Pregnancy is an amazing time and there is no better way to celebrate it than with a portrait session!

To get the most out of your session however, there are a few things you should know.

What is the best trimester for a maternity session?

It really just depends on how big you would like your baby bump to be in your photos.  I recommend, any time between 29 weeks to 36 weeks, which is in the third trimester.

But I don’t recommend scheduling after your 36th week. Babies are considered term by 37 weeks, and you don’t want to go into to labor and miss your photo session!

And yes, this does happen!

Avoid wearing anything that will leave a mark on your skin on the way to your photos shoot

When we’re pregnant, our bodies retain a lot of extra fluid which means things like elastic waistbands, socks and elastic hair bands worn around your wrist will leave a mark on your skin.  

To help your skin to look as smooth as possible, so avoid wearing anything that is likely to leave a mark on your skin on the way to your session. Especially if you plan on being photographed nude or in draping.

Wondering what to wear for your maternity photos? The tighter the better!

Loose maternity clothing is super comfortable, but doesn’t always look great in photos.  Maternity portraits are all about showing off your baby bump! So when it comes to picking out what to wear to your maternity portraits, remember, the tighter the clothes, the better!

Don’t be afraid to show some skin

Nude and semi nude maternity images are often my favorite!  

I have all the fabric we need for draping and will always photograph you in a tasteful and beautiful way!  So take advantage of the studio setting, and show a little skin!

Husbands, partners, kids and wives?

I’m often ask if other family members can be in some of the photos and the answer is always YES!  

These are your portraits and your moment to celebrate, so you can include anyone you would like to! But, if you would prefer to be the only one in your pictures, that is okay too!

What to do with your maternity portraits

Maternity portraits are beautiful, but they can also be very intimate? So if you are wondering what to do with your maternity portraits after you have them taken, you are not alone! A lot of my clients ask me this very questions.

At my studio, we recommend having an album made so that you have a keepsake you can pull out and look at when every you want to remember this special time in your life. Many of my clients will also choose one or two of their favorite images to hang in their bedroom or in the nursery.

Ready to schedule?

Great! I can not wait to work with you! Follow this link to learn more and get on my calendar. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! I can be reached by email at sandra@sandracoan.com.

One of the most common questions we get here at Sandra Coan Photography is this: What is the best age for newborn portraits?

Within the first 10 days is ideal

I recommend that you book your newborn session within the first ten days if you can!  

The earlier the better!

Here’s why

First of all, your baby will never be that tiny again.  And there is something very special about capturing the magic of those first days with your new baby.

Fresh newborns are also very sleepy!  So bringing them in when they are brand new increases your chances of getting those precious, sleeping baby photos.

Baby acne!  It’s totally normal, and it usually starts about two weeks after birth.  So getting your baby in for photos early  increases your chances of missing the baby breakout stage!

All that said, there is NO WRONG TIME to photograph your newborn

Listen, I’ve been a newborn photographer for 24 years at the time of this post.  I’m also a mother myself.  And the reality is, it’s not always possible to make that 10 day window!

I believe babies and perfect just as they are. That is why I do not pose the newborns I work with.

Having a newborn is wonderful.  But it can also be really hard!

So know this.  There is no WRONG time to photograph your baby.

Is a 3 week old baby still a newborn?  Yes!  And we can still get gorgeous photos?

Is it too late to bring a  4 or 5 week old baby in for photos?  Not at all!!!  4 and 5 week old babies are precious! 

Every age is the perfect age for photos!  And I promise you, you will never regret having photos taken!

Follow this link to book your session!

Photo by Della Chen

I have exactly one photo of myself with my twins from when they were babies.  

One.

My friend Della snapped it when I was sitting on the floor in my living room, unaware of her camera.  

If I had been aware, I probably would have told her not to take it.

I would have told her that I wasn’t ready to be in photos yet.  

That I still had too much baby weight.

That I didn’t like my hair that day and that the babies were cuter then me anyhow, take their picture, not mine.

You see, my pregnancy was not an easy one.

I went into labor the first time at 22 weeks and was put on hospital bed read until I delivered at 36 weeks.  Being in the hospital for that long saved my babies (for which I’m eternally grateful), but it wrecked me.

My muscles atrophied.  

I gained over 100 pounds.  

I was scared and depressed.  

Once the babies were born, I wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital until I could walk on my own around the hall- it took me a week to get there.

