Fresh 48 Prep Guide

Ashley Connors Photography
Jul 18
3 min read

Updated: Aug 26

A FEW NOTES ABOUT FRESH 48's:

Fresh 48s are some of my favorite sessions! I love them because they capture such a sweet, peaceful, and unique time! Babes change so quickly, so its really special to be able to preserve those first few days of their life.

How does scheduling Fresh 48's work?

We will schedule for your due date, and I will be on retainer for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your due date. You will be my only Fresh 48 client within this time frame to ensure I am available! You will just need to keep in touch with me on updates when you go into labor and when you arrive in postpartum/when you are ready for me. I will then typically arrive the following day of when I am alerted you are ready or in postpartum :)

Here's some tips below that I've learned to capture the best pictures as possible!

How to prepare the room

Declutter as much as possible! This allows for me to move around easily and also makes the pictures look cleaner!
Lighting: Hospital lights are not that great. They cast weird colors and shadows, so we will be embracing your postpartum room’s natural light (open up those window blinds!), turning off those overhead hospital lights and taking advantage of the natural brightness as much as possible (another reason why I like doing these sessions during the bright part of the day). We’ll pop baby's bassinet next to the window for those pics and then I’ll position you all for any family/group pics where you are getting the best natural light.

Warmth: Baby is sooo much happier in a warm environment. Feel free to crank up the AC. This allows for babe to be comfortable for any naked pictures, as seen below.

Timing: The best time for Fresh 48 sessions are when the sun its at its highest, and I prefer 12-2 pm timeline. It usually gives the best light! I realize sometimes this Fresh 48 time frame is not always possible, so I will do my best to work with whatever time works for your family and babe.

Feeding

Its best to try and feed baby before I arrive. This hopefully means baby will be happy and calm for pics! If you would like any feeding/nursing pictures, we absolutely can do this at the beginning of the session…so hold off feeding babe until I get there and we’ll get some feeding/nursing pics done first! Just let me know ahead of time.

What to wear

What to wear? This is totally up to you! I have some moms would just stay in their hospital gown, while others bring their own robe or outfit! Also feel free to wrap baby in matching swaddles and outfits if that is your vibe! It's completely up to you.
Embracing the environment: It's totally okay to get some pictures of you/baby in your hospital getup! AKA gown on mom, hospital blankets and hospital hat on babe, etc… in my opinion it captures the authentic and special time.

Pictures

What types of pictures will I take? I start out with family photos since baby is usually calm and collected when I arrive (mom & dad, siblings, grandparents, etc). Then I will move to all about baby! I can do a variety of baby in bassinet and on the bed. We can start out with some swaddles and name tag photos, then move to the details. I love taking the detail pics of baby: hands, feet, ears, head, lips. Baby will be naked or partially so I save these for last as they don't like to be unswaddled for too long!

Other tips / FAQ's

How long do Fresh 48s last? No longer than 60 minutes. I know how precious this short time is, and I dont want to get in the way of nurses, etc. Due to this I try to be in and out as quietly and quickly as possible. Providing me with a list of some shots you’d like to get prior to my arrival definitely helps too!
When will I get my pics? No later than 2 weeks from our session. I will also send you a sneak peak with a handful of my favorites so you can do the most exciting part - announcing them to the world!
What happens if my baby is in the NICU? We can do one of two things: we can do a NICU Fresh 48 if hospital visitor policies allow or we can switch to an in-home session newborn session or welcome home when everyone is at home!