Fresh 48 hospital session vs Newborn session? Have you ever wondered the difference between the two? You're not alone! Many people have heard the phrase "Fresh 48" but do not really know what that includes and what is different than a traditional newborn photo session.

First, a Fresh 48 session is a unique experience offered to families within the first 48 hours after baby's birth and are held in the hospital room prior to being sent home with their new little baby. Typically a stay in the hospital lasts around 1-3 days and as anyone who has delivered a baby will understand, those first few days with baby go by so fast, it's really hard to keep up! The Fresh 48 session is meant to freeze time and to capture those little details of baby that you don't want to forget. The super wrinkly fingers and toes, their clamped umbilical cord, even those tiny hospital bracelets! It's also a really great chance to photograph those first milestones including their first bath or the first time they meet big brother or big sister. These sessions truly capture the early moments of the rest of your life together as a family!

A posed newborn session is typically scheduled within 6-14 days after baby's birth and is provided in your home. This is a styled session and I bring a wide range of props, blankets, wraps, headbands/bonnets with me to use while posing baby. The in-home newborn session is more structured and posed than a Fresh 48, but I do offer lifestyle newborn sessions that are unposed and similar to the Fresh 48, without the props and individual newborn poses. With both the Fresh 48 and in-home newborn sessions, the focus is on your new, or growing, family and the immense amount of love you all share in welcoming this new little person to your life! 

So, what should you expect from your Fresh 48 session? I'll ask that either you or your partner contact me soon after delivering baby so that we can schedule a time for your photos. Usually the session will take place between 24-48 hours after delivery and lasts for up to 1 hour. After you book a session with me, I can provide guidance on clothing to wear or suggestions for anything special you would like to include in the photos, like a special wrap or blanket. During the session, I will offer a few prompts to capture those sweet connections, but for the most part, I let you interact together. Overall I want to provide a relaxing and enjoyable experience for the entire family!

Fresh 48 sessions can be booked as their own session or as an add-on to another package, such as the 'Belly to Baby' or 'Watch Me Grow' photo packages. You can check out details about all of the package options on the newborn page and contact me at [email protected] with any questions or to book your own Fresh 48 newborn photo session!

Welcome to the world, Ava!! When mom, Janelle, contacted me about scheduling a newborn session for her first born daughter, I was super excited as I had photographed her sister's family over the past few years and I love photographing families and friends through referrals! When I arrived to their home, I first noticed just how beautiful the space in their home would be for photographs and there was plenty of light to capture more natural photos. I always start with family photos during newborn sessions and we were able to use several rooms in the home including the living room, Ava's gorgeous nursery and their bedroom. Starting with family photos gives the parents, and siblings if there are older children, a chance to relax after their time in front of the camera and enjoy watching me pose their sweet babe for the newborn images. I absolutely loved Ava's nursery - it was sweet and simple decor with beautiful feminine touches including an adorable set of bow sheets in her crib. The perfect little room for Ava to grow up and play! 

In selecting the props for Ava's individual posed newborn photos, mom wanted to stick with simple set ups and delicate, feminine touches. Beautiful light pinks, neutral wraps and floral headbands were perfect accents for Ava's photos. Since I began photographing newborns in 2013, I have cultivated quite a collection of newborn photography props. There are so many options that I would love to use in each session, it is helpful to know the parent's preferences. This is why I started using a newborn session questionnaire for my clients to complete so that I know their color preferences and what they are looking for in their session. It is a great chance for the parent to explain their family style and provide examples of the images they want to prioritize during our session. When preparing for your own newborn session, it is always a good idea to think about what you would like with the final product of your photos, how you will use the photos whether you hang them in your home or use in a book, and what poses you would like to use. Understanding what the family likes is helpful to fully prepare for our session together. And mom, Janelle, shared details about their color choices and Ava's nursery decor that helped me narrow down the props I brought with me to their home. During the session, Janelle and dad, Josh, helped me narrow down the choices even further, which really helped customize the session to their family!

I'm so excited to add the Winkler family to the blog! Michelle and Mark booked the Belly to Baby photography package which includes both maternity and newborn photo sessions. Not only does this offer a great way to ensure that your major milestones are photographed, but booking both sessions allow me to get to know you and your style better! And not only do I get to meet you as a couple first, during the maternity session, but then I get to capture those special moments as new parents during the newborn session! 

Michelle decided on an outdoor maternity session and we settled on the beautiful grounds of Hartwood Acres Mansion. This is such a gorgeous location and is a great option year round, so it was perfect for their late December maternity session. Michelle and her husband Mark also decided that they wanted to include their pup, Lady. I always love to include family pets in portrait sessions - they are part of your family too!! Lady is still a pretty active pup, so Michelle's brother came to help watch her while we took photos of Michelle and Mark together. This really allowed them to focus on each other and enjoy their time in front of the camera without the stress of handling their pup. The afternoon of our session was beautiful with a stunning winter sunset. And Michelle showed up with the cutest outfit, including leather leggings and amazing heels! She totally rocked her maternity fashion!

In February, Michelle contacted me to let me know that their son Miles was born and it was time to set up their newborn session. I was so excited to meet the new little man in their life! They asked to incorporate neutral tones with some hunter green to go with the forest theme in his nursery. Michelle also explained that she preferred more natural poses for Miles instead of being super swaddled. In my pre-session questionnaire, I always ask parents about their style preferences not only for colors and props, but also if they have any specific ideas or poses in mind. Michelle gave several examples of what she was looking for, which was super helpful to make sure I provided the sort of session she envisioned with her son. My goal is provide a custom session for each family so that everyone is happy with the end result and I capture the sort of images they will love and treasure for a lifetime! 

Lifestyle photography is such a fun way to capture images of a family! When mom contacted me about booking a lifestyle newborn session for her twin baby boys, I was excited because I do not often get requests for twin sessions. The Sylvester family was really excited to welcome Rowan and Rory to their family and to join big brother Camden!

When I arrived to their home, I immediately felt welcome as we walked around the house looking for the best spot to set up for photos. Mom wanted to use the twin's nursery, which was adorably decorated in a blue and gray dinosaur theme! The room had lots of great natural light, which was just what we needed for their lifestyle session. As Camden is just around 1 1/2 years old, he was a little shy so I took time playing with him and letting him get used to me being in his home. ​I encouraged Mom and Dad to sit on the floor with the boys and asked them to just play and engage with Camden and the babies so I could capture some of those real moments among the family. Camden, typical toddler, did not want to sit down on the floor so we let him roam around the room and play silly games. This was the perfect chance to capture those playful, silly expressions that I'm sure his parents love!

Next we moved into the parent's bedroom where once settled into their Mom and Dads's laps, the twins fell asleep. But by this point, Camden was definitely more comfortable with me and my camera so he ran around the room and crawled on the bed, giving the best smiles and expressions! As the twins were asleep, we decided to go downstairs to let Camden play with some of his toys. He played with his trucks on the floor while his parents looked on lovingly and Rowan and Rory slept soundly. The boys were napping well, so Mom placed them on a beanbag chair in the playroom while Camden showed off his golfing skills. Rowan and Rory were so cute together, sleeping and cuddling next to each other. I took this opportunity to capture little details, such as their hands together and their little toes peeking out of their denim overalls. 

It was so wonderful capturing this time with Rowan and Rory at home with their family. Big brother Camden was so much fun and I loved how playful he was during the session. And lifestyle photography was the perfect type of session to capture life with a busy toddler and twin baby boys!