By the time I got home, I didn’t recognize myself.  

I was weak.  

Exhausted.

Heavier than I’d been in my life.

And I didn’t want my picture taken.

I didn’t like the way I looked postpartum.  And I didn’t like the way I felt. My pregnancy had been hard.  And it left me with a lot of emotional pain that I saw when I looked at photos of myself.

Why am I telling you all of this?

Because I want you to know I get it.  When you come in for your newborn photos and tell me that you don’t want to be in any pictures, I get it!

100%.

But this is what I want to say to you, and what I wished someone would have said to me when my babies were little.

The photos we take are not for you.  

They are for your baby.

And when that baby grows up and looks at those pictures, they are not going to see that you are tired, or that you look heavy, or that your hair wan’t perfect that day.  

They will see their mother, who they love.

That's it.

I have exactly one photo of myself with my twins from when they were babies.  

One.

And it’s my biggest regret.

I wish I had photos that told my story to give to them.  

To show what I went through because I loved them so much and wanted them so badly.  

Was I over weight?  Yep! Because I had made TWO people… at the same time!!!  That is nothing to be ashamed of!

Was my body weak?  Yes!! I had spent almost four month in a bed in an effort to keep them safe.  That is was mothers do!

Was I exhausted?  Absolutely. I had two newborn babies!  Being tired is normal!

I wish I had photos to show what a warrior I was.  

I wish I had been proud and brave instead of feeling like I needed to hide myself until I was perfect.  

There is no perfect.  

Especially when you’re a parent. And thats okay.

My children deserve to see that.

Yours do too.

So when you tell me you don’t want to be in the photos, I get it, but I will urge you to be in them anyway.

I will remind you that these photos are for your baby, not for you, and that they will want them someday.

And I will let you leave, knowing that I’ve done my job.  You may not like your photos now, or even in a year or two… but someday you will cherish them.

I promise.

Meet my new associate photographer!

I am thrilled to introduce you all to my new associate photographer, Starr Samuelson!

Starr has over 25 years experience working as a professional photographer and has a simple, laid back approached to photographing kids and families and I think you are going to love her!

Sessions with Starr are just $325! She works on Tuesdays and Sundays. Follow this link to get on her schedule and book an appointment!​

Check out some of her gorgeous work below!

In honor of my own two rising high school seniors, I’m hosting my first ever Seniors ONLY Mini Sessions!

Who are these for?

Your high school seniors! Lets celebrate this important milestone by giving the seniors a special day! I will have Fall Family Mini Sessions in November, as always, but the Senior Minis are just for the senior in your life.b

Details Please!

Where: My Greenwood Studio (310 NW 85th St. Seattle, WA 98117)

When: Sunday, September 17th. By appointment only.

Sitting Fee: $175

Digital Files: On sale for just $200 for a complete set (normally $650)

How long: 15 minutes of pure fun!

How do I book?

Simple! Just click the link to the left, choose a time that works best for you, and book your session.

Digital Files and Albums

Digital files and albums will be available for purchase (and on-sale) at the time of the session!

This is a question I get all the time, and the short answer is yes. It is totally safe! But let's break it down!

I'm not a doctor, obviously, but I have done a lot of research on this topic because it's a question I get so often!

False Reports

In 2015, The Daily Mail (a publication known for its questionable journalism) posted a story about a Chinese newborn who was blinded by a relative who took photos of the baby using a flash. This story has since been debunked but is still sighted by people who are concerned about using strobes and flash when photographing newborns and small children.

The Truth

When this story broke, parents and photographers around the world became concerned about the safety of using artificial light when photographing newborns and small children. But the claims made in that article are simply not true.

Ophthalmologist, Dr. Alex Levin was weighed in on the story in an interview with Yahoo Parenting and called the story of the blinded baby in China “inconceivable.”

He went on to say, “If this story were true, there would be lots of blind babies out there… Retinas are made to last, and it’s highly unlikely that this kind of light would cause damage… To attribute the blindness to the taking of a photograph would be incorrect. There’s no way that a camera can cause such damage.”

( https://petapixel.com/2015/07/29/baby-in-china-blinded-by-camera-flash-probably-not )

And according to Babymed.com, "The flash of a camera actually isn’t that bright at all. It only seems bright because it’s often contrasted by dark or indoor settings. The flash of light is no brighter than the light outside in the middle of the day, which is fine for a baby in small doses. The only really harmful light condition you should help your baby avoid is direct and constant sunlight, so always make sure you point your baby’s face away from the sun."

