The first “Tiny Smiley Day” Newborn photo shoot

The first “Tiny Smiley Day” Newborn photo shoot I photographed was a year ago!  The little guy that I photographed was 9 days old (and quite a big boy!)  He only just fitted in my box, all snuggly wrapped up. I photographed him with his mum and dad in the comfort of his home in Godalming.  This was just as well. It was freezing outside and there was still some snow about! But inside, it was pretty warm.  We had the heating turned up really high and the fan heater on too.  He was “as snug as a bug in a rug” as my dad would say!

This time last year, Smiley Day Photography didn’t yet have a blog or website. So here’s a throwback to last year’s first “Tiny Smiley Day!”

I met up with his mum in their home a few weeks before his due date and together we made a list of all the special sentimental gifts she’d received at her baby shower which she wanted to have included in the photos.  I showed her the newly acquired wraps I had bought at The Society or Wedding and Protrait Photographers’ Trade Show in London and she chose favourite colours.

Newborn photography is quite different from family photography especially when it comes to styled poses.  However I was really keen to learn from the pros.  In preparation, I spent a lot of hours watching You tube demonstrations on “wrapping” and “transition posing” by leaders in the field of newborn photography, Ana Brandt and Kelly Brown.  Saying this, I didn’t only photograph the little one. I photographed him with his mum and dad too.

While this was the first “Tiny Smiley Day, ” I had 2 booked, with the mums’ due dates 2 weeks apart.  Both mums had “unscheduled births” so I had a possible 3-4 week window period for both babies’ arrivals marked in my diary.  I think I may have been just as excited about the arrivals of these little ones as their families!    When I meet up with mums to go through ideas and prepare us both, I also check  families’ social media sharing preferences.  The mum and dad of the little girl opted for no blog post share so I won’t be showing you any of her shoot.  But both shoots went well and I was happy to be able to create lasting memories for both families.  Newborns change so quickly! Did you know a newborn is only classed as a newborn for the first month?  Enjoy!

Peekaboo!