Why Do Newborn Photo Shoots Take So Long?

If you’ve been researching newborn photography, you might have noticed that newborn photo shoots are often much longer than other types of photography sessions.

My newborn sessions usually take around 3 to 4 hours, which can sound like a long time when you first hear it. You might be wondering if it really needs to take that long, and whether you should look for a quicker alternative.

There are good reasons why newborn photo shoots take longer.  In this article, I’ll explain why a newborn photo shoot takes longer than other sessions, and why this extra time is important.

Your baby sets the pace

One of the first lessons I had to learn as a new parent was that newborn babies set the schedule! Newborn babies often feed on demand, sleep more in the day than at night, and need a lot more nappy changes each day than I had ever imagined!

Feeding and nappy changes often take longer in these early weeks too – your baby is brand new to it all and learning how to feed. As parents, we’re new to it all too and haven’t yet become expert nappy changers!

So during a newborn photo shoot, it is highly likely that your baby will need at least one feed and at least one nappy change. And we don’t know when these things will happen or how long they will take.

Posed newborn photography can’t be rushed

The second factor that adds to the session duration is that posed newborn photography takes time. Newborn babies tend to move around much more when they’re awake, so many of the curled, posed photographs you see are best created when they’re relaxed and sleepy.

Some babies fall asleep very quickly and stay settled for long periods. Others wake more often or need a little more time or help to get comfortable.

I don’t expect every baby to follow the same pattern, so I build enough time into the session for us to work around whatever your baby needs on the day.

A lot of the session isn’t spent taking photographs

A 3 to 4 hour newborn photo shoot doesn’t mean your baby is being photographed continuously for three or four hours.

There will usually be plenty of time during the session when the camera is down because you’re feeding, changing or cuddling your baby, or we’re simply waiting for them to settle.

These pauses are part of the session.

By allowing plenty of time, you don’t need to worry if a feed takes longer than expected, your baby needs another cuddle, or things don’t run perfectly to schedule. We can simply stop and start again when your baby is ready.

This slower, baby-led approach is an important part of keeping newborn photography safe, and it also helps the session feel calm.

Why I allow 3 to 4 hours for my newborn sessions

I deliberately allow a generous 3 to 4 hour window for every newborn session because I never want anyone to feel rushed or under pressure.

This means if your baby needs an extra feed, takes a while to settle, or simply needs a break, we have the time to work around them.

The session may not always take the full three or four hours, but having that time available means we can work exactly to your baby’s pace.

Summary

Newborn photo shoots take longer because babies can’t be expected to work to a timetable.

Allowing 3–4 hours gives plenty of time for feeds, changes, settling and gentle posing, without putting pressure on you or your baby to move more quickly than feels comfortable.

If you’d like to find out more about booking a newborn session with me, you can read more about my newborn photography sessions here.