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I am so excited that you are interested in choosing me as your newborn photographer in Pittsburgh to document your newest little one! Getting to be a part of your baby's first weeks is a huge deal to me. I love showing my artistic side by styling scenes so your newborn is captured forever. But I also love the snuggles! I am very hands-on with helping to feed or getting them to sleep. It's ALWAYS a good day when I get to hold a newborn, and I appreciate my clients trusting me with something so small and important.
I started concentrating my photography more so on newborns and maternity about five years ago. Hundreds of babies later, and I'm still loving it. Getting to meet new clients and their little ones has been very rewarding. I love growing with a family by helping them capture the memories of the most important parts of their life, and I hope to provide this for you, too.
Take your time reading through the information and thinking about what collection might best suit your needs. When you're ready, you can inquire through the site or email me directly: katie@katielouisephotography.com
Are you close to the Bridgeville area? Don't want to worry about making sure your home is in order after the baby arrives? Want full access to wraps, props and scenes? Then the studio will work best for you. My studio is located in Bridgeville, close to 79.
Do you have a home with lots of natural light? Do you want to showcase the newborn's nursery or a favorite room in your house? Then the lifestyle session that takes place at your home might be what you're looking for.
Studio Newborn Session Sample on the Blog
At-Home Newborn Session Sample on the Blog
You're ready to book! Now what? Once you've made a decision, I'll send you the online portal containing the contract to be signed online, as well as an online invoice for the retainer. The retainer fee is non-refundable, will hold a spot on the calendar and will guarantee current pricing. The retainer fee does not include any digital images or products.
After booking, you'll want to start thinking about colors, themes and props you would like to use. If you're not sure at all and would like to give me artistic freedom, that works, too! I'll give you advice on what to wear and how to coordinate. If you need anything super specific that I may not already have, I will need to know that information well in advance to prepare.
You'll be sent a prep guide with the studio address and parking/entering directions. This will include helpful tips to make your session go smoothly. The studio is on the second floor, and we unfortunately do not have an elevator in the building. Walking up a flight of steps is required to access the studio.
Pets are allowed as long as the breed, size, and training are discussed ahead of time. A parent or additional person must be able to take the pet back home once we finish pictures with them.
I always start with family, parent and sibling poses first, whether at the studio or your home. This way you can relax for the remainder of the session.
Sessions typically finish in under 2 hours. However, sometimes we need to extend another hour if the baby needs a feeding or has trouble falling asleep.
Occasionally grandparents may be permitted at the studio, but they will most likely need to wait in the lobby or return home once their portion is done since the waiting area within the studio is smaller.
The proofing gallery will be delivered through email 2-3 business days following your session. Next, you'll create a favorites list of the digitals you would like to keep that are included with your collection. You will have one week to choose and pay for a collection plus any extras. Final edits will be loaded to the gallery and sent within 10-14 business days, excluding Mondays and holidays.
I'm happy to offer my clients the convenience of turning their images into keepsakes right in their gallery. I use only the best printing company to fulfill your order because I want your prints and products to be top-quality and last a lifetime. From beautiful linen float frames to fine art albums, you're just a few clicks away from decorating your home with memories. If you purchase a collection with keepsake products, these will be shipped to the studio for pickup. If you're over 45 minutes away, then exceptions can be made and shipping direct to your home starts at $35.
I'm happy to offer my clients the convenience of turning their images into keepsakes right in their gallery. I use only the best printing company to fulfill your order because I want your prints and products to be top-quality and last a lifetime. From beautiful linen float frame to fine art albums, you're just a few clicks away from decorating your home with memories.
What to Expect
This non-refundable fee guarantees you a date on the calendar and current pricing. This is due along with a signed contract at booking.
The retainer covers:
Studio or in-home session time
Access to props, wraps, backgrounds, and wardrobe
Travel within service areas for at-home sessions
*This fee does not include digital images or products and does not apply toward collection pricing below.
Once you have viewed your proofs (sent within 2-3 days of your session),
you'll pick out and pay for a collection separately, plus any extras, within one week.
*Payment plans available for collections $1200+.
*Retainer and collections are subject to 7% sales tax.
CONTACT ME for the Full Pricing Guide
*Retainer is separate from all collections
CURRENT PROMOS
Save $250 on a maternity session when booking a newborn session. Expires August 31, 2025
OR Save $200 on a 1st birthday session when booking a newborn session. Expires May 31, 2025
Includes digital images, wall art, keepsake albums
Full access to props, wraps, backdrops
1.2 - 2 hours
Includes digital images + complimentary gift prints
Full access to props, wraps, backdrops
1.2 - 2 hours
*Minimum to include family, parent and/or sibling poses
Baby only
Baby remains wrapped for the entire session
Full access to props, wraps, backdrops
Perfectly paced — typically 30-60 minutes.
I always suggest to book during your at the beginning of your second trimester. Spots are limited, so booking in advance secures your due date. Plus, it gives us extra time to plan!
If you're booking a maternity session too, it's best to reach out at the end of the first trimester so we can plan the maternity session for the third trimester. If you're a first-time mom, you may not start to really show until later in the third trimester, so sometimes we have to wait a little longer.
Newborn sessions are taken Tuesday-Friday starting at 10am, 10:30am, or 11am. Babies aren't really on a schedule yet, so this seems to be the best time based off of experience. I'll also send you prep instructions to help ensure things go smoothly. Occasionally I will take newborns on Sundays if your work simply won't allow a weekday or if you have older children in school. I cannot guarantee this, so a weekday must be okay as a backup option.
No worries if your baby does not come exactly on the due date. I only allow a limited number of bookings a month to ensure we have a few date options regardless of when your baby arrives. Expect to come into the studio when the baby is 5-14 days old. This is when they are more flexible and sleeping for longer periods of time.
The retainer also acts as a sitting fee. It is due upon booking in order to guarantee you a date (I only take so many newborns a month) and current pricing. My pricing is subject to change, as well as what I offer in each collection. You'll be welcome to take advantage of new collections in case they have different products, but you'll also reserve current pricing when booking in case the price is raised. The retainer then covers the time of the session. This includes the setup time, duration, all planning, and access to all props, backdrops, wraps/outfits, etc.
This is probably what clients worry about the most. You'll want to do your best to follow the prep instructions for the baby as much as possible. Sometimes you can plan all you want and they may still not sleep. While this isn't ideal for certain poses because of safety reasons, it doesn't mean we still won't be able to get adorable pictures! If they're awake, we'll get to capture their personality. Most of the time if the baby isn't sleeping at the start, they will usually fall asleep along the way.
Try not to worry! I have years of experience with young kids and getting them to not only cooperate, but to give cute smiles, too!
As far as outfits, I supply everything for the newborn. No need to bring anything unless you have something special, like a traditional ethnic outfit. You'll want to prepare for yourself and the other family members, though. Scroll down to the next section for help on styling. However, if you're booking a maternity session, I have a client closet you have access to.
I would suggest bringing a separate, cooler outfit for after family photos because the room does stay pretty warm. Bring extra diapers and formula if needed. A pacifier is a huge help just for settling baby while they're being wrapped, as it takes the focus away from their arms and legs and lets me work a little faster at getting them ready. Letting me try to use a pacifier is a requirement for all sessions, but especially the mini, in order to give us the best possible chance for a smooth and efficient session.
Digital images cannot be purchased a la carte. A minimum collection is required for either the mini or full session. The mini is a digital- only collection.
Try not to worry if your baby has scratches, dry skin or redness. If something is extreme, you can always send me a picture beforehand and we can make a decision on whether we should postpone the session an extra week. However, most issues with baby skin can be fixed. The final edits would simply take longer depending on the severity of peeling or scratches, but certainly not impossible.
Distracting fly-aways, blemishes on other family members and extending backdrops are also included.
You will have one week to choose and pay for a collection starting from the day you receive the proofing gallery.
Once you've chosen a collection, you'll be sent an invoice. Final edits will not be started until the invoice is paid. I can usually finish editing your session within 10-14 business days.
If you choose a collection that includes more than 20 images or if the images need
extra editing, then I would possibly need an additional 1-2 weeks.
I supply everything for your newborn, so you'll only have to find outfits for your other kid/s. With the growth of online stores, shopping for your littles is more fun than ever! I recommend choosing color families (neutrals, blues, etc.) over perfectly matching outfits. If you're looking for some inspiration or some of my favorite shops for kids don't hesitate to reach out!
For newborn sessions in particular, the focus is more on faces and less on distracting patterns or colors. Once way to add depth is to think about switching up the textures of the clothes. As for colors, black or white usually looks great on everyone and are colors probably already in your closet.
For all other sessions, I recommend keeping in mind the word “complement” rather than “match.” For example, if Dad is wearing a blue and pink pastel plaid shirt, Mom may want to choose a long, soft blue dress. It can also be a great idea to choose “color-families,” such as pastels or jewel tones.
CONTACT ME
I'm so honored that you're considering working with me to capture your family. To officially reserve your date, please contact me by clicking below. Include your name, number of family members, due date and anything else I should know.
I can't wait to work with you!
CONTACT me TO RESERVE YOUR due DATE