FAQs
Newborn Session FAQs
I’d describe my style of newborn photography as natural, family-centered lifestyle photography. I love the natural movements and expressions of newborns, so you won’t find elaborate poses or props in my pictures. I’m all about capturing natural and genuine moments that transport you back in time to those tiny newborn days and remind you of how your baby actually was. While the baby is the focus of the entire session, my newborn sessions are essentially a combination of newborn pictures and family photos all in one. There’s nothing more precious than a newborn nestled in the arms and hearts of those who love them. If you want a better idea of the kinds and variety of newborn photos I love to capture, check out the full gallery of images from a couple of my featured newborn sessions: https://kristinbrockmanphotography.shootproof.com/
I’m a natural light photographer, so taking advantage of the best light for indoor natural light photos is essential to create beautiful photos. That’s why I typically schedule newborn photoshoots on weekday mornings from 10:00-11:30 AM when the sun is high in the sky and there’s plenty of light coming in through the windows.
I typically take newborn photos in the first month after the baby is born, but this timing is flexible with my natural style of newborn photography because your baby doesn’t need to be asleep to create beautiful memories. You typically get more sleeping photos in the first two weeks after birth, so we’ll want to schedule your newborn photoshoot soon after birth if you’re hoping to capture your baby in that tiniest sleepy newborn stage. Or if you have your heart set on a mix of sleepy and bright-eyed, expressive newborn pictures, I recommend scheduling your newborn photos for around 3-4 weeks old. Some of the babies you see in my newborn portfolio are even 5-6 weeks old due to scheduling issues related to the pandemic, extra time spent in the hospital after birth, or families who reached out to schedule their newborn photos after the baby was born. There’s no such thing as missing the so-called “newborn window” for photos in my book!
Nothing is more important than the health and safety of both your family and my own, and it’s essential to take extra safety precautions with tiny newborns who are fresh and new in the world. Please review my Newborn Safety measures and don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions at all about the health or safety of your little one as we prepare for your newborn photos:
- I stay up to date on all of my vaccinations, including Covid + Booster, TDap, and Flu – Updated vaccinations are especially important when working with newborns with immature immune systems.
- Mask upon request – If it would make you more comfortable to have that extra layer of protection, I’m always happy to wear a mask upon request
- Cleaning/Sanitizing System – I wash and steam all blankets, wraps, or other fabrics used during a newborn session, and I use hand sanitizer on my hands and camera before every session.
- Re-Scheduling Without Penalty if Necessary – I am flexible with rescheduling sessions as necessary due to illness or quarantine, and there is no penalty or rescheduling fee if we need to adjust our plan for health or safety reasons.
- Training & Experience – I have multiple years of experience as a newborn photographer and am also a mom myself. With my natural style of newborn photography, your baby will be in your family’s arms for most of our newborn session. But you can rest assured that if/when she’s in my arms during our session, she’ll be safe and adored as well!
Maternity Session FAQs
Maternity photos are once-in-a-lifetime memories that will always hold a special place alongside your wedding & newborn photos in your heart and in your home. Dresses tend to look most stunning on camera because they really highlight the gorgeous glow of an expecting mother. I recommend choosing a long, flowy maxi dress for maternity photos because they’re flattering, bring extra movement and dimension to your photos, and add a bit of romance to the walking shots. When you schedule your maternity photoshoot, you’ll get to try on the bump friendly dresses in my Client Closet. And I’ll also send you my Style Guide with tips and a direct shopping link for inspiration to help you choose your perfect dress!
I typically schedule maternity photos between 28-34 weeks. This timing allows us to capture your beautiful baby belly and also gives us a bit of wiggle room in case the baby arrives a little earlier than the due date so you don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you want some examples of how far along you are will look in your photos, you can check out my featured photo sessions. For reference, the Featured Family Maternity Session at the link above (with the mom in the burgandy dress) was shot on the earlier side around 28 weeks. And the Featured Maternity Session (with the mom in the white dress) was shot right around 34 weeks.
Yes! Capturing your anticipation and then waiting eagerly for the joyful news of your baby’s arrival to celebrate your love with sweet, natural newborn photos is one of my favorite things! I offer a $100 bundle discount when you book both a maternity photoshoot and a newborn photoshoot together, so don’t miss out on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for maternity photos like I did. It’s a regret you can never take back!
