Frequently ask questions about newborn sessions with Conner James Photography Inc

Hi! Happy Tuesday! A new year with new beginnings and a fresh start. It is so wonderful to get a fresh start. I know I can always use a new perspective on things! I want to start off the year by going over some frequently asked questions I get often.

I have been a professional photographer for over 11 years! My first session was a…. Yep newborn session. As a photographer I have been asked all kind of questions. From can you fix my kid’s drool? …to can my dog join in the session too?

No question is a dumb question. We ask questions because we want to know and learn. As a professional newborn photographer I expect questions. Here are a some questions I get asked the most.

1. When is the best time to book a session?

2. Do your newborn sessions include siblings?

3. Where are you located?

4. Do you provide the props?

5. What if my baby is fussy or won’t sleep?

6. How can I prepare for the session?

The best time to book your newborn session is when you are in your second trimester. By booking then, you are ensured you get a session spot. I can only take a limited amount of newborn sessions each month. Newborns have their own time frame. Some newborns arrive early while others arrive late. This way I have ability to can change your session date if needed. Booking early also allows me time to plan for your session as well!

My newborn sessions do include siblings! If you purchased my Full Newborn Session, then yes you can get sibling photos too! I will choose the best poses to suit your children’s ages.

I am located in Glen Carbon Illinois. I have a in home studio! I do not travel to client homes. My clients come from all over the St.Louis metro area. I am literally 2 minutes from Edwardsville.

I do provide props for the session! I have tons of wraps, headbands, hats, and bonnets. I have baskets, bowls, buckets, and more! I have a lot backdrops too!!

Babies cry. It happens. It is not the end of the session. I have over 11 years of experience. I know how to soothe your baby and make magic happen. Did you know that some poses the baby doesn’t have to be asleep to pose? We will get adorable poses! Don’t worry! I got this!

Yes, you can prepare for the session! Having a new baby & leaving the house can be stressful, especially for new parents. The best way to minimize stress is to be prepared. Make sure the diaper bag is packed the night before. Make sure your alarm is set. Wake up early enough to get not only you ready but the baby fed & changed too. I recommend to give yourself a hour and half of time. Please account for the drive time too. It is always better to be early than to be late. I have a newborn session parent prep guide that is located on my website for you to use as well!

The hospital’s newborn photographer or a professional newborn photographer?

Hey all! This blog is for all the moms! When going to the hospital to have a beautiful baby, we are thinking about so many things. Did I remember this? Did I forget that? Do I have chapstick? Come on ladies, we need that chapstick! But after everything is said and done. We have our amazing baby in our arms and the world stops. 

Our bodies are filled with all kinds of emotions. Our bodies are amazing but also stressed, tired, and sore. At this point we are filled with adrenaline, even though we are so tired. Looking at the baby, holding the baby, taking care of the baby from our bed. We’re still doing all the things even when we just had a baby.  

That first night goes by and we barely slept because we decided to keep the baby in the room and need to feed the baby & look at what we made in complete awe. Nurses coming in every hour to check on us, getting our vitals, and the baby didn’t help us sleep either. That 5am wake up call for doctor rounds they do, okay maybe it’s not 5am but it sure felt like it. 

Then in comes the hospital newborn photographer introducing themselves wanting to know if you would like newborn photos done. Most come in at the worse times. Some times they leave you a pamphlet and sometimes they do not. They always come back in and ask again for photos, even if you said no thank you the first time. 

These hospital photographers are not trained in newborn photography. They are only trained to use the camera, and now some aren’t even train in that. The poses they use are not safe or are not done properly. They do not clone out scratches or blemishes. They do not fix skin tones. They do not help to pose you so you look your best. They just don’t care and don’t have time for that. But they surely want to charge like they do! 

They have to get a certain amount of poses in a certain amount of time. They also have to try and upsell you on everything more than once. I am sure you have heard of the pushy car salesman. They are the same but with cameras. 

I’ve been there! I have bought the newborn hospital photos. I have spent hundreds of dollars on them because I didn’t know better and it’s my baby’s photos. Looking back I was tired, stressed, had emotions filling my body and just wanted to be at home in my own bed with my new baby. I would have said yes to anything, especially a pushy hospital photographer. 

Now let’s get some things straight. It’s not the fault of the photographer, they are just doing the job that the company hired them to do. They need to work too. It is the companies that are allowed to do this. It is a skeezy thing to do to new families in my opinion. 

I recommend booking a newborn photographer in your second trimester. This way you have enough time to find a newborn photographer whose work you love, who is trained in newborn posing & safety, and is within your budget. I am a certified newborn photographer trained in newborn posing and safety. I have continued my newborn photography education every year. I keep up to date on my photography education & my camera gear.

