Your Harrisburg Studio Newborn Photography Questions Answered

03.23.23 04.22.23

Newborn portraits are one of the most precious treasures for so many parents. Your baby is only this tiny once, and only for a short time, so these portraits forever preserve the magic of those first weeks with your little bundle of joy. If you’re growing your family, I’m happy to help not only by taking your newborn photos but answering your questions and helping you know what to expect. Check out these answers to your top Harrisburg studio newborn photography questions.

How Is Harrisburg Studio Newborn Photography Different from Lifestyle Newborn Photography?

There are two types of newborn photo sessions: studio sessions and lifestyle sessions. Studio sessions are performed, of course, in my professional portrait studio. The focus is largely on your baby, with Mom and Dad included in a few portraits as well. These are the cozy posed portraits you see most often. A lifestyle session, on the other hand, is taken at your home and focuses more on your family as a whole. If you enjoy both types of sessions, though, you can have both!

Why Do Poses and Portraits Vary So Much from One Baby to the Next?

There are a few reasons for this. First of all, every family is unique and I want to create portraits that speak to their sense of style and suit their home. Second, it’s always a question of what the baby will allow. Your baby guides the session, and some babies are more comfortable in certain types of poses compared to others. Ultimately, your newborn portraits will be one-of-a-kind for your child and your family.

Why Is Harrisburg Studio Newborn Photography Expensive?

It’s true that newborn photography tends to be pricier than most other types of photo sessions like family portraits and senior portraits. This is because newborn photo sessions take longer, allowing time for your baby to settle and fall asleep as needed. Newborn photography also requires specialized training in baby safety and posing for newborns, as well as certain equipment like cushions, wraps, white noise machines or other items for helping babies to sleep, and so on.

Booking Your Harrisburg Studio Newborn Photography Session

Ready to book your own studio newborn photo session? Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s chat!

Mechanicsburg Newborn Photography for a Baby with Clubfoot: One-of-a-Kind Beauty

02.27.23 04.22.23

Every parent has a vision for what their baby will be like when they finally meet them after all those months of feeling them growing. Even a fairly common birth defect can throw you for a loop, but it just makes your family’s journey that much more unique. In my Mechanicsburg newborn photography studio, I recently had the honor of taking newborn portraits of a beautiful baby girl who was born with clubfoot.

Beauty and Awareness Through Mechanicsburg Newborn Photography

Along with showing off this gorgeous baby girl’s newborn photos, I’d like to use this blog as an opportunity to spread awareness of clubfoot and the basics about this treatable condition.

What Is Clubfoot?

The clinical name for clubfoot is talipes equinovarus or EV, but it’s best known as clubfoot. In a baby with clubfoot, their foot points downward and inward. It actually happens more often than most people realize – about 1 in every 1000 babies is born with clubfoot. It may not be common, necessarily, but it isn’t as rare as you might think.

It’s typically treated in a child’s first years of life, though, so by the time they go to school, no one would ever know that they were born with the condition. In fact, there’s a good chance that you know someone today who was born with clubfoot, even if you don’t know it!

What Causes Clubfoot?

Clubfoot is actually a very simple condition: it’s just a short Achilles tendon. This is what keeps the baby’s foot from flexing. It’s largely genetic, but doctors don’t really know why some babies have it and some don’t.

How Does Clubfoot Affect a Child?

Any birth defect is scary when you first discover it, but clubfoot doesn’t have any serious health risks. It’s also very treatable, so babies born with clubfoot can eventually have perfectly healthy, active lives. This little girl has a bright future ahead of her, especially with all those proud big brothers who will help out throughout her treatment!

Treating clubfoot essentially involves stretching the Achilles tendon little by little throughout the first months of the baby’s life so the tendon lengthens to a typical size.

The treatment starts with a process called Ponseti casting. A week or two after a baby is born, the doctor will put their clubfoot in a cast that is designed to slightly stretch the Achilles tendon. Every week to 10 days, the doctor replaces that cast with a new cast that stretches the tendon a bit further, since the tendon has adjusted to the cast it’s in.

That progressive process continues for about a month to six weeks. At this point, the doctor does a small in-office procedure to further lengthen the Achilles tendon, and then puts the baby in one last cast for a few weeks.

After the baby has “graduated” from their last cast, the doctor will fit them for a brace to maintain their longer Achilles tendon. The baby will wear the brace throughout the day and night for two months, and then they only need to wear their brace while they sleep until they reach kindergarten age.

Treating clubfoot can be a long road, but ultimately, your child can have all the function and ability they would have had if they hadn’t been born with clubfoot.

Honoring Every Chapter of Your Family’s Journey with Mechanicsburg Newborn Photography

My Mechanicsburg newborn photography is all about celebrating this incredible time in your family’s life. I want to chronicle your authentic journey of welcoming this precious new child into your family, and sometimes that involves unexpected twists like clubfoot. I’m honored to tell your family’s story, whatever that story may be, and surprises like clubfoot just make your story that much more unique.

I loved capturing these memories so this lovely family can always look back and recall the journey they’ve been on, and I would be thrilled to do the same for your growing family. Reach out to my Mechanicsburg newborn portrait studio and let’s chat!

Mechanicsburg Newborn Photos: What to Wear

11.18.22 11.30.22

Whether you’re a full-blown fashionista or you throw on the first thing you grab from your closet, planning a wardrobe for a portrait session is a challenge. You want to find colors and cuts that will flatter you, photograph well, and coordinate nicely among the entire family in the portraits. You’re not alone – you have me in your corner! If you’re planning Mechanicsburg newborn photos, here’s your guide to what to wear for your photo session.

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Do I Need to Plan a Wardrobe for My Baby for Newborn Photos?

Here’s some good news: you don’t need to worry about clothing for your newborn. For newborn photography, I have an extensive selection of wraps and accessories to create all the looks you want for your baby. I often take plenty of nude newborn portraits too, as long as the baby will still rest comfortably.

What Parents Should Wear for Newborn Photos

Most of your newborn portraits, of course, will center on your beautiful new bundle of joy. But I always aim to take a few photos of the newborn with you, their loving parents, so you will want to bring some photo-friendly clothes for yourself and your spouse or partner.

My top recommendation is to bring something that is black and very simple – no logos, buttons, or embellishments. Dads will often choose a simple black Hanes-type t-shirt, though we also get a very touching, artistic effect in portraits of dads without a shirt holding their baby.

For moms, there’s no need to go out and buy something new – something simple and black is timeless and stunning. After all, I’ll be posing your baby in a way that covers much of your chest, so you won’t be able to see much of your top. It’s fantastic if you can show a bit of skin with a black sleeveless or short-sleeved top, but long sleeves are still beautiful.

For any parent, we can also take portraits with your newly growing family in special garments that are meaningful to you. For instance, members of the military and first responders may want to take portraits in their uniform with their baby.

I do encourage parents to bring a backup outfit for their newborn portraits too. You never know when your baby might have an accident, and we want to make sure you aren’t scrambling for a way to cover up an uncomfortable stain!

What Siblings Should Wear

I love a great sibling portrait when a new baby comes into the family! Rather than taking sibling portraits during your baby’s newborn session, I take these portraits in a separate add-on photo shoot. We typically take these photos at your home so your kids can be comfortable and relaxed.

I typically take some sibling portraits with a soft, neutral color palette. For these photos, I suggest something white or cream-colored for girl siblings. For boy siblings, we can do the same colors or have them without a shirt. Many parents choose khakis without a shirt for their sons’ photos with their newborn.

Other than this, though, we can take your kids’ portraits in anything that feels natural and has coordinating colors throughout the family. Since we’ll be at your home, you can easily make a wardrobe change at any time if necessary. Keep in mind that for sibling portraits, as for traditional newborn portraits, you’ll want to have backup outfits ready for each member of the family.

Planning Your Mechanicsburg Newborn Photos

Getting spectacular newborn portraits can be easier than you think. As a full-service photographer, I take the time and work off your plate. I’ll guide you through the entire process, including turning your newborn photos into incredible, heirloom-quality artwork that’s ready to display in your home.

To start planning your newborn photos, contact Karissa Zimmer Photography today and let’s chat about your dream portraits!

Is Harrisburg PA Newborn Photography Worth It?

09.27.22 10.25.22

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When you’re the parent of a newborn, whether you’re brand new to parenthood or you’re balancing your newborn with other kids at home, life is tough! You’re exhausted by the constant cycle of caring for a new baby on minimal sleep, on top of recovering from childbirth. So adding a Harrisburg PA newborn photography shoot into the mix sounds like quite a hill to climb. I get it! But is it worth it?

As a parent myself and as a newborn photographer who has kept in touch with many of my client families, I can honestly say that yes, it’s absolutely worth it. You’ll never regret having these once-in-a-lifetime moments to look back on in the years to come.

Benefits of Professional Harrisburg PA Newborn Photography

If you’re on the fence about whether to make the investment in professional newborn photography, take these benefits into consideration.

Freezing a Precious Moment in Time

In the blink of an eye, your baby will no longer be a newborn. Those gummy baby yawns will be replaced with a mouth full of teeth and those tiny coos turn into toddler chatter. As much as you can cherish each stage in your child’s life, you’ll also miss little bits and pieces of your tiny newborn.

Professional Harrisburg PA newborn photography is a way to take just a taste of these precious days and have a memento that can transport you back to this time in your mind whenever you choose. As much as you expect to be able to remember every detail of your new baby for the rest of your life, time can push those memories to the back of your mind and newborn portraits can bring them back.

A Low-Stress Experience

A professional newborn photographer is so much more than a photographer. During your baby’s photo session, we handle all the details so you can have the rarest gift in the world of a new parent: a break!

We handle all the décor and set-up for your baby’s portraits, your baby’s “wardrobe” for the photos, and the poses and color schemes. Newborn photographers are experts at soothing babies to sleep, so we even handle most of your baby’s care and supervision during the shoot. You can just sit back and enjoy some restful time until your baby needs a feeding or a diaper change.

Professional Quality

The candid pictures you take of your baby in the course of day-to-day life will forever be cherished parts of your photo collections. As special as they are in showing what life is like for your little bundle of joy, they don’t take the place of professional portraits.

Professional newborn photos give you high-quality portraits that you can proudly hang on your wall and that complement your home’s décor. A professional has the ability, training, and equipment to control the lighting and positioning of your baby’s photos in a way others cannot, and even many families who try to take posed newborn photos on their own say they regret the fact that their baby’s photos don’t have that professional look.

A Ready-to-Display Portrait

Every Harrisburg PA newborn photographer has their own method, but I’m proud to be a full-service newborn photographer. This means I don’t just give you digital photos and send you on your way to figure out the rest. I guide you through the entire process, including helping you to decide how and where you want to display your baby’s portraits, design your display piece, and order your display for you. When all is said and done, you’ll have a stunning piece of custom artwork to display – a piece you know is of high enough quality to last for generations.

Planning Your Harrisburg PA Newborn Photography

At the end of the day, from my personal experience and the feedback of my clients, professional newborn photography is an investment you’ll be glad you made. Yes, it’s something new to fit into your schedule, but in the years to come when that tiny baby is hitting milestones, graduating from college, and having their own baby, you’ll be abundantly grateful to yourself for making time for the one-day photo shoot that gave you lifelong memories and priceless heirlooms.

To give your future self that gift, book your Harrisburg PA newborn photography session today.

Questions to Ask Your Newborn Photographer

03.25.22 04.25.22

Newborn photography is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve this incredibly special and brief time in your baby’s life. You only get one chance for these sentimental portraits, so of course, you want to make the most of this opportunity. And who’s the expert in making the most of your session? Your newborn photographer, of course!

As you’re hiring a newborn photographer in Camp Hill PA or wherever you are, asking the right questions can allow you to enjoy a smoother process with outstanding results. To help you make that happen, I’m laying out the top questions to ask your newborn photographer.

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What Can I Expect from the Process Ahead?

Every photographer has their own process and their own steps they follow. Will there be an in-person consultation or just a chat over the phone? How long will your photo session be? When and how will you be able to order your finished products? This varies for each photographer, so it’s not a good idea to make assumptions.

As an example, here’s a rundown of my process:

In-person Consultation – We’ll chat about how to prepare for your session and what to expect during your session, as well as your vision for your newborn portraits and the ways you want to use your finished portraits (where you might want to hang them in your home, for instance) so I can customize your session to fit your vision.
Your Newborn Photo Session – We’ll meet in my comfortable and well-equipped home studio, starting in the morning for a relaxed session of up to six hours so we can allow as much time as you need for feeding and soothing your baby between shots.
Editing – I’ll custom edit the best photos from your session to give you that true “wow” factor.
Viewing and Ordering Appointment – You’ll return to my studio for your appointment about two weeks after your photo session, where I’ll present you with a slideshow with all your amazing newborn photos and you’ll decide what finished products you want to order
Delivery – I’ll deliver your finished heirloom-quality products to you about 4-6 weeks after your ordering appointment and help you hang your pieces in your home so you can enjoy them immediately.

How Should I Prepare for My Newborn Photo Session?

In newborn photography, I recognize that many of my clients have never had a newborn photo session before, and for those who have, it was probably years ago. Make sure you’re receiving clear guidance about how to prepare for your session. For example, is there an ideal time you should feed your baby before the session? Should you try to get your baby to sleep when you arrive? Is there anything you should do or avoid to make sure your baby is feeling and looking picture-perfect?

What Should I Bring to My Newborn Photography Session?

As you saw above, my newborn photography sessions can last up to six hours. Babies have so many “accessories” they need over that amount of time, and so do new mamas – diapers, wipes, potentially a breast pump, snacks, and so on. There might also be specific items you want to incorporate into your newborn portraits, like family heirlooms or other items of significance. Make sure you get a list from your newborn photographer of anything they suggest that you bring to your session.

Can Parents and Siblings Be in the Newborn Photos?

Some families want the spotlight to be entirely on their new baby, while others want their photos to show this special moment in life for the entire family. Make sure you ask about this in advance so you know who to bring to your session and who should be picture-ready.

Each photographer has different policies, but I include parents in newborn portraits for no additional fee. For families with other children, I recommend my add-on sibling portrait session. This one to two-hour lifestyle session will take place at your home within one week of your newborn photo session. This way, your kids can be where they’re comfortable and you don’t have to bring them to your six-hour newborn session and keep them occupied for that length of time.

What Types of Photo Products Do You Offer as a Newborn Photographer?

Ultimately, the most magical part of newborn photography is having high-quality items that will last for generations. Make sure you know what your options will be, because each photographer sources these items from different artisans or businesses, and some don’t handle finished products at all. At my studio, for example, I proudly offer fine art custom framed prints, well-crafted Italian wall art, customized heirloom albums, mounted prints, and more.

Getting the Scoop from Your Newborn Photographer

As you’re hiring a newborn photographer, the questions you ask will set you up for an easier, less stressful process because you’ll have a clear understanding of the road ahead. Finding the right questions to ask your newborn photographer is the first step. Use the questions above to get the best results from your newborn portrait session. If you’re in the market for a photographer, schedule your newborn photography session with me in Harrisburg, PA today.