography, safety should be the top priority of any photographer. The cute baby poses in buckets are beautiful, but is your photographer following all the proper techniques to place your baby safely in these positions? I recommend ensuring that your photographer has received the appropriate training for this type of newborn photography, as to not undermine your baby’s safety.

4. How Should I Prepare My Home For A Newborn Session?

Rest assured – I do not expect parents to deep clean their home prior to their session. Not to mention that you’ve just had a baby!

With that said, here are the few steps I do recommend parents complete before our session together:

1. Set your home to a comfortable temperature: babies can get cold very quickly, especially when changing outfits and their skin is exposed. I recommend setting your home’s thermostat to around 75 degrees to keep baby cozy.
2. Feed your baby before the session: at this age, babies wake up often to feed. To ensure a smooth, relaxed session, I recommend feeding your baby right before the session starts. Although not guaranteed, that will increase our chances to go through the session without your baby waking up to feed. But if they do wake up, that is perfectly ok! We will take all the needed breaks to feed, change, and soothe your little one.
3. Choose comfortable, light, and neutral outfits: to prevent a lot of stress on the day of the session, you should layout all outfits the day before, ready to go. I recommend simplicity. For your newborn, think about a simple onesie, easily tucked under a swaddle. For parents and siblings, consider soft and neutral color palettes such as pastels. (Download my Style Guide here)
4. Remove big distractions in the room: while you do not have to clean your home top to bottom, I do recommend that you remove some potential background distractions in the room(s) where the session will take place. These could be a diaper pail right by the crib, big toys on the floor, or empty baby bottles. And do not worry – even if something is forgotten, your photographer will move things around as needed.

5. Do You Allow Family Members To Participate?

Austin newborn photographers can sometimes offer different packages to families when it comes to newborn sessions. Often, newborn photographers may offer a “petite” package, usually more affordable, that will include photos of your baby only. In addition, they will have upgrade options that typically allow you to include siblings or extra family members for an additional fee. I recommend asking this question upfront, as to not be surprised on the day of your session if this has not been discussed previously.

To keep things as simple as possible for my clients, I do not offer separate newborn packages and parents can expect all family members to be included in their newborn session. And yes, that also includes grandparents!

Final Words About Choosing A Newborn Photographer

As you can see, there are several considerations surrounding the decision to hire the best newborn photographer for your family. That’s also why I recommend researching early, in your second trimester, when you are not juggling all the things with a new baby at home. Ultimately, my biggest advice is to take your time and ask questions. This is not an exhaustive list. So think about all the things that go through your mind and simply ask. Welcoming a new baby is stressful as it is – your newborn session should not add more stress to your already full plate.

Lydia Suzanne Photography is an Austin newborn photographer serving Austin, TX and surrounding areas including Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, and Pflugerville. With a light and airy style, Lydia Suzanne offers a full-service photography experience focused on preserving your family legacy with custom artwork for your home. Lydia Suzanne Photography is currently booking maternity, newborn, baby, and family sessions.

Contact me here to book your Austin newborn session.