I am a professional newborn photographer located in Glen Carbon, Illinois. I have an in home studio fully stocked with props & backdrops for use during your session. I am also an Edwardsville photographer as I sometimes work in Edwardsville, Illinois on location. 

As a newborn photographer I have done it all. Newborn babies from 3 pounds to 11 pounds. I’ve photographed NICU babies. I have even photographed babies with heart problems and broken clavicles and/or needing to be on oxygen. I’ve photographed twins, triplets and cousin newborns together. I have photographed a 4 day old baby to 9 weeks old baby! Heck, I even photographed 12 week old triplets as a newborn session! 

I have a ton of experience in posing, safety, photography, and editing. 11 years of experience. I do not rush through sessions. I take my time and get the poses right. I do not force the baby or child into the pose because of time. I slow down and use patience. These are you memories. I want to you to love your images and cherish them for years to come. I want you to share your images with your next generation and still remember the joy that time brought you. I would love to be your professional newborn photographer. 

Who is ready for another promotion?

Last year, I released my new Detailed 1st birthday sessions! These sessions went off with out a hitch! Detailed 1st birthday sessions are now my most popular 1st birthday session. These sessions have a detailed backdrop that you get choose. When booking the session, you will answer questions about the theme you would like or colors you would like. I will then email you with options for you to choose from. Some clients let me choose, and say “I trust you”, which is great too!  

Did you hear that I currently have a promotion going on? It is for newborns and maternity mini sessions. If you buy a newborn session you get a FREE maternity mini session. Well now I decided to do an even better promotion! Who wants to save some money! I know I do! 

Buy a Detailed 1st birthday session and get a FREE milestone session!!!  A Detailed 1st birthday session includes some portraits at the beginning of the session and a cake smash. These sessions are so much fun! I keep things fun, friendly, and fast! I will keep moving things along to keep your baby happy and engaged during the session. 

With the rising cost of inflation, who doesn’t want to save some money right now? Save money and get two sessions! The free milestone session is perfect for babies ages 3 months to 10 months. Babies grow up so fast so this is perfect time for you to get some portraits of your little one at this age. I would recommend at 6 1/2 months  - 7 months is best. This way your little one is sitting up unsupported for at least 1 - 2 minutes. By waiting for them to sit up you can get a variety of poses!! Also they tend to smile smile more too, which is always a bonus. 

If my kiddos were still little I would be all over this promotion! I don’t know how long I will keep this promotion, so I would book soon before it’s gone! 

Booking sessions and Saving money!

I am booking for all sessions! YAY! 2023 will be here before you know it. Newborns, Milestones, 1st Birthdays, Maternity, Family and Extended family sessions. I only take a certain amount of sessions each month to ensure I have focus and time for each session.

Have you see my new program going on? I have a new referral program! Refer friend and family and get $30.00 off per each referral. How amazing is that? Essentially you could earn a free session! I appreciate all of you so much. I am so happy to create memories for you!

Also while I got you here, Did you know that Conner James Photography offers gift cards? You can buy a session for friends or family and show them how much you love them! You can even save money by being a part of my email newsletter. I post all my sales by email newsletter FIRST! You even get the chance to book your sessions at your desired session time first! If you are not apart of my newsletter, you are missing out!

Hiring a photographer? What about me?

Today picking a photographer isn’t easy. Photographers are everywhere. You can type up a IOS photographer post on a Facebook group and get hundreds of comments in minutes. How do you know who to choose? Well most of this depends on the type of session you would like and your budget. But just because they are in your budget doesn’t always mean that is the best professional photographer for you.

When I hire a photographer I want to see behind the scene photos of them working. I want to see them doing their thing! Yes, even photographers need photographers. I want to see where they work, how they taking safety precautions, experience, and their style! Style can be such a game changer! Each photographer definitely has their own style in terms of backdrops, props and editing! Some are light and airy, some moody and dark, some true to color, and some are bold and vibrant.

My style is true to color but colorful! I love color and the tone it creates. But don’t get me wrong, I like neutrals too! I love working in my in home studio. I have a 1 room studio. In my in home studio I can create loads of art & magic. I create memories for families and future generations. I have a prop room as well. The prop room has all of my props for sessions all organized and pretty. I have so many props that I had to create an extra room for all of it. Lol.

Here are some behind the scenes photos of me working in my studio! Safety is huge for me! Whether in studio or outdoors this is not something I take lightly. I am trained in newborn safety and posing. I have been a photographer for over 11 years. I definitely have experience. I also have an assistant for my sessions on the weekends and non school days. She is my beautiful daughter, Montanna. She has helped both in the studio and outdoors for going on 2 years now! Montanna knows how I like things in the studio and can work a camera in manual mode as well. She can look at a baby and in 5 seconds tell me if they are jaundice! She is 12 ya’ll. That is skill right there!

Let’s talk editing! You want a photographer who can edit well. Someone who knows Photoshop! A professional photographer who can if need be do a composite, cloning, edit skin, or a head swap on an image. I can do all this, but some photographers can’t. It is important to find a photographer who best suits your need as a client. Just because they are in your budget doesn’t mean they know everything, or can suit your needs. Do not be afraid to ask your photographer questions. That is what we are here for.

Being grateful and celebrating business

Hey!
I hope everyone has been doing well! It is busy season for me. I have loved being able to meet new families and watch little ones grow. Seeing all those sweet smiling faces brings me so much joy. I truly love my job and am so grateful. I was told to write more blogs, so I have been trying to do that.

Fall mini sessions have ended. I am gearing up for Christmas mini sessions. These sessions book early every year. I start booking for Christmas Mini sessions in July! This year I am only offering 30 sessions total! I realize last year that I too need time with my family. I was so busy, that I missed out on family time, we all know how precious that time can be. The Christmas mini sessions sold out quickly! I would recommend for next year that you book your session early, if you would like a session.

This year I made a few wonderful changes to what sessions I will offer, new props and new backdrops. I don’t need to offer every session type. I should offer what sessions I do well and focus on those. So that is what I am doing! If you need a Newborn session, maternity, milestone, 1st birthday & cake smash, family, or mini session, I am your gal!

This December marks 11 years I have been in business. For 11 years I have been posing newborns & capturing family memories. For me it’s quite hard to describe all the emotions I feel. I am in awe, amazed, shocked, honored, and grateful! Being in business so long is not an easy feat & is not for the faint of heart. There has definitely been a few tears, bumps, and bruises along the way. I am blessed though. Each tear, each bump, each bruise is worth it. We learn from our failures and rise up higher in our triumphs.

I am deeply grateful for every client, each session, and each day I remain in business. I appreciate everyone helping me to support my small business! Booking sessions, commenting on post, sharing posts, reviews, and referrals, I appreciate each one! From the bottom of my heart, Thank you! You mean the world to me & I am thankful!

New updates with Conner James Photography

Hey Everyone!

Life has been crazy around here. Crazy but good! I am so thankful for my family and clients! I haven't blogged in so long! I swear I sit down to write and then I realize hey,I forgot to do something. There have been lots of good changes going on for Conner James Photography Inc. Change is good for the soul!

I recently bought new backdrops for newborn sessions and milestone sessions. I just bought some new outfits for milestone sessions. I have had a few clients forget outfits so I thought why not have some at the studio just in case. Milestone sessions are so colorful now! I love it!

I also added a new camera to my family. I sold my old camera and I now own two Sony Cameras. They are both full frame and mirrorless! I want you to have the best quality photos possible so I make sure to upgrade, update, and buy the best. Your memories are worth every penny! I also bought two new lenses as well! You can't buy a new camera without a new lens, just saying! My cameras definitely get a work out each day.

I also got some new headbands for newborn sessions! Did I mention how hard it is to match colors to items I already have? I think I found the color, bought it & it is the wrong color. I would love to buy things in person, but it does not work that way. I also almost finished the prop room! I got all the shelves put up, new lighting, and just need to paint it. I will paint it eventually. I wonder if I keep telling myself that it will actually happen.

Christmas Mini Sessions are almost completely booked. If you want a Christmas Mini session, I would book very very soon! These sessions alway book very fast. I am currently booking for 2023 for all sessions. Well I have to go, I need to edit a session and send off a beautiful family gallery. Thanks for reading my blog!

Models Needed!

It has been a busy year. I am so grateful. I need models for 2 different sessions.

Maternity Model Needed.

Must be at least 35 weeks pregnant. Session will take place in my in home studio. Session includes 4 digital images (chosen by the photographer) with print release. Session will take place in August 15th, 2022.

Christmas Mini Session

I need a family to model for Christmas Mini session. Session includes 4 digital images (chosen by the photographer) with print release. Session will take place on July 28th, 2022.

If you are interested please click on the model needed page on my website and fill out the form.

Thank you!

What's in Store for Conner James Photography

Happy New Year! Conner James Photography has some exciting things in store for 2022 and I can’t wait to share them with you. Keep reading to find out how Conner James Photography will continue to be your favorite Edwardsville family photographer!

First things first, I’m building a new prop room! Because I have an in-home studio, storage space is currently limited and all of my props are beginning to take over the studio, reducing available shooting space. I will be hiring a local contractor (support small businesses!) to help construct this new addition to the Conner James photography studio as we plan to add shelving, new paint, and new doors to both the prop room and studio. These doors will be a great addition because they can also be used as a backdrop. The prop room will be able to store my growing collection of props for posed newborn sessions, including bowls, buckets, beds, boxes, stuffies, furs, and decorative wooden shapes. I’m also excited to be able to organize the multitude of different colored wraps, headbands, tie backs, sleepy hats, bonnets, animal sets, and newborn and infant outfits that I have at my disposal. Having somewhere to easily view and sift through all of these props will make customizing any type of session that much easier! Creating a separate space to keep all of my props will also open up more room for parents in the studio. Parents have the luxury of watching me photograph their little one as the images show up on the big screen in real time. This makes the experience of getting your baby’s photos taken that much more personal and intimate.

I am also ecstatic to let all of my clients know that I will be expanding my photography knowledge even further with the help of world-renowned newborn and maternity photographer, Ana Brandt. Ana is one of my all time favorite photographers and a personal role model and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to learn from her. Although I’ve been steadily growing in photography for the past ten years, I am a firm believer that there is always room to grow. Educating myself on all of the most up-to-date newborn photography styles and safety measurements is always at the top of my list; to be able to learn one-on-one from someone so established is a great start to the new year!

Some of my other goals for this year are to add to my collection of backdrops, which currently includes grey, white, creme, and wooden brown as well as to be able to give different lighting options when shooting in the studio. I’m also hoping that I will be given the opportunity to shoot more studio maternity sessions. The best part about these sessions is when a client comes in for their maternity session and the next time I see them, I’m shooting their newborn session! Watching this transformation in a mom’s life is magical, and being able to capture it on camera is even better. Remember, it’s never too early to book your session!

 Finally, I wanted to remind everyone that I am currently booking sessions for all of 2022! Booking your session locks in your allotted time slot along with the current price, so don’t wait any longer. This is your sign to book now! Thank you all for your continuous love and support of Conner James Photography. I truly would not be able to follow my dreams if it wasn’t for each and every client and I am so grateful. Here’s to another amazing year as your local newborn photographer in Edwardsville!

Why You Should Book With Conner James Photography

Welcome to Conner James Photography! My name is Christine, and I’d like to tell you a little bit about what I do. I am a Edwardsville photographer and I’ve been in the professional photography business for ten years, but I’ve been obsessed with photography for as long as I can remember. Having cultivated my newborn photography skills continuously over the years, newborn sessions are my main specialty, (check out my blog Why Hire a Newborn Photographer? for more information on why newborn photography is a specialized form of photography that requires advanced knowledge and specific skills). I recommend booking your newborn session with me as soon as possible! Newborn sessions tend to fill up fast, especially since I only book a limited number of newborn sessions each month so that you get my full attention and energy during your session. Additionally, babies have their own time frame, as some arrive earlier or later than planned. Spacing sessions out this way ensures that the session date can be adjusted accordingly. 

    Although newborn sessions are my specialty, I love doing all sorts of other types of sessions as well. For instance, my milestone sessions offer a perfect way to watch your little one grow as we can set up several sessions over the course of their first year. In addition to newborn, I offer 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months sessions; these are usually the important milestones in your baby’s first year as they are quickly growing and changing. Each milestone session is purchased separately, allowing you to choose one or all of them as you wish. My personal favorite milestone session is at 6 months old, when the baby can sit up on their own and they are usually very happy and giggly! 

        I also enjoy doing one year sessions, which include portraits and a cake smash. I recommend booking these sessions at least two weeks before the child’s birthday to ensure you will receive the edited gallery by their birthday. In my experience, some little ones love their cake while others want nothing to do with it, (Pro-tip: try having them taste some a few days beforehand to get them a bit more used to the sweetness) but, either way, these photos always turn out adorable!

Not many clients know this, but I also offer maternity sessions. They are so wonderful. Maternity sessions capture a beautiful time. Maternity sessions are usually photographed around 32 weeks or later. I offer in studio maternity sessions or outside as well.

    Family sessions are also one of my favorite sessions to shoot. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new families and being able to capture the unique love that each family has for one another. The main goal in this session is to create a photo that accurately documents the specific personalities and dynamic of the family in a way that expresses the fun, playful, and loving feeling that the family has when they are with each other. From a multitude of styles and locations to choose from, ranging from Glen Carbon & Edwardsville, to St. Louis, to Collinsville, if you’re looking for a family photographer, I’m your girl!

    If you’re looking for something a bit less formal and more affordable, I also offer a variety of different types of Mini sessions throughout the year, such as themed Spring Minis, Fall Minis, and Christmas Minis, to name a few. Christmas Mini sessions & Spring Mini sessions are definitely my most popular. Christmas Mini sessions start booking in July and are typically filled very quickly. Mini sessions offer a great way to receive a small gallery of high-quality, memorable photos at a great value.