What to Expect: A Newborn Photography Session with Winnie Bruce Photography
With each of my children, I’ve had the desire to get really adorable, squishy, Anne Geddes - style baby portraits with impeccable detail and beautiful editing. With our first, we were swayed to purchase the quickly done hospital photos with one set up that they performed in our postpartum room - cute and tugged on the heartstrings but not that impressive. Our second we went with a photographer just starting out with newborn shoots and while we got some good shots, it was a stressful environment as we were both learning as we went. I was determined to get high quality, amazing shots of our third, and after meeting with and collaborating with Winnie Bruce, I knew the experience was going to be amazing and high caliber, and I wasn’t wrong!
Winnie Bruce is a lifestyle, newborn and maternity photographer based out of her Crofton, MD home. Her aesthetic is styled, gorgeous naturally posed photos designed to enhance the natural beauty of her clients. She has had the honor of being featured in Huffington Post, Expertise and several publications - this woman is talented! Maternity and lifestyle family sessions are done outdoors in breathtaking environments that compliment the neutral and earth toned palettes she and her stylists pick for the shoots. I have never seen a single shot photographed of a family she has done that wasn’t magical! She truly has the talent and eye for capturing the excitement and love along with the most flattering angles of any of her clients.
What immediately you’ll notice in Winnie’s shots is that they look top quality. They look like they were taken by an experienced, trained and skilled photographer who knows how to edit and stays true to her natural style. All of her photos appear to be ‘Winnie’ photos, because she knows what makes her shots beautiful and she doesn’t stray from that style. This sets her above and apart from many photographers who will try different angles or images they’ve seen on Pinterest at a client’s request; what clients need to remember is that those photos were a particular photographer’s aesthetic, but not necessarily that of the photographer they chose! If you love the look of one of Winnie’s shoots, you can be rest assured yours will be similar!
One of the things I was most nervous about when arranging with Winnie to have baby Harley photographed was what to expect logistically. Should I feed her before coming? What if she didn’t sleep and we didn’t get any good shots (this happened with my son)? I didn’t have to worry about ANY of those details - Winnie sent me a detailed, gorgeously displayed session guide that answered all of my questions, and brought up some issues I didn’t even think about, including insuring that baby was awake prior to the session so she would be sleepy when I got there. One thing I made sure to do was to follow the session guide as closely as possible; Winnie had put so much effort into it, I wanted to make sure we got the most out of our session and she has done so many newborns, she knows exactly what works!
Winnie's welcoming studio space
When we arrived at the studio, I went straight down to her lounge to nurse Harley while Winnie set up. She has an open, accommodating space for families and Mom to relax while she works her magic. Props, headbands, floorboards, you name it are all neatly displayed and provide a tapestry of earth hued warmth to the room and instantly make you feel at home. Winnie put on aromatherapy, turned up the temperature in the room near the staging area with a few space heaters and began to pull props for the shoot. After nursing, true to guide, Harley was dead asleep! Armed with a few white noise machines, Winnie stripped her down and began to put in place a series of set ups, all with her curled up in her other hand. A few blankets, classic crates and tie backs later and Harley was all propped up for her first few snaps.
Lots of props and items for spectators to enjoy!
Winnie’s eye for detail and steady, assured hands means that she is able to not only move very quickly through set ups with your baby, but she is able to handle them in such a way that she can position your newborn in poses you’ve always wondered at the creation of! A few swaddles and caps and Harley was propped completely upright; stripped of a diaper and given some pillow adjustments and hand placements and she was snuggled up perfectly on a pillow bolster. Winnie would stay close to her body, adjust with care and leave her hands in place until Harley was completely settled before snapping shots. I was in awe of how she was able to move my baby around and keep her asleep!
Our first set up for prop shoots
The finished product!
As anxious as I was worrying that my baby wouldn’t be able to be posed or would be awake and miserable the entire time, it was the most relaxing thing to watch the session! Winnie has coffee, tea and snacks on hand for siblings and parents, and her assuredness with baby truly made me at ease and took all the stress out of the 2-3 hour session. What I was astounded by was the professional difference - Winnie does 2-3 newborn shoots sometimes per week. Being as experienced as she is at newborns, she does everything purposefully and with confidence, which only increases the luxury and ease of the experience. When baby woke to feed, I fed her and then got her asleep and we kept going. I was completely confident that we had gotten amazing shots before I even left the studio space.
After returning home, Winnie had already uploaded a few preview shots from the session. I truly couldn’t be happier with the quality or the sweetness she captured in the photos. What you see in Winnie’s shots is exactly what you’re going to get. I have often been disappointed with photography shoots in getting photos back and not seeing the quality or most flattering images that I was expecting, either from the photographer’s portfolio or what I asked for or expected. I can 100% guarantee you that if you love Winnie’s newborn images, your baby will look JUST as magical in his/her shots. This truly has to do with Winnie’s professionalism, her aesthetic and style. It’s consistent, top quality, and amazing art.
Setting up a styled shot with impeccable care
The final, beautiful shot
After the session, Winnie will email you to give you a timeframe (14-18 business days) for your gallery to be edited. I’ve waited MONTHS before for photos, so I’m amazed at the turnaround time! She will schedule an ordering session for you to pick not only your photos but to select from high quality, complimentary canvases, custom frames and artwork to share with family and decorate your home. When you see these pieces, you’ll want to have them. The artistry taken with them compliments the investment you’re making in the photos well.
Often I’ve had experience with friends or members of groups looking for stylized shoots ‘on a budget’ expecting Winnie-quality photos. What artistry, props, studio time, effort and true professionalism handling newborns goes into Winnie’s unique and beautiful photography style can’t be discounted.
If you want an amazing shot of your family or newborn in a stress free studio experience where you are guaranteed the product you’re desiring, and photos are important to you, make the investment. In my experience, when you cut corners for cost, you get what you pay for! Going with a professional photographer when you have an idea in mind will not only cause you less stress, but will capture a fleeting moment in your little one’s lives forever in a truly beautiful way.
If you’re interested in booking Winnie for a family, lifestyle, maternity or newborn photography shoot, reach out via her website at www.winniebrucephotography.com. Winnie often books up seasons in advance for sessions; be sure to schedule with her as soon as her availability is relayed to you!
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