Jack Alexander is 7 Months Old & I’m Obsessed | Dapper Baby Boy Photos

Cutest Baby Boy in Houston | 7 Month Studio Sitter Session by Sarah Borchgrevink Photography

Greetings, friends! Today's blog post is totally going to be biased because Jack, my sweet angel, is 7 months old and I cannot help but think he's the most handsome baby in all of Houston, ha! Of course, because he's mine, I cannot help but be super biased. First things first: I'm TOTALLY obsessed with him! There, I said it! He is my last baby and smitten does not even begin to describe how much I adore him. 

If you follow me on through social media, you may know I have four kiddos total. I just keep having babies, ha! Can't stop, won't stop - well, until now, ha! My little ones are named Emma Olivia, Lucy Rose, Amelia Charlotte Ann, and then our grand finale is Jack Alexander. When announcing the pregnancy, we did a super fun gender reveal in the studio so everyone could share our joy! 

Anyway, as one of Houston's Top Rated Baby Photographers (2016, 2017, and 2018), my studio is the perfect place for having your little one's photos taken! Not only do I have an amazing set of newborn props, I have a huge variety of gorgeous items for babies who are 3-12 months old; The first year of life is full of precious milestones! I offer fully customized baby milestone sessions to all of my clients. Everything is provided such as hand-created attire and all props/styling, such as buckets, bowls, etc. Check out a sample view of my client closet to see if these timeless, classic and adorable outfits are a good fit for you. :-) 

All of this information in mind, I could not wait until Jack is sitting up and able to take sitter photos. As of 7 months old, he is 24 pounds, 28 inches long, and is truly the happiest baby on the block! Of all my kiddos, he may be the most laid back. He loves snuggles, playing, rocking, visiting the park, spending time with his big sisters, and of course, he is still downstairs in the master bedroom. I have yet to move him into his nursery! I recently told my husband, "It's like another zip code upstairs, I cannot sequester him away to there!" He still fits into his pack 'n play so no worries. Sometimes he sleeps through the night, other times he is up about 1-2 times and drinks huge bottles. Jack is a complete joy and I'm super proud to be his mommy!

A quick review of Jack's Newborn Session | Posed So Sweetly

Because I am a professional photographer (yes, it says that on my W-2 ha!), I was really excited to photograph Jack's first few days of life through a beautiful & stunning set of images. I did hire a great friend to photograph the family images, but my goodness, it was a complete honor to work with my own earthside cherub. Macro images are some of my absolute favorite photos from each newborn session I photograph so I cannot help but share a few. These are the up close, precious details that set your baby apart. Unique aspects and features are privy to your baby you spent 9 months dreaming of. As a mom, these are special to me because you think you have memorized every details such as their full lips, button nose, tufts of hair, and sweet serene sleeping face, but when you look at images of their first week of life they have changed so much!

Jack's Favorite Activity | Visiting the duck pond

Since I work full time, my husband is the stay at home parent to our little ones. It's also really warm in Houston right now. We've had a super high heat index of about 104 degrees lately, so it's not until evening can my kiddos got outside and play. To give my husband a break (it's true: stay at home parents work so so so so so hard!), I will often take my little ones to the duck pond, which is in my neighborhood. My kiddos love to say hi to the animals such as the turtles and ducklings. We also like to watch people walk their dogs and also get to say hi to some of our neighbors. Our routine has now evolved into going on a walk to get some much needed energy out, and when I tell Jack we're going to visit the ducks, he claps his hands and smiles so big! It's his favorite activity at  7 months old. 

As always, friends, I am excited to share information with you! If you enjoyed reading about Jack's 7 month old photos, you may also be interested in your own session. Check out the links below for information on Houston Newborn Photography, Cake Smash Photography, or even Little Sitter Sessions, which are a 6-8 months old.

• Newborn Photography Houston | Sample Gallery of Boy versus Girl

• 12 Month Cake Smash | Capturing Baby's Precious Personality

• 6 Month Sitter Milestone Sessions | How to Schedule

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Harris County. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Richmond, West University and Rice Village.

When is the Ideal Time to Schedule Your Posed Newborn Session?

Houston Newborn Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink, shares important details about the ideal time to schedule your baby's first professional photography session.

Age Matters | Posed Newborn Appointments

When you first see the + sign on a pregnancy test, you're probably not thinking about when you should book your custom posed newborn portraiture session. That's perfectly okay! Awaiting the arrival of a new baby is full of excitement and many important details. There's numerous (and sometimes lengthy) doctor appointments, baby showers, nursery decor, prenatal classes, breastfeeding classes, and several other items that contend for your attention such as scheduling your maternity leave, etc. Pregnancy is a wonderful time but it's filled with hustle and bustle! 