This is something I've read over and over again.

The light that comes from a flash is no brighter than the light you get through a window or from most light bulbs in your house. Now obviously, those lights would be too bright if one were to look directly at them for a long period of time, but we don't. And we don't look directly at the studio strobes for a long period of time either. A studio strobe fires for a fraction of a second. If you are using lights in the style I teach, it's being used at relatively low power and turned away from the baby.

My Approach to Lighting Newborns, Babies and Small Children

I use a low powered, 200-watt strobe flash in my studio and I'm usually shooting it at 50% power (sometimes lower).

My light is never pointed directly at my subject. I bounce the light off the back of an umbrella and then through the diffusion panel that I place on the front of my umbrella. So the light that is already at 50% power is then diffused, or softened.

I then place my light 45 to 90 degrees to my subject, so it's never pointed directly at the person I'm photographing.

Using lights in this way makes them very comfortable to sit in front of. In fact, most of the people I photograph (babies and adults alike) don't even notice the flash!

Personally, I find this style of lighting much more comfortable than sitting in front of continuous light or a bright window.

Your Baby’s Safety is Always My Top Concern

I’ve been working with newborns since 1999. I have over two decades of experience and a ton of training. Your baby’s safety and comfort are always my top concern!

Thats why I don’t use unnatural prosing or elaborate props. And that is why I created the lighting style that I use.

Follow this link to book your session!

Life is busy! I get it! Sometimes your kids don’t want to get dressed, or the baby has a blow out as you’re walking out the door! And we all know how bad Seattle traffic can be, right? So here are some things you need to know if you are running late to your photo session.

Try to plan ahead

I have found that the most common reason for running late is traffic! So keep an eye on the traffic reports the day of your shoot and give yourself plenty of time. I’m always at the studio at least an hour before a scheduled session, so if you arrive early, just text me and let me know! I’d much rather start your session early than late!

Also, if you have children in your family who are on a nap schedule, take their nap time into consideration when booking and allow a buffer when possible! if your child usually takes an 8:00 am, for example, book an 11:00 session rather than a 10:00. Children LOVE to wake up late on photoshoot days!

Call to let me know

If, despite your best laid plans, you are running late, call (or text) me to let me know! My studio number is 206-841-2260.

If I know you are running late then I can let you know if I can accommodate the new time, or if we’ll need to reschedule.

When to reschedule

If you think you are going to be more than 15 to 20 minutes late, you may want to consider rescheduling.

I often work with more than one client in a day and don’t want your session to be rushed if you are 25 to 30 minutes late to a 60 minute session. I would much rather reschedule so you can get the best possible experience.

Life Happens

Remember, I work with children and I’m a mother myself. So I understand that life happens! I will try to be as flexible as I can!

I started my business in 1999 and I’ve always been passionate about providing the families I work with natural, unposed newborn portraits.

My work is clean and timeless. Free of the props and un-natural posing that is so popular in newborn photography today. That is something I take great pride in.

But perhaps you are wondering why I choose not to use props or posing in my newborn photography when that style is so popular.

Here’s why.

Baby-led newborn photography

For starters, I believe babies a perfect just the way they are and I find props distracting.

When I photograph a newborn, I want to capture them, not a stylized version of them.

I want your photos to reflect how you see them now so that you can look back and remember what they were like at this age years from now.

Your baby’s safety and comfort are my top priorities

Sadly a lot of the posing that is popular in newborn photography is unsafe. And all too often babies who are forced into “Taco” or “Froggie” poses (yes… those are actually the name of some newborn poses) are inured in the process.

Stylized posing requires extensive training. And I while I know there are trained newborn photographers who do it well, I also I believe that if you need to be trained how to do a pose so that you do not seriously injure a baby, then maybe you just shouldn’t be doing the pose!

Babies are tiny humans. And they need to be treating with care.

I want your photos to stand the test of time

We’ve all seen old family photos that may have been on trend when they were taken, but make us cringe now!

I don’t want that for you. And that is precisely why I stay away from trends in my work.

My goal is to create something for you and your family that will hang on your wall for generations.

I want your newborn photos to be timeless, so that you can look at in 10, 20 years from now and find them beautiful, not embarrassing!

