Puppy Cuteness - "Newborn" Photo Session with a Puppy in Lincoln Park!

This summer I’ve been photographing more passion projects for myself. (More to come later on them as one is big and I’m not ready to share, or in what format yet!) After several tough years in a row personally, I’ve been feeling burned out for a while, and the business sucks the soul out of me most days. This summer I decided to photograph more for myself than anything, to try to bring some life back to my soul. A friend was getting a puppy after losing her sweet old man this past winter and I asked if I could take some “newborn” photos of her pup just for fun!

If you think human newborn photo sessions may be challenging, and they definitely can be, a puppy is 100 times more difficult! Human newborns sleep SO much when they’re brand new, and while puppies do also, it takes much less effort and time to get a human baby back to sleep than a puppy. It’s almost as though puppies come installed with an IV of coffee dripping into their veins! They play, play, play and then PLOP quickly. I was able to get one little setup/outfit with Mr B here and then he was awake for the rest of the session, playing with his toy that looks like him. Totally fine, as this was a project just for fun. It was a learning experience for sure and while the photos of him in his little newborn get-up were cute as heck, I think I prefer the other ones that show off his natural beauty. He’s quite the stunner; going to be a heart-breaker for sure.

Shortly after our photos, I got to spend some time watching him while my friend was out of town and phew, let me tell you that my puppy days are long behind me! I haven’t had extensive time with a puppy since Emmie Lou was a newbie, TWENTY years ago and I was much younger and more resilient! I also had a TON of help! It was definitely re-affirming for me to know that if/when it’s time for another dog in my life, it will not be a puppy!

It makes me wish I had real photos of Em as a pup. I got Em in 2006, well before cell phones had decent cameras and I only have a few from those early days that were saved on a phone. And they’re literally the size of a postage stamp! The printed photos (from Walgreens, barf, before I knew what I was doing) are starting to fade. A good lesson in the value of professional photos, and professional prints.

What is a Fresh 48 Newborn Photo Session & What to Expect?

You’ve probably heard the term Fresh 48 in the last few years but if you’re new to the newborn scene (hi, new mom-to-be!) you may be wondering what it means. Fresh 48 sessions are photo sessions that take place within the first 48 hours of your baby’s life. Usually done in the hospital but if you’re having a home birth they happen at home. If you leave the hospital very quickly (usually it’s not your first baby!) they can be done at home also. The term 48 is loose and I still call them a Fresh 48 even if it’s on day 3. If you have a C-section (emergency or planned) you’ll be in the hospital longer and if you’re not feeling well on day 2, they can be done before you leave. It’s really what you’re comfortable with!

Most of my Fresh 48 clients book an in-home newborn session as well and the best part is to see how much your little one has changed from those first few days to a few weeks later.

Pack Clothes For You

While I can absolutely photograph just baby, I firmly believe you should be in at least one photo too! At the very least, your little one will appreciate it someday but I think you will also. You’ll want to be comfortable and every person is different with their Fresh 48 photos. Some new moms wear a dress, some wear a robe, some wear comfy casual clothes - whatever you’re most comfortable in is best since you’ll have just been through a traumatic life experience that can be brutal on your body! When you’re packing your hospital bag, remember your photo outfit! You likely won’t be getting much rest with all of the activity happening in your room at all hours, so if some makeup will help you feel more like yourself, pack some of that as well.

Pack Clothes or a Cute Swaddle Blanket for Baby

A lot of parents bring a “going home” outfit with and some use those for photos. You’re welcome to bring that, or a cute outfit for baby, or a cute swaddle blanket. Most newborns are swimming in actual clothes, though, so I do bring swaddle blankets with me in case you’d like to use any. I find they look better than clothes that are too big. If you have any props you want to use, bring those as well. Some parents bring headbands for girls, a small stuffed animal, cute hats, a swaddle blanket with baby’s name or your favorite sports team, etc. We’ll have a chat before you schedule so we’ll talk about those things as well.

I’ll tell the story of the day with images from outside so you’ll remember the season, the name card in your baby’s bassinet, your room number, notes written on the whiteboard in your room, etc. I’m a visual storyteller, after all!

When Do We Schedule?!

Since births are one of the most unpredictable things in this life, people want to know - when do we book? For reserving a Fresh 48, we don't schedule ahead of time but I do ask that you let me know when you're either on your way to the hospital or once you arrive so I have a head's up. If you have a planned C-section date, you can also let me know that date. The photos can be taken any time during daytime hours once baby has arrived but the more notice I have that you're there, the more flexibility I have to accommodate you. Usually the second day, or going home day, is best to give you a chance to recover a bit after the birth. If you have a vaginal birth, you're likely there for around two days depending on timing and a c-section will be a longer stay. It helps for me to know that also. If you end up having a C-section (emergency or planned), I recommend doing the photos as close to your discharge as possible for your comfort.

There will be a lot of activity in your room once baby arrives. Nurses checking on you and baby, tests needed for baby, etc. If your baby is being circumcised, I recommend not doing the photos on the same day.

If your baby has to go to the NICU for any reason, you’ll let me know that also and we’ll determine the next course of action based on their length of stay there.

What Happens During the Session?

After we’ve chosen your day and time, I’ll arrive, wash my hands and when we get started will depend on baby and if they’re having any tests done! If you’re feeding and would like some breastfeeding photos, I can do that. If baby is hanging out in the bassinet, I will typically start taking some photos of them in there. I’ll take family photos, baby in your arms, baby in the bassinet and baby on your hospital bed on top of a blanket. I’ll also grab detail photos of their wrinkly hands, toes, them grabbing your finger, etc. We’ll likely need to take a short break or two if baby gets hungry or needs a diaper change. More often than not, babies are really sleepy in those first few days but they may have an awake window while I’m there where their eyes may be open! I allow an hour and a half for a Fresh 48 session just in case baby is fussy or needs many breaks. We won’t be photographing that whole time but I never want your session to feel rushed!

Finality and Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye to your dog, especially your soul dog, is one of the hardest things one can do in this life. It’s a soul-crushing loss. So I don’t take it lightly when I am chosen to photograph your pet’s last moments, or moments while they’re still ok-ish after a devastating diagnosis. I feel the pain on a cellular level and I’ve gone through it myself. It’s life-altering and gut-punchy.

A dear client came to me last summer to photograph her pooch that had just been diagnosed with cancer. Five months later she reached out again for her other dog that was diagnosed with lymphoma. During this most recent session, the original dog from the summer was still alive. When our winter session happened, I naively thought this ‘new’ guy would be around in a couple months yet also. But he passed less than two weeks after our session and I’m still reeling. I thought he had more time.

When I get the news that they’ve crossed the rainbow bridge after our session, I cry and I feel that pain for days. I’m transported back to that day in my own experience. I wonder if you’re looking at the clock that first day without them, thinking how they were still here 24 hours ago. I wonder if you’ve left their food & water bowls out, if you’ve laid in their bed and sobbed uncontrollably, if you’ve not vacuumed the floors in ages in fear of sucking up all that’s left of them, if you sleep with one of their stuffed animals they used to carry around. Yes, I’ve done all of these things. I lost my favorite girl, Emmie Lou, almost a year ago and I still cry almost daily. So I truly get it. It’s why I try my hardest to really capture the relationship between you and your fur baby. Photos, and some of their things, are really all that’s left behind as proof that they were here, and they are (I refuse to say were; I believe they’re still with us somehow) so, so loved.

I always think “I thought he/she/they/we had more time.” Even with Em, especially with my dad who was only 67 when he ended his life. There is never enough time. Emmie was 3 months shy of 19 and it STILL wasn’t enough time. I don’t have human children but Emmie was my baby. 18.5 years of love and routine gone in an instant. It felt like I lost an entire part of me. I’m feeling all of the feels these days. I’m not sure if it’s because the one-year anniversary is approaching, or if my body is just remembering that a year ago it started to really sink in that my days with her were really numbered. And all of that is still stored inside of my body. Right after she passed, my mom sold our childhood home and it was gone in the blink of an eye. That home was Emmie’s favorite place on the planet so I am forever grateful that we got to spend her final months there. But I didn’t really get to process the magnitude of so many gigantic losses in such a short period of time. Leaving that house felt like leaving my dad, my Em and my childhood all behind. It’s a lesson that nothing is permanent in this life. Death is inevitable and inescapable. I wish it were talked about more so that it doesn’t blindside you when it happens. All that remains are the memories. The ones that live in your head and the ones you print out.

So today I’m sharing some of the memorial sessions I’ve had recently. These sessions are emotionally challenging and hard for me, but I know first-hand just how important they are. I’ve met some of the most amazing people from these sessions. They often turn into friends. These people are “my people” and we all have a shared love of our pets, and an invisible string connecting us through our grief. They’re not “just a dog” - they’re our family.

Me and my Emmie Lou, just 5 days before she crossed the rainbow bridge. A dear neighbor at my mom & dad’s house graciously took this for me with my camera and I’m so grateful that we live in a world where photographs exist.