In addition to the above, you're also thinking about your health and the responsibility of growing a new life: drinking plenty of water, sleeping enough, taking your prenatal pills, trying to get through morning sickness, figuring out when and how to announce, touring hospitals, etc. It's no wonder newborn photos are often put on the back burner.

Before I specialized in newborn portraits, I figured photographers took photos of babies at pretty much any time. I assumed that because baby is only a few months old, it did not matter. However, it does: age is one of the most important parts of having a successful newborn session.

The Best time to Book is the second trimester

Scheduling your baby's first photo-shoot in the second trimester is the most ideal time to book because this ensures you have an appointment on the photographer's calendar. Just because babies come on their own schedule does not mean photographers book babies once they're actually earth side. Part of offering a luxury service is having a calendar full in advance, but also taking a limited number of appointments so each client can have the attention to detail they deserve. This includes consultations and designing a beautiful, timeless baby session for your little cherub. By booking in advance, you're sure to have an appointment when your baby is the right age.

For example, I take 15 due dates per month as of 2018. This keeps me very busy. In addition to my photography sessions, I also have many business tasks, as I am a full time business owner, and I cannot take last minute appointments typically since I usually will have a deadline or consultation already scheduled for that day.

Furthermore, finding the right newborn photographer can take time. It's a lot of research and many important factors to consider, such as the 9 Questions You Should Always Ask.

When do newborn sessions take place?

Newborn sessions at Sarah Borchgrevink Photography take place when the baby is 5-8 days new if they're a full term baby. Premature babies have more flexibility in scheduling, however. I will take newborns up to 30 days if needed, though I rarely go this old since the older baby is, the less the cooperate. Around 14 days old, the baby becomes very alert and does not sleep through the posing, wrapping and all of the set ups.

For scheduling, I have parents notify me when baby has arrived. Afterward, parents are sent 3-4 dates from which they may select. By booking early, your due date secures the appointment on the calendar and makes sure I don't book too many newborns in the same time frame as you. 

Newborns have top priority on the calendar. Babies come when they come.

By booking in advance, you're sure to have an appointment during the optimal time listed above, which is 5-8 days new. For instance, I have four young children myself and with my last baby, I booked his newborn session with a professional photographer when he was 16 weeks new. It was very important to me I have my preferred portrait artist and I made sure I secured her talent so we can have her stunning work on our walls. :-) 

What can you expect?

At my photography studio, expect to have an absolutely stunning newborn session! I delight in working with brand new babies + their darling parents. This time in life is beyond special and precious; there is something almost sacred about the first few weeks as parents bond with their new baby. You can expect the most lovely posing, organic wrapping and textile, hand made and custom props, as well as baby to be at peace. Baby's session should evoke a sense of tender, unconditional love. 

Sample Images of Babies Who Visited at 5-8 Days New

As always, thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoyed reading about when is the best time to schedule your little one's first professional photography session! If you liked reading about this topic, you may find the following blog posts to be helpful, too!

• 22 Babies who Rocked Their First Photos

• How to Work With Alert Newborns in Studio

• How I use Artificial Lights to Create Natural Light Look in Studio

Ultimate Nap Fighting Champion | Working with Alert Newborns in Studio

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography, located in Houston, shares how to photograph an alert newborn in a posed studio setting. 

Dylan's Petite Posed Newborn Session | 12 Days Fresh & New

Hi, gang! Welcome and greetings! I'm glad you're here to read about ways to photograph a newborn who may not be interested in sleeping during the posed newborn session. As a newborn photographer who specializes in posed studio work, I am always really excited when a brand new baby visits my space! In fact, for this particular baby boy named Dylan, I already had the honor of documenting his parent's natural light maternity session so take a peek at that post if you'd like to more information on creating meaningful pregnancy portraits. Today, however, is all about working with babies who are alert.

Before we begin, it's important to note that newborn sessions take place in the first 14 days of life. I offer three options for parents to consider, so click on over to the full pricing guide to see a mini, petite or full newborn collection. Dylan's parents chose my petite newborn collection, which is a lovely option! Featuring all things cozy wrapping, a handful of naked bean bag posing, vintage inspired props, and family/parent images this session is a remarkable and authentic way to preserve this incredibly special time in your baby's life. Once you've notified me of baby's earth side arrival, I send you 3-4 dates to consider that take place in the first two weeks. You're also given a detailed prep guide on how to have a successful newborn session and also how I keep baby content during their posed studio session.

Nevertheless, despite prepping baby and visiting my Houston Newborn Portrait Studio in the first 14 days, some babies are simply more alert than others. They are all individual people and it's important to treat each baby with respect. They have their own autonomy. I can spend hours soothing, rocking, feeding, and providing a calm environment, however, sometimes baby is just a nap fighting champion.

Here is my studio policy on alert babies:

*If baby is already close to the 14 day mark, we spend the 2 hours capturing what we may capture. If your baby is 4-5 days old and is just cluster nursing non-stop, we will bring you back in on day 7 to try again if we've spent 60 minutes and baby is crying or seems unhappy. 

Let's get started, shall we? :-) 

Cozy, Sweet Potato Sack Wrap

Potato sack wrap is the best way to keep baby asleep when they're feeling alert. This is because the wrap is snug around baby's joints and reminds them of being back in the womb. Paired with white noise and an 80 degree environment, it's sure to help them go to sleep. At this point, you can take advantage of baby sleeping. Take this opportunity to take images of baby with a hat, without a hat, on their side, sitting up, in a floor prop, etc. The trick to working with an alert newborn is making sure you make the most of each and every set up. Newborns are challenging! Even the most laid back newborn session can take around 2 hours to photograph. However, by starting with potato sack wrap, you're sure to keep things running much more smoothly than if you began with a naked bean bag pose.

Floor Props & Keep Baby Snug

Another trick to working with a newborn who's not sleepy is to utilize different floor props. If baby finally falls asleep, try not to disturb them. Keep the heat close so they're content and very carefully wrap out hats, wraps, and floor prop items. All of my floor props, for example, are low to the ground and also keep baby safe. For this session, Dylan was ready to party and while he is super duper handsome, he truly made me work, ha! I pulled a classic wooden trench bowl, antique metal pail and a simple, rustic weaved basket to provide variety for his parents. 

Moreover, to create more variety in your sessions, don't be afraid to experiment with different colors and textures. While baby is wrapped in very similar styles, I used texture to ensure each set up looks different, despite being in three different wrapping styles. Since his parents chose my petite gallery, I needed to come up with 30 images that are all different. Thankfully, I am very experienced in posed newborn portraiture and am comfortable working with alert newborns, however, three years ago I may have felt a little frazzled. 

This brings up another point: don't get stressed. I know it can make newborn photographers feel anxious when you have a baby in studio who is not sleepy. You have a game plan in your mind on what you want to accomplish and you also are eager for the parents to love the photos. Newborn photography is truly customized and a special art because it takes someone with patience, skill and attention to detail to truly create beautiful baby images. Keep calm. Remember your newborn training and mentoring. You also may go over on time a little bit and that's okay: don't forget parents have invested in these images and while it's great to stay on schedule, if you spend an extra half hour in order to achieve the look you need, it is well worth it! 

Dylan made me work but he is just so handsome!

Tootsie Style of Newborn Wrapping

After floor props, I moved Dylan into tootsie wrap style. This is the foundation for all my macro images from his session. You'll see those below. Once I was able to get him back to sleep, I moved him to bean bag and pulled the most lovely, charcoal grey color scheme featuring a matching wrap, back drop, and bonnet. I did have to rock him for a bit and rub his eyes, but his Dad was very helpful and kept the heater really close and moved my white noise machine so baby would sleep even deeper.

The sweet smiles make the whole session worth it for me! His parents will truly treasure his adorable little smirk and stunning features. Even on the most challenging of sessions, I am happy to be with babies. Each baby is also a learning experience and way to better yourself as a newborn portrait artist. 

Don't forget your precious macro images

Since Dylan is already wrapped in a precious tootsie style, I took this as an opportunity to capture his macro details. This is an example of making the most of each set up during your time with baby. Instead of moving him and risking him waking up, I delicately adjusted his body so he is parallel to my light and photographed his darling characteristics such as his brand new, curly toes, sweet profile, his lips, nose, cheeks and eye lashes. He did not want me to touch his hands so I kept his hands inside of the wrap, but we still achieved enough variety for a petite newborn gallery. I ended up showing his parents around 80 images! I call that a successful newborn session, even if baby did not want to sleep. :-) 

Get Creative With Your Sliders in Processing

The final tip I suggest is to be creative with sliders in post processing of images. All of these images were photographed on a blue back drop, but by adjusting my sliders in Lightroom, which is a post processing software professional photographers utilize, I was able to give his parents 4 different colors. So, for each image shown below, I gave them a grey, green, teal and blue version of the photos plus a black/white edit. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog to read ways to work with alert newborns, even if they are the ultimate nap fighting champions, ha! I hope you enjoyed seeing styles of wrapping, vintage floor props, and tips for a successful posed newborn session. If you liked this post you may enjoy reading about the other topics such as:

• Setting Your Business Apart with Top Notch Customer Service
• Creating a Natural Light Look Through Studio Lighting
• Three Safe & Easy Ways to Pose Dad with Newborn Baby

Specializing in posed baby portraits, Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer serving the surrounding areas including Houston metro area, Cypress, Katy, Spring, The Heights, Sugar Land, West University, Bellaire, and The Woodlands, TX. In addition to breathtaking newborn images, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting couples.