Duckling Diaries (by a newborn photographer)
Day 6
A VERY exciting day today, they ducklings are just over a week old and given their insistency on always trying to sit in their water bowl we let them have their first little swim today. We made sure the water was luke warm and they had a little platform they could get on and off of easily, we only let them swim for 2-3 minutes as we didn’t want them to get cold or tired but I think they enjoyed it 🙂
They are growing so fast every day and we are really seeing their personalities, they are starting to enjoy us and they tried very hard to get out their cage and get to me last night, they weren’t happy until I went and sat with them until it was bed time.
Jensen is totally in love with them and loves his morning cuddles. I took the opportunity to make sure my editing skill don’t go rusty and transformed phone photo of him cuddling them in the lounge and transported them to a barn via the magic of photoshop!
Duckling Diaries (from a newborn Photographer)
Day 5
They are bigger again (the tooth fairy came for Jensen last night and I suspect she swapped them for bigger ducks whilst we slept!)
Cuddle time was really rewarding today, up until now they have been a little bit nervous, but today they were jumping on our laps for cuddles and even fell asleep at one point. They also discovered I have a little mole on my wrist (funnily enough I got it on a photoshoot on a really sunny day at Millers Ark a few years ago) and think is a bug so they go crazy trying to peck it! They also peck our buttons, sleeves, clothes and my blond hair is another favourite chew toy. I’ve ordered them a little toy mirror on amazon (meant for pets) so I can’t wait to see how they react to that.
Tomorrow I’ll show you their cage set up and explain a little more about it.
Duckling Diaries (by a newborn photographer)
Day 4
Oh my goodness, these little babies grow incredibly fast, today we could start to see their tiny tail feathers forming and they are easily 10% bigger than yesterday. Tomorrow I’ll do another mini photoshoot in the wooden bowl so you can see how much they’ve grown.
Their little personalities are coming through more, whilst Philip is still the leader and Holly follows him everywhere, he is becoming more chilled out and happy with us. Holly is turning into a right bossy boots and pecks everything that moves. They both love to climb up me and peck my face! On Jensen they love to peck his socks! Just like toddlers they mouth everything they can!
We also got the exciting news today that on Tuesday (Jensen’s birthday) we will be allowed to let them have a short swim. In the wild they swim much earlier and mummy duck coats their fluff with her oils so they are waterproof! Obviously we can’t do this so they need to be a bit bigger and won’t get cold so fast. Even so swims need to short and sweet.
Duckling Diaries (from a newborn photographer)
Day 3
So today was a busy day for the little ducklings, they had their first newborn style photoshoot! It was a new one for me but I loved it and they did a great job of posing.
They are growing so fast already, I’ll take a photo of them every other day in the little brown tray so you can all see how fast they are growing!
Jensen also felt a little more comfortable with them today so we had a quiet cuddle session on the floor with them. They move very fast and can be quite wiggly so its important that children are near to the floor when they handle them.
Their daily routine seems to be sleep for 30mins, come out and feed, drink and run around for 5 mins, then back to bed, we added a toilet roll tube to their cage today with they really enjoy playing with. They settle down nicely more once the sun goes down and so far don’t disturb us at night at all.
On final note, our guinea pigs were feeling a little left out, so they had a little photoshoot too…meet Storm and Nala.
Duckling Diaries (from a newborn photographer)
Day 2
So our new baby ducks had a really good night, (much easier than a newborn baby!) they settled down when it got dark (they had been zooming around their new enclosure before this!) and they seem really happy.
Today brings first cuddles. My first learning was they hate to be separated, even in the same room, it makes them very upset, so cuddles for the time being will be together. Learning 2 – they are incredibly fast runners. Learning 3 – they have little silly moments (just like dogs do) running up and down the cage like lunatics and playing.
They chitter chatter to each other quite a lot when they are running about, but when they are unhappy about something this quiet chatter goes up in volume and becomes a very loud chirp! Last year I rescued a couple of baby birds that had fallen out their nest and into our underground car park, I remember how loud their distress calls were despite their tiny size (I heard them from my open window 2 floors up which is when I went to find them) the ducklings, or any other baby for that matter, are no different. Unhappy = Loud!
Holly, as I suspected, is definitely the more relaxed, she was happy to be picked up, and fell asleep in my hands within a few minutes (she also pooped on me!) Every time I went to pick up my phone to take a picture she woke up and gave me a little peck as if to say cuddles only please. Philip was less happy to be caught and took longer to settle, but he too calmed down, whilst he didn’t snooze he sat happily on my chest for a gentle cuddle and stroke. Jensen is still a little nervous about holding them, he doesn’t want to hurt them, so for now he sits with me and just strokes them.
I read up lots before getting them, everyone warned how messy ducklings are (but I must say I’m pleasantly surprised – those people have obviously not kept guinea pigs before!) I clean their water 3 times a day as they do mess it up and every time I walk past their cage and see poop I scoop that straight away too, but so far so good!
