Newborn portraits in a Cashmere studio.

The first two weeks

Newborns photograph differently in the first week and a half than they do at three weeks. They sleep more deeply, they curl into the small wrapped poses people picture when they think of newborn portraits, and infant acne has rarely shown up yet. After two weeks the photographs still look lovely. They just look different.

Because the window is short, I keep a few slots open each month for newborns and book the rest of the calendar around them. Get in touch around two months before your due date so we can pencil in a likely week, and confirm the date once baby is here. Early arrivals are easy to accommodate; late arrivals usually are too.

The studio

The home studio is in Cashmere, off Gympie Road. About twenty minutes from the Brisbane CBD and a short drive from Brendale, Strathpine, Lawnton, Eatons Hill, Albany Creek, Mitchelton and Ferny Grove. Most families on the Northside reach it in under half an hour. The studio has a large window with soft natural light, a few neutral backdrops, and a basket or two. It's kept warm so a sleepy baby stays sleepy. There's a separate space for feeding, settling or a quick nappy change.

I work with the window light first and use a single studio light if the day's overcast. The look is soft and uncomplicated. Wraps and headbands are mine. If you've brought something meaningful from home, like a knitted blanket or a wrap from your own baby photos, let's use that too.

Posed or lifestyle?

I offer two styles of newborn session and I'm happy to talk through which suits you best.

Posed: think of your newborn as the work of art they are. I'll use props such as wraps, hats, blankets, baskets and beanbag setups to carefully place your sleeping baby into classic poses. Allow one to three hours. This is the style most people picture when they think of newborn photography.

Lifestyle: candid and personal. This might include baby's interaction with mum, dad or siblings in a natural setting, with less posing and more in-the-moment feeling. A lifestyle session takes anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours.

If you're unsure, just ask. I'm happy to answer questions and suggest which will be the right fit.

A typical session

Plan to be with me for one to three hours depending on what package you choose. The rest is the small things newborns need: a feed, a nappy, a cuddle until they settle again. Tense parents tend to make tense babies, so the best thing you can do is sit on the couch and let me work.

We'll usually do family frames first while baby is happiest (a few with mum, a few with dad, a few with everyone), then the wrapped solo poses while baby drifts back to sleep. Older siblings (if you've brought them) head off with grandparents after their portion, which keeps the rest of the morning quiet.

What to bring

• Wipes, nappies, a towel, and an extra shirt for each parent.
• Extra milk or formula. Even if you've fed at home, the studio warmth often makes baby want a top-up.
• A pacifier if baby uses one. Helps for the wrapped frames.
• A soft blanket, plus anything meaningful you'd like in a frame: a hand-knitted wrap, a piece of jewellery, a soft toy from a sibling.
• Don't apply any new lotions or creams to baby before the session, since something new can cause a reaction and we'd rather not find out on the day.

Before you leave home: feed and change baby, then crank the heat up so they arrive already warm and drowsy. A two-hour drive is rare; most families come from within thirty minutes.

Older siblings welcome

If you've got an older child, bring them. We'll do their frames first, before they're tired of standing still, and they're free to head off after that. Most older siblings find the quiet bits boring after twenty minutes, which is exactly the right length of attention.

Maternity and newborn together

The most popular option is the Maternity & Newborn collection, which includes two sessions. Your maternity session between 30–36 weeks, and your newborn session within the first 7–14 days after birth. Each session includes its own personalised gallery. See pricing.

Read more

From the journal: what a newborn session in the Cashmere studio actually looks like — the warm room, the soft window light, and the small choices that keep a sleepy baby asleep.

A newborn session at our Cashmere studio →

For pricing, see the Petite, Tiny Toes and Sweet Baby Love packages, or the Maternity & Newborn combo if you're booking both.