Family Session FAQs
Pictures that excite me are filled with genuine expressions. When a family laughs, snuggles, and plays together, capturing the joys of family life comes easily. I come to every photoshoot with some posing ideas, but once we have a few photos under our belts I’ll encourage you to interact with your loved ones and capture all the fun in-between moments when life really happens. If you want a better idea of the kinds of photos I love to capture at my family photoshoots, check out the full gallery of photos from my Featured Photo Sessions: https://kristinbrockmanphotography.shootproof.com/
- Springton Manor Farm (Glenmoore) – You’d have a tough time finding a beautiful setting with more variety of backdrops to choose from than Springton Manor Farm. With beautiful old barns, fields, fences, big boulders, tree lined paths, a pond, and animals, this is one of the first spots I suggest for photos all year round.
- Valley Forge (King of Prussia) – There are multiple areas of Valley Forge I love for photos, and each of them has something special to offer. Stone architecture, columns, arches, historic charm, sweeping valley views, and stunning fall colors are just a few of the reasons why Valley Forge is one of the most popular spots for family photos.
- Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square) – Your eyes are all you need to understand why people come from all over the world to take in the gardens and fountains of Longwood. Every time I visit, I find new areas that make me stop and stare with wonder!
- Green Lane (Perkiomenville) – I have a special fondness for lakes and bridges, and Green Lane offers both of these! There’s a really cool bridge and beautiful sweeping lake views that I adore for photos.
- Lavender Farm (Coatesville) – I may have a bit of an obsession with flowers, and rows of soft purple lavender in bloom make my heart go pitter patter. I especially love the lavender farm for families with young kids, which may be why I chose this spot for our own family photos last year!
- I have too many favorites to share! – When you reach out to book your photoshoot, I’ll send you more of my favorite location ideas for each season. And I love discovering beautiful new places, so please don’t hesitate to share a special spot you already have in mind for your photos!
My favorite tip is to choose mom’s outfit first and then pick one or two coordinating colors to round out dad’s and kids’ outfits. This is certainly not the only approach you could use, but I find that the pictures are usually AMAZING when mom feels comfortable and beautiful in what she’s wearing. It’s also much easier to shop for an adorable (and affordable) kid’s outfit with so many million options out there, while all women know that it can be tricky to find that perfect piece in women’s clothes. When you book your photoshoot, I’ll also send you my Style Guide with tips and direct shopping links for inspiration to help you look and feel your best for your family photos.
Golden hour (the hour or two after sunrise or before sunset) is the best time of day for outdoor natural light photos. The soft golden glow as the sun sinks lower in the sky is very flattering! I typically schedule my photoshoots to begin about 1.5-2 hours before sunset so that the sun is just dipping below the tree line as we’re wrapping up our photos. If you have young kids with early bedtimes, don’t fret! Sunset time is earliest in the fall, so an outdoor golden hour photoshoot is possible for every family as long as you plan in advance.
I was a teacher for over 10 years. Most of the families I photograph have young kids. And I’m also a mom. One universal truth that I know from experience: You can’t always make children do what you want them to do! So what should parents do if their kids become overly spirited or even defiant during a photoshoot? Take a deep breath, and love them through those moments when they aren’t cooperating. If their parents are there–ready to tickle them, twirl with them, snuggle them, and love them–that smile will peak out despite all their best efforts to hide it. And who knows, your favorite picture may end up being the one of your toddler working really hard to hold onto that pouty face while trying not to smile at a goofy face that daddy makes.
General FAQs
Yes. Absolutely. Wholeheartedly. All families are welcome in my life and in front of my lens. Every family is unique, but love is universal. It brings me such joy to capture every family, beautiful and completely in love.
Nothing is more precious to me or my clients than family, and I feel blessed that photography can be done safely without undue risk of exposure. Here are some extra measures I’ll take to keep all of us safe:
– I’m fully vaccinated (Pfizer, April 2021) + booster (Moderna, Dec. 2021)
– Mask for me for all newborn photos & mask by request for outdoor family photoshoots
– Sanitized hands and camera
– Purposeful location selection to avoid congested areas and maintain social distancing
– Re-scheduling photoshoot without penalty if necessary
- A phone conference to share ideas, choose a date/location, discuss tips to help you prepare for your photoshoot, and answer any questions you may have
- My Style Guide with tips to help you prepare for your photos
- Your family’s photoshoot
- Custom editing of your photos
- Travel up to 20 miles (40 miles round trip) from Pottstown
- High-resolution digital image files (specific number of pictures included is based on type of session)
- A color and black & white version of each photo you select for your final gallery
- PA sales tax (6%)
- Possible travel fee if you choose to do the session at a location more than a 20 mile radius (40 miles round trip) outside of Pottstown
- Possible site fee if you select a location that charges for professional photoshoots
I’m always happy to suggest a beautiful location within the 20 mile radius of Pottstown that is free for us to use for families who want to avoid a travel fee and/or site fee.
