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Top Five Reasons to Book a Fresh 48 with Hannah Drews Photography!
I reached out to some of my Chicago Fresh 48 clients and asked them why they decided to book a hospital newborn session with Hannah Drews Photography. I loved hearing all of their responses and these are the reasons that came up over and over again:
1. The First 48 Hours are a Blur
Between exhaustion, pain, visitors, and the constant stream of nurses and doctors, the first couple of days in the hospital are usually a blur, but they are also some of the most amazing moments with your new baby. You have waited 40 long weeks to meet your baby and once they are finally here, you want to soak up every amazing detail. Booking a Fresh 48 allows you to relax knowing that all of these details will be captured for you. From the way their ears are still folded all the way to their wrinkly toes, everything will be documented and preserved for a lifetime.
“We chose to do a fresh 48 session because we knew the time immediately following the birth of our son would be incredibly special and wonderful but also a blur. We thought the best way to remember and adequately capture that special moment in time was to have Hannah come take photos and we’re so happy that we did!” – Lizzy
2. Capture Siblings Meeting for the First Time
Watching your children meet their little brother or sister for the first time is such an amazing experience! You have probably thought about this moment for months, prepped big brother/sister for her new role with books and toys, and then you hold your breath when they walk into the hospital room. Of course you hope they immediately embrace the new baby with sweet kisses and snuggles and I have to say, most of the time it is truly that adorable! There are always some funny moments as well, and I will be there to capture it all. Booking with me ensures that you can choose the timing of the session to accommodate when siblings arrive as well as a relaxed time frame of 30 minutes to 1 hour which is never guaranteed with in-hospital photographers.
“We booked a fresh 48 session with Hannah because we wanted to capture that family moment where our two little girls would meet for the first time. We wish we could have done it with our oldest daughter, because those first pictures of a brand new baby will be the ones you share for years to come.” – Kamile
3. Cell Phones Don’t Cut it
By hiring a professional, you are not only hiring someone with the best photography equipment, you are also hiring someone knowledgeable in lighting, posing, and editing. Hospitals have some of the worst lighting (yellow florescent lights, anyone?) but I can work in any lighting scenario while making sure your family is lit and positioned in the most flattering way possible. I also carefully edit each photo so that everyone looks their best.
cell phone vs professional image
“We were so happy to have professional photos after looking back at our cell phone pictures. You were able to capture the crispest details and I have no idea how you made the room look so bright during a thunderstorm! I am also thankful for the extra photo shopping of the bags under my eyes ;)” – Eva
4. Be Present as a Family
Having a baby is a life-changing event and takes time to adjust to your new normal. The first couple of days are full of “firsts” with your baby and I want you to enjoy every one without worrying about photos. I want my clients to really live in the moment instead of capturing it with their cell phones. These moments are so fleeting, soak them up! Some of my favorite moments during a session are when I am taking photos of Dad with his brand new baby because it always elicits a big “awwww” from Mom. She is able to stand back and truly be in the moment and realize that her husband is now a dad (or now a seasoned dