E&L Photography Wedding and Portrait Photographer

Hi there! I’m Lauren. I am a full-time Wedding and Portrait Photographer in Northwest Indiana. While weddings are my passion, I absolutely love capturing all memories from family portraits to newborns and milestones. I have a studio based out of my home in St. John, Indiana where I capture newborn sessions, monthly milestones, and cake smashes!
I am a wife and a mama to two cats, two German Shepherds, and our little man, Ryker..He is the best business assistant ever!!

I wanted to create this blog post to help guide new and expecting mommas on what it means to book a Newborn Session with E&L Photography. You have enough to think about in the months before you give birth and I hope this makes your newborn session easier and more enjoyable for you. Your babe is only this little once and it is just as important for you to enjoy the memory of the session as it is for me to capture the images.

Let’s start with the first question..
When should you book your newborn session?

While ideally, I like to photograph babies between 7 and 10 days after birth, I have had many that were born during the pandemic that came to see me when they were two weeks to about a month old and they were a dream to shoot! So my answer is, if you can get to the studio within those first 10 days, great! However, if medical or personal reasons keep you from coming right away, I am still very happy to take pictures of your little one and you can expect very similar results.

What time should a session take place?
Sessions are best scheduled first thing in the morning between 9 am and noon. Please do your best to keep your babe awake for two to three hours before the session. It is also best to feed baby before you get in the car to leave.

What should I bring to our session?
Please bring a pacifier, bottle, and formula/breastmilk (if using) as well as extra diapers. I provide all props and outfits for baby but if there are any outfits or props that you would like included in our session, I am happy to photograph those as well.

How long will the session last?
Each pose takes time and patience to get your little one settled so plan on being in the studio for 2 to 2.5 hours. If you would like pictures of siblings, we will do those first. If baby needs soothing/feeding, we will fit that into our schedule as well. The comfort and well-being of you and your little one are most important!

Poop & Pee..the not-so-fun things…
It is totally normal for your little one to go potty in/on the props and backdrops during the session. Unless baby is uncomfortable, I continue to shoot even if accidents happen! They are easily removed in post-processing after our session.

I am SO excited to capture your little one’s memories. I have always loved newborn photography but as a new mom, I have a new appreciation for it. The time is so fleeting and it feels like a fog now that I am out of it. I want to make sure that we capture their newborn likeness forever.