Newborns
The first weeks with your new baby are such a magical time; these are times when a family is going through so much love and emotion. And ask any parent... the memories flash by in a whirlwind!
Our newborn photography sessions capture these precious early days for you. We want you to remember just how tiny your baby was when he or she was first born, how it felt to hold your precious little baby in your arms, and all of their specific details, such as the texture of their skin, their little feet and hands, and all the gorgeous details that make up your newborn.
Beautiful and creative newborn portraits
Congratulations on this beautiful time in your family. We are sure you’ll want to choose the very best newborn photographers to capture this time for your family.
We are a team that specializes in creating natural, timeless baby photographs that won’t go out of fashion. We do offer props, if desired, and we use the very best (and safest) lighting and equipment to ensure your photographs look stunning!
Important details to remember about newborn photo sessions.
The very best time to have your newborn photography session, is when your baby is between 5 and 14 days old. It is best to book your session before your baby is born, so that we can set a date for you.
When you book with us, we will schedule the session on a date that is shortly after your due date. We’ll confirm that the exact date of your newborn photography session is after your baby’s birth and that the date falls within the 5 to 14 day window, if necessary.
You can even bundle a maternity photography session and a newborn session and save on the session fee. Many of our families love to do this because it not only saves you money, but it gives you an opportunity to tell the story of when you were carrying your baby in your belly, and then the baby's first days.
To book your session please get in touch by email at john@johndukesphotography.com, by phone at 443 547-5850, or by filling out the "contact" form on this website
Before your session
Before your shoot we will speak with you by phone to answer any questions you have, and learn about your family. This allows us to tailor the shoot to you. If you and your family wish to be in the photographs, you are absolutely welcome! I will share lots of practical tips to help you prepare, from what to bring, what to wear and what to expect.
It is likely we will be on the phone one more time before the session to work out final details, and make sure you feel prepared for a relaxed, enjoyable session.
During your session
A newborn session takes about two hours. Most babies will need a few breaks during the session for a feed, diaper change or cuddle with you.
During the session you’re our guest! When you come to our studio, you may relax on the sofa and enjoy some tea and coffee, and light snacks if you desire. We ask, for your safety, to not crowd around the area where we will be shooting, for we are capturing different angles and are on a chair with wheels. Just relax, enjoy this time, and allow us to do the magic for you!
After the newborn photographs, we’ll photograph you all as a family, including sibling portraits if you have older children.
After the session
After the newborn photography session is completed, in about a week, we will send you an online gallery where you can see the beautifully retouched photographs from your session. This gallery will be live for 7 days while you choose the photographs you would like to invest in. If you need additional time beyond the 7 days, you may request it for a small fee of $10 for every additional week.
I’ll be available to help and answer questions with as much or as little help as you need. You can invest in gorgeous prints, professional canvases, metal prints and wall mounts, and high resolution digital images, all conveniently available in your store on your gallery.
After you place your order and make payment, digital images will be delivered within 24 hours and printed items will follow 4-6 weeks later. The printed work from our lab is super professional, and we use only the highest quality materials to ensure that your photographs last several lifetimes and maintain their original beauty for decades.
Q. When should I book my newborn session?
A. It’s best to book your newborn session a few months before your baby is born to make sure we have availability around your due date. When you book, we will make a note of your due date, and ask you to let us know when your baby is born. We’ll confirm the exact date of your session after your baby’s birth to ensure it’s within the 5 to 14 day window. Note...If your baby is already here please give us a call to check last minute availability. We still may be able to squeeze you in if we have availability.
Q. Where is your studio?
A. Our studio is located in Mount Airy, MD. You may also request for us to travel to your home and bring the studio to you! Just please keep in mind that we have the most props and options to make your images gorgeous in the studio.
Q. How much does a newborn session cost?
A. A two hour newborn session is $268.00. If you want to bundle a maternity session with your newborn session, the session for both the newborn and the maternity shoot would be only $397. Please keep in mind that if we travel to your home, there may be an extra fee for the time and expense we would take to travel to you. You can also get a package which includes high-resolution digital images included. This is a good option to choose if you wish to invest in digital images as opposed to just prints. Contact me for details so I can suggest which package might be best for you.
Q. What if my baby is more than two weeks old?
A. The ideal time for newborn photography sessions is between 5 and 14 days of age. After 2 weeks, babies will typically start to sleep less, uncurl, stretch out and grow larger. As these changes happen, there is an increased likelihood that your baby may not be able to manage some of the beautiful poses we like to do, and may not sleep as much, which is where the real magic happens in newborn photography. It is still possible to create gorgeous photographs after 2 weeks of age. Tracy and I are very experienced with babies over two weeks, and we have even photographed babies several months old and the photos came out gorgeous! If you’ve missed the 2 week window and would like to find out about your options please let me know.
Q. What if my baby is born early and has an extended hospital stay?
A. This is not a problem at all. We can modify and change the date as needed to make sure that we get your pictures in. We recognize that this is a very emotionally intense time for you, and we have no problem moving our schedule around to accommodate your needs and availability.
Q. Do you have props?
A. Yes! We have lots of props to use and you are welcome to bring your own, too! We also have lots of cute little outfits if you would like to use, too! See the website pictures for examples.
Q. Can I ask that my baby pictures not be shared online?
A. Yes! We take your privacy very seriously. Also, please remember that if we do use pictures for marketing purposes, we never share the names of your family members or the baby's name and everything is done anonymously.
Q. Can I invest in high resolution digital images with print release?
A. Yes! You may order digital files or prints, or a combination of both, right from your online gallery.
Q. What if my baby doesn't sleep or is not cooperating during the session?
A. We are very experienced with babies and use every tactic we have available to help your baby feel relaxed and sleep during the session, but we also expect that your baby may be awake or unsettled at some times during the session. Please don’t worry if you seem to have a particularly wakeful baby for we can still capture beautiful pictures even while awake. This is mostly why we ask our clients to allow two hours for every newborn session. We use the times when babies are calm and sleepy to take the photographs and we also need to allow time for the baby to be fed, changed, or just held by you. We recognize that we are on the baby's schedule and we always find ways to improvise and get them into poses, and soothing them to sleep While all this is happening, you can relax, and enjoy some hot coffee, tea and refreshments.
Q. What if my baby has flaky skin or has spots?
A. It is very unusual for babies to NOT have flaky skin and spots. No worries at all. I can fix all these issues during the retouching process. But some parents have asked us to not remove these flakes and spots because they want an accurate picture of how the baby looks at this time. That is no problem, too! Whatever you desire is what I do.