Unposed newborn portraits are hard to find

I know that my approach to newborn photography is different. Most newborn photography is highly posed and requires a lot of props.

You will never find that at my studio.

If simple, minimal and timeless is what you’re looking for in your newborn photography, then you are in the right place!

Follow this link to learn about my pricing and book your session! And if you do not see any openings on my schedule, feel free to send me an email! (sandra@sandracoan.com). I always leave room in my calendar for newborns!

I always say, there is nothing as beautiful as a newborn baby!  Those first moments are truly a magical time.  And that is why you want to make sure the person you are entrusting to create their newborn portraits is the best fit for you.  

But how do you go about finding the best one?  Especially when you live in a city like Seattle that has so many talented photographers to choose from!

Hopefully this post will help answer some of your questions!

Style

Before you dive deep into your online research, I encourage you to think about what style of photography you like!  

When it comes to newborn photography, most people think of photos that rely heavily on props and posing. But not all photographers shoot in that style!

I practice what is called “baby led posing”.  

What that means is that I only place newborns in poses that are natural and comfortable for them to be in.  So, for example, I’lI place your sleeping baby on their stomach, side or back.  But I will never position them in an unnatural position like a “taco” or “froggy” pose.

I also stay away from props in my work.  

I love images that are clean, minimal and timeless!

Knowing the style of photography that resonates most with you will help you narrow down your choices! 

Experience

Once you’ve found a photographer, or maybe a couple of photographers, whose style matches your own, check how much experience they have working in this genre.

Newborn photography is a very specialized field. It takes a lot of patience.  And you’ll want someone who has experience working with newborns, knows how to keep them comfortable and happy, and understands how to work efficiently!

I started my photography business in 1999 and have been working as a newborn photographer even since. Newborn photography is my specialty. And I work with over 100 families a year, so I have a ton of experience working with newborns!

Trust

When it comes to choosing a newborn photographer, trust is another important factor to consider!  

You want to make sure that the quality of work they show on their website is the same quality you can expect to get  if you choose to trust them with these once in a lifetime photos!!

So spend time looking through their portfolio and social media!  

Is their work consistent?  

Do they show a variety to clients? 

Is the work they post in the bright summer months the same quality as the work they post in the winter (that will tell you whether or not they know how to work in different lighting conditions). 

Also, look for awards and accolades!

I, for example, and an award winning photographer.  

I’m also an industry educator and a best selling author.  

I am trusted and partner with some of the biggest brands in the photography world, like Kodak, and Westcott Light!  So in addition to serving clients for over 20 years, I’ve earned the trust of my colleagues and industry leaders! 

That is something I'm very proud of. 

Next Steps

I hope this post was helpful!  If you have any questions, please let me know!  And if you’d like to schedule your newborn appointment, just follow this link!

One of the biggest concerns the families I work with have when it comes to planning a photo shoot is whether or not their children, especially their toddlers, will “behave”.

I totally understand this concern!

When you book a family portrait session you are investing both time and money and you want it to be as perfect as can be!

There is no perfect

But after 24 years working as a professional photographer, this is what I’ve learned!

There is no perfect!

And being “perfect” is over rated anyway!

What I love about photographing toddlers

As a portrait photographer, my goal is to create images that capture the person I’m photographing as they truly are in this moment in life.

I work really hard to see the “real” because I find that beautiful.

As a mother, I want to look back at photos of my children and remember them as they’re authentic little selves.

The gift of toddlers is that they ONLY exist in “the real”. They haven’t learned to pose yet. They don’t have a rehearsed “picture face”. You will never get a fake smile from a two or three year old!

And that is why I LOVE working with them so much!

So what do I do is your child doesn’t want their photo taken?

When you and your child come into the studio, the first thing I do is make sure your toddler feels comfortable. Young children are often a little bit shy at first, so I give them time to warm up.

We talk and play for a few minutes, then we move into pictures.

If they are still feeling unsure, I’ll start with mom or dad sitting with them.

We play and sing songs!

I make it fun.

And I always bet something beautiful!

Don’t worry. You’re in good hands.

I’ve been photographing newborns, toddlers and children since 1999! Before that I was a kindergarten teacher. I’m also the mother of twins.

I know and understand children.

I truly enjoy them.

So when you come in for your family photos, don’t worry.

You are in good hands!

And if you even have any question or concerns before you session, do not hesitate to ask! You can always reach me at sandra@sandracoan.com