Chances are you’ve seen newborn photos countless times on social media, in an album, or framed on someone’s wall, but maybe if you’ve heard someone mention a Fresh 48 session you’ve wondered what in the world that is or what purpose it serves.

A Fresh 48 session is a documentary style photo shoot that happens within the first 48 hours after a baby is born, usually in the same location as the birth. These photos are completely unposed and focus primarily on capturing all of the little details and sweet moments right after a baby has been welcomed into the world.

If you’ve ever considered hiring a birth photographer like myself, but had reservations about the financial investment or the idea of welcoming someone else into your birth space, a Fresh 48 is definitely an alternative worth considering. It is more affordable and “PG” than birth photography, but still achieves some of that same photojournalistic style, of course without capturing the process of active labor and the moment when you meet your baby for the very first time.

In a lot of ways, a Fresh 48 session is essentially a simplified blend of what you might expect out of both birth photography and newborn photography. It is a way of combining the authenticity of birth photography with the familiarity of newborn photography.

Image illustrates the difference between birth photography, fresh 48 photos, and newborn photos.

Unlike Fresh 48, newborn sessions are typically done about 2 weeks after a baby is born and usually take place in the family’s home or a studio. Newborn sessions require a bit of preparation, but with a Fresh 48 there is really no preparation involved beyond booking the session and communicating with the photographer. You and your family will simply be photographed as you are, interacting in all of the ways you would be if the photographer wasn’t there.

Because Fresh 48 sessions don’t require extensive preparation or posing like a newborn session, or 24/7 on-call time for multiple weeks like birth photography, they also typically require a much smaller financial investment.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BOOKING

Of course like any other photo session, making sure it actually happens requires reaching out and booking far enough in advance to ensure your photographer will have availability.

Depending on the time of year, you’ll likely want to inquire and confirm the booking about 2 months before your due date, but if you’re already in the home stretch of your pregnancy it’s still absolutely worth a shot to find out if your photographer has availability.

If you’re going to want this session to happen in a hospital or birth center, make sure you also inform your birth team about these plans and find out if there will be any special permissions required.

Assuming your photographer understands the nature of birth, they will make sure your due date is in their calendar as soon as you confirm the booking, and they’ll allow enough flexibility in their schedule to account for not knowing exactly when your baby will choose to arrive.

Of course you’ll also want to inform your photographer as best as you can if you are going active labor so they can plan accordingly. If your photographer doesn’t hear from you until after the birth, they still should be able to arrive during that 48 hour window, but the more of a heads up you can give them, the better!

While a Fresh 48 can be any time during those first 48 hours after the birth, having the ability to get the photos done during the first 2-3 hours is so special because emotions tend to be more raw, and you might get to have photos of the baby being weighed, measured, and examined by the midwives as well.

READY TO GET STARTED?

If you’re near Vancouver, Washington and expecting a baby in the next several months I would love to chat with you and help determine if I’d be the right photographer for you.

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