I’ve also set up a little studio in my living room to get some good photos of them tomorrow, I’ve never photographed ducklings before and have no idea how it will go! Here’s a photo of my “home studio” lino on the floor for easy clean after little ‘accidents’, boxes all around to create a small space they can feel safer in, I’ll also turn the heating to max tomorrow to make sure they stay warm and toastie for their modelling debut!
Duckling Diaries (from a newborn photographer)
Day 1
Why am I fostering ducklings?
Who remembers how excited their little ones were in reception when they watched the baby chicks hatch and they got to see them grow and develop? I think it is one of my favourite school projects ever! So have you wondered whats happening to those chicks now we are in lockdown? Well two of them are in our home!!
With our lives changing overnight, the newborn studio being forced to closed it doors temporily, I found myself missing babies and new life like you wouldn’t believe, everything seemed rather bleak. Jensen (my son) was is turning 10 during lockdown and the birthday I had spent over a year planning and slowly saving for, poof, was gone. I was desperate to think of something that would make his big birthday truly memorable (he’s never been one for toys or material things, there was no gift I could buy him, but he loves animals) When I saw the post from the amazing Millers Ark Farm offering an opportunity to repeat this experience in our home it seemed like fate. I replied to their post immediately and 2 weeks later here we are!
So yesterday was collection day, our new baby ducklings were waiting, safely snuggled on a table in a barn for us with instructions and food. (No people were there so we could make sure there was no accidental contact and spreading of germs!) I’d bought a little hot water bottle wrapped in towel to help keep them warm on their little journey home and turned on the car heaters to max. They were a little unsettled for the first 5 minutes, but soon relaxed and had a little snooze.
I had already turned on the brooder before I left to collect them so things were toastie for when we arrived home. Jensen was beyond excited when he met them. On day one we avoid cuddles so they can adjust to their new surroundings and settle in but I did take a little video to show you all.
Jensen decided he wanted to call one Philip (we have no idea if they are boys or girls!) So, as suggested by a friend it made perfect sense to call the other one Holly. Philip is the yellow duckling and Holly is the mix (I decided she should be the girl as the pretty little marking around her eyes look like mascara!) Holly, so far, seems to be the more chilled out of the pair.
Needless to say I will be taking lots of photos and videos of them, but as anyone who has had newborn photography with me knows, baby safety and happiness is the most important thing for me, these little guys are no difference so it maybe a couple of days before I take any photos with my big camera as I want them to get used to use and feel safe and happy first!
On a final note small farms that rely on visitors as a major source of income have taken a huge hit in this lockdown, I just have Jensen to feed with no income, I cannot imagine how hard it must be for these farm owners. If you are still lucky enough to have an income at the moment I urge you to head over to their facebook page and see what you can do to help!
Coronavirus and Newborn Photography
Firstly and most importantly, congratulations on your new baby!
Many clients have been telling me they are are really disapointed that we can’t photograph their baby in the the studio right now, and you know what – me too! I’m missing seeing your proud faces, I’m missing those wonderful baby cuddles, but most of all I’m missing creating beautiful baby photos, something that I know will last in your family for generations.
However, all is not lost, here are Bright Apple Photography all babies up to 12 weeks old are classed as newborns. Its true that after 28 days that super curly, super sleepy newborn style changes, but as we are all learning at the moment, change doesn’t have to be bad. As babies get older we get amazing smiles in our baby photoshoots, squishy cheeks and chubby toes, and even better, most still do fall asleep and I do still pose them! Its just different.
Really can’t wait for those beautiful newborn photographs? Check out my Virtual Newborn Photoshoots my answer for photographing babies in lockdown.
So looking to the future, I hoping that we will be able to do outdoor family photoshoots again very soon, of course maintaining that very important 2m gap. Australia for example is now slowly lifting lockdown and you are able to meet with one other person not from your household, so fingers crossed in a few weeks we will be able to do the same here.
When it is looking safe to re-open the newborn studio there will be a few new rules. Some we have always done, photographing newborn babies I have always been very strict on hygiene and cleanliness in the studio.
And lastly a huge thank you to those still booking in for when lockdown is over, being a small business forced to close, times are very hard right now and your support means everything to me. Thank you!
Calming a Newborn Baby
Specialising in Newborn photography has so many lovely moments, one of which is helping an unsettled baby to settle. Whilst some may think its ‘magic’ (it can seem that way sometimes) there are a few techniques which I thought I share with you today.
Bringing a baby home from hospital for the first time is such a giant moment, especially if its your first baby. I remember when I bought my son home from hospital, I was so excited to be leaving I hadn’t really thought about what lay ahead. I remember finally getting home, placing him on my bed and thinking “now what?”
Well that moment doesn’t last for long, they maybe little but their voices aren’t! We just haven’t learnt their language at that point, and learning their cries is no easy task! You’re tired, your body aches, your hormones are all over the place and you’re so in love with this tiny little person all you want in the world is to make them happy and safe – and then they cry 🙁
You’ve checked the basics, they’re clean, they’re fed, they aren’t sick, and still they cry (and you might too) So here are some of tips I’ve learnt in my career in newborn photography.
