Roxbury, NJ Maternity and Newborn Photographer, Denise at Millie Dee Photography, When is the right time to book a maternity or newborn session?

This past winter here in Jersey was one for the record books.  How many of us were battling not just snow storms but the big mountains of snow that seemed to last for weeks at a time?  I remember driving through Denville on Main Street and there was no way to make a left turn because the big trucks needed the space in between the road ways to put extra snow from the roads there.  That was a first for me.
I can't speak for everyone, however, I have a feeling we're all glad to see signs of spring right now.  Flowers are starting to bloom, the sun feels warmer (some days anyway) and we're starting to venture out a little bit more.  My daughter and I had a girl's day this past weekend and hit the Short Hills Mall, which we haven't been to in many years, and the mall was packed.  I couldn't believe the lines to get into some of the stores.  Everyone is ready to get out of the house for a little while.
​This also means more people are scheduling their maternity & newborn photos.  By the way, the photo of the gorgeous pregnant mother here is using her bridal gown during her maternity session; she always planned to get it altered into a dress she can use (what a great idea, right?) So before she has it made into a cocktail dress, we used a lace piece for her maternity session and then also used it in her little baby girl's newborn session.  I'll post some photos below. 
​ I've been getting a lot of calls lately for babies due soon.  This covid baby boom is definitely one of the few beautiful things to come out of this pandemic.  If you're expecting a baby, and starting to browse through photographers' work, I'd suggest finding the style of portraiture that you want and email that photographer to see what their schedule looks like; some may have openings right away and some book months in advance, so it never hurts to just reach out to them and start asking questions.
One question to always ask is what safety precautions they use?  Safety is always my number one concern; in fact for newborn sessions, I like to have an assistant working with me as it never hurts to have an extra set of hands when working with babies.    Infact, I've taken several classes and check in with nurses through out the year if I have any questions; every baby is different; I've had babies that have stayed in NICU, babies with casts or other issues; I always speak with professionals when needed and make sure I'm updated on proper safety techniques for my clients.  
As for maternity sessions, I like to schedule moms if I can toward the 26-30 week time frame.  Lately I've been booking later in their pregnancy simply because they've reached out later, however, most of the time they get a little nervous about the time frame and call to see if there are any earlier openings, so, please, if you're looking to book a maternity session, I'd suggest doing so during your first trimester or beginning of second trimester; so after the morning sickness phase.  
Again, if you're looking at a certain style of photography and find a photographer's work that you like, reach out to them and start asking questions.  Find out if they're a good fit for you.  My fit is studio photography; I used to photograph maternity outdoors as well, and hope to again someday, however, with the pandemic, I only book a certain amount of clients per month right now and if an outdoor shoot turns into a washout, I may not have enough time on the schedule to re-book; and that would not be fair to a client that has her heart set on her session, so for now, I'm only offering studio maternity, which is what I love to offer my clients.  I love working with lighting and shadows. 
The studio is arranged for them before they get there; hair and makeup starts when they arrive and I put them in some wardrobe pieces and we start the session.  It's certainly a wonderful experience if you ever have the opportunity to have a glam session, do it; it's like your own personal magazine shoot.     
I'm lucky enough to work with several super talented hair and makeup artists, the one pictured here is Desiree Tunnero.  

This mom was looking for a certain look for her images; she had a vision and I was able to make that happen for her.  I recently started showing my clients some of their images before they leave the studio; I'm hoping someday to offer a same day service, but I don't want to get ahead of myself here.    

Back to it being busy season, I guess one of the suggestions I want to make is to get on the schedule before time runs out and the photographer you have your heart set on is booked.  
​In the meantime, enjoy your pregnancy and your babies and enjoy this spring weather.
Below are a few photos of this baby girl using her Mother's bridal gown.  I also work with a local designer who made this cute little outfit to look like her mother's dress, Madeline Rose Boutique is her company and she will make you an outfit personalized to your needs, check her out

We even used some jewelry for the baby's session. This is a Tiffany necklace from their graffiti line.   

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