No, unedited RAW files from our photoshoot are not available for purchase. I present all the best shots from our photoshoot in your proofing gallery, and you select your favorite pictures for final editing. I go through every image from our photoshoot and eliminate the test shots, the ones where somebody’s blinking, etc. and pick out the best moments and expressions from each sequence. I do not limit the size of my proofing galleries, so you can rest assured that you won’t miss any of the sweet moments we capture together!
Yes! You are welcome to share your pictures with family and friends on social media. When posting on social media, I just ask that you credit Kristin Brockman Photography in the post/caption and refrain from putting filters on the photos so that they are a true representation of my work. All the details you need to know about sharing your photos are described in the Print Release document that you’ll receive along with your final image gallery.
Cloudy and partly cloudy days are actually great for photos! The soft light on a cloudy day is very flattering and also gives us more flexibility with respect to which backdrops we can use and still have great lighting to create amazing pictures. If our session does need to be rescheduled due to rain or severe wind, I always leave extra space in my calendar for make-up sessions in case of bad weather. The day before your photoshoot, I’ll check the forecast and reach out to confirm our plan or recommend rescheduling if necessary. Your flexibility is always rewarded when you receive your beautiful photos!
Yes! I provide all clients with a Print Release that gives you permission to print your photos for personal use at any printing company you choose. When I deliver your final gallery, I’ll also make recommendations on print labs to make sure your photos look amazing!
Almost everyone says this before their photoshoot, but I’ve never had a session where it ended up being true! Love is the source of beauty. When you embrace your sweet little ones and find something to laugh about together, you are beautiful. I’ve heard it with my own ears, seen it with my own eyes, and captured it with my camera. Trust me.
Yes! I ask all of my clients their preference when it comes to sharing their family’s photos. If you want to sign a Model Release giving me permission to share your family’s pictures, you can also opt to see sneak peeks (a few of my favorite photos shared on my blog/social media pages) within a few days after your photoshoot. If you opt to keep your family’s pictures private, you just have to wait 1-2 weeks to see all your photos in your proofing gallery when it’s ready. I fully respect whichever choice you make because you know what’s best for you and your family.
The entire editing process–from the date of your photoshoot to when you receive your final pictures–is about 4 weeks. Your proofing gallery will be ready for you to select your favorite pictures within 2 weeks after your photoshoot. Then once you choose your favorite photos, I’ll complete the final editing process within 2 weeks and send you the link to your private final image gallery where you can view and download the full resolution files of your photos.
I live just south of Pottstown (zip code 19465) and will travel up to 20 miles for in home newborn sessions. And I offer outdoor family and mini sessions at various locations within about an hour radius in any direction from my home. For reference, I serve clients throughout the entire Philadelphia area to the east, as far north as Allentown, as far south as the Kennett Square, and as far west as Reading.
I’m so excited to capture some beautiful memories with you and your family! Please email me at kristinbrockmanphotography@gmail.com to reserve your photoshoot. For new clients, I’ll send you a short questionnaire to gather your family’s basic info, and we’ll schedule a phone call so that we can share ideas and work out the details for your family photos. Then I’ll email you a contract and invoice so you can easily sign and submit your retainer payment online to secure your photoshoot. Then comes the hardest part…eagerly counting down the days until your family’s photoshoot!
Kristin Brockman is a Professional Newborn, Maternity, & Family Photographer specializing in natural, family-centered lifestyle photography for newborns, pregnancy, and families serving clients in the Greater Philadelphia area including but not limited to the Main Line, Malvern, Wayne, Media, King of Prussia, Collegeville, Harleysville, Pottstown, Phoenixville, Kennett Square, West Chester, Exton, Downingtown, Reading, Gilbertsville, Boyertown, and Allentown.
Email me at kristinbrockmanphotography@gmail.com
to learn more details and reserve your session!
kristinbrockmanphotography@gmail.com
610-914-5272