- This is the most important tip, it may seem easy, it’s not! DO NOT PANIC, DO NOT STRESS! Your baby knows your heart beat, they know your emotions, if you get upset, they will get upset. Take a deep breathe and relax, maybe put some of your favourite music on, think about your favourite place, but relax.
- Wind is the number one cause of baby crying, are their little legs going crazy is a sign of this, perhaps you’ve tried to give them a little food and they are fussing so much they won’t take it. Try your favourite winding position first, if it doesn’t work try moving them. I find walking with them resting on my shoulder whilst tapping and rubbing their backs is a good one. Change their position, keep changing it until they can get comfy. (and don’t stress!)
- So, they’ve burped and they are still crying, don’t worry, I have more solutions 🙂 Have you ever been in an discussion and got so carried away with it you can’t remember what the initial thought was about? Crying is a bit like this, they started for reason, you’ve fixed the reason, but now they are a so upset they can’t remember why so keep on crying. You need to break the cycle, cause a distraction, a loud constant noise is often the best solution. I have a metal sink in the newborn photography studio and luckily very strong water pressure, switching the tap quickly on full makes a very loud noise and stops 95% of baby tears. Don’t just turn it off though, let it run for a few minutes so they can calm down and gradually turn it off. No loud sink? A hover, hairdryer, even the radio switched to static works just as well, just make sure it’s a sudden and continuous noise.
- They are now calm but you can tell still a bit touchy, don’t rush this step, they will be tired from all those tears so you want to put them to sleep now, keep them in your arms, I find having their heads rest on my chest and gently humming works brilliant, they can hear your heart beat and the vibrations from your hum is very soothing. Does your baby like to be stroked or tapped? I start every newborn photography session with a very simple set up which is when I get to know your baby and figure out what they like. Some love their foreheads stroked whilst they gentle drift off to sleep, others like their bums gently tapped whilst being rocked, others like to gaze out the window, they are all wonderfully different and there is no single answer, enjoy figuring them out 🙂
- Finally – dummies….this is a controversial one, some babies get nothing from them, others get a lot of comfort from sucking. I love dummies, I believe in happy baby = happy parents but I appreciate this isn’t for everyone. Dummies have different teats and babies will have a definite preference – the one I find most love is the Soothie Dummy by Avent. If you gently tap the base of the dummy once its in their mouth it encourages them to suck.
So in summary
- Eliminate the basics
- Stay calm
- Try to burp them
- Distraction
- Soothe them
- Try a Dummy
I hope at this point you’ll have a calm, sleeping baby. My last tip is to enjoy it, the washing can wait, they house will still be messy in half and hour. Sit down and enjoy the moment, cuddle your baby, take a break and enjoy them in your arms, put your feet up and enjoy a TV break while you cuddle (Life in Pieces is really funny and great to dive into if you haven’t seen it before) Trust me, with a now 9 year old child who is nearly the same size as me, these moments go so fast so take the time to enjoy them. They are all so very different and unique, what works for one baby may not work for another, enjoy getting to know your child and everything that makes them so special.
Beautiful Newborn Photography in Surrey
Just a little sneak peek of the cutest, sleepiest who came to visit my studio today. Loved every second of todays shoot <3
Newborn Mini Sessions
Newborn Mini Sessions – £325
Bright Apple Photography will now be offering newborn mini sessions! This is a new addition for 2017 and perfect for those who only want a short session with a few images. On a budget, but really want those special shots of your little one? The mini session is ideal. The session lasts 1 hour maximum and within that time I go through a few poses with your newborn. Since it’s a short session, and baby runs the show, so no matter if baby is awake or asleep, we will roll with the punches and get some great shots.
• 1 hour session
• 8 high resolution digital images delivered via download (I will choose the best images)
• Rights to reprint
• Cost of session is £325 for everything, no session fees, no packages to buy afterwards
• Baby must be under 3 weeks of age (or 8lbs if premature)
Newborn Mini’s requires 50% of the Newborn Mini fee be paid in advance as a retainer fee to reserve your spot for the month. The remainder balance will be due when appointment time is scheduled and confirmed.
What is the difference between mini session and a full newborn session?
• Main difference is time spent on creating photos. My full newborn sessions aren’t timed, we take time for feeding extra cuddles, getting baby into that lovely deep sleep and doing many set ups and poses. Mini session last strictly one hour to get as many images as we can.
• In full sessions we experiment with different set up’s, use many different props, perhaps even use special props you bring from home. Mini sessions are geared towards getting key images.
• If your little one is awake we do awake portraits, if sleepy then we will do more posed sleepy images. During full sessions you would have both types of images included.
• Full sessions can include siblings, parents and grandparents, mini sessions are for baby only.
- Mini sessions you receive 8, fully edited, images choosen by me. In full sessions galleries are 40-50 fully edited images for you to make your own selection from (or simply buy them all!)
And, of course, the most asked question…”Why are newborn mini’s so much cheaper than full sessions?” A full newborn session takes approx 12 solid hours of my time, a mini takes approx 4 hours – its as simple as that!
Example of boys newborn mini session
Example of girls newborn mini session
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