Session Guide

Baby sessions generally last anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour. Ideally, the baby should be sitting up independently or pushing up on his or her hands when placed on the tummy, and not too mobile yet.

My style is very organic and simple. My goal is to provide you with classic, timeless images. For that reason, I do not use any props or bold colors. With babies, simple clothing and bare skin provide some wonderful portraits. Diaper covers, cloth diapers, and onesies are a great option.

To reduce the likelihood that your child will be fussy during our session, babies should be fed and well-rested prior to our session. Of course, this cannot always be timed perfectly so a bit of extra time is allotted within a session for snacks, diaper changes, etc.

Below are some additional tips to ensure a successful portrait session.

Toys and Treats

Having a few quick snacks on hand is fine, but please don’t bring anything that will stain clothing or faces. Small snacks such as Puffs or Cheerios are great, but please pack just a few in a separate container rather than bringing the whole bag. In my experience children can become so focused on treats that they will not want to participate in photos until they are done eating. The same rule applies to bottles and sippy cups: Just a few ounces of milk or water should be fine. Children are much more willing to give up the cup once it’s empty! Whenever possible, snacks should be saved for after the session.

You are also welcome to bring a few toys or activities, such as books, balls or bubbles, to keep your children entertained. These activities tend to make the children feel more relaxed and serve as a good diversion from the camera. Please keep in mind that whatever you bring may end up in your photos, so if you would rather not have your your son or daughter’s favorite teddy bear in every picture, it’s best to leave it at home!

What to Wear

Clothing choice is an integral part of your final images. Choosing the right tones and fabrics helps to guarantee beautiful images! Below I’ve outlined a few things to consider when selecting outfits.

When you’re a client of Kelli Dease Photography, you also have access to my studio wardrobe. Selections are available for the whole family. All of our pieces have neutral tones, and options for moms and little girls have soft, feminine details. Adult sizes range from size XS to XL. For baby, we have knit diaper covers (light gray and soft cream) as well as a few neutrally colored outfits that work great on both girls and boys. Children’s sizes start at 6 months. You can take a peek at some of the options here. Keep in mind that this is not everything, and pieces are being added all the time! (Pieces for children 5 and older are a bit more limited, so be sure to review your options with the studio prior to your session.)

A wardrobe consultation is optional but usually not necessary when it comes to babies. Time is allotted at the beginning of the session to browse the wardrobe and make a selection.

If you are having trouble putting an outfit together, I am here to help you shop! Just email the studio and I’ll put together a style/inspiration board, combining pieces available in the studio wardrobe with pieces that I find online from some of my favorite stores. I will also send you links to each piece that I find online so that you can go directly to the website and purchase them if you wish. Just be sure to plan in advance, leaving enough time for shipping and exchanges!

I keep this Pinterest board for all of my clients and you are welcome to browse through for ideas.

For the Baby

Something simple like a onesie, or even just a diaper, works best. For dresses, please remember to bring bloomers or a diaper cover if you would rather not have a Pampers logo in your pictures! For onesies, shirts, and dresses, keep colors neutral and soft (cream, gray, white, light blue, etc.) and avoid logos, cartoon characters, and fold-over collars. Shoes are not necessary (unless we are working outdoors in the colder months). It’s good to have one or two clothing options on-hand in order to add variety to your final set of images, but anything more than that isn’t necessary, since most babies tend to get cranky if there are too many outfit changes.

For the Family

If parents and/or sibling will be participating in the session, choose coordinating rather than outfits that are perfectly matched. Consider selecting a palette of 3-4 coordinating colors and select outfits within the palette for each family member. Simple and neutral colored clothing works best: Whites, creams, light shades of brown, rose, taupe, etc.

What Not To Wear

As important as what to wear is what NOT to wear. Please avoid:

Anything with logos, graphics, or bold patterns
Black or darkly colored clothing
Athletic shoes (for parents and siblings)
A palette of all white or white and khaki
High-collared shirts
Large hair bows
Formal wear
Baseball caps (or any brimmed hats, since they cast a shadow on the face)

Where to Shop

Zara Kids is hands-down my go-to store for baby clothes. The fabrics and textures are perfect, the prices are reasonable, and the shipping is fast. H&M Kids is a good runner-up. Some other favorites include Amazon, Carters, and Baby Gap. If you find something online that you think might work, but you’re just not sure, just send me the link and I’ll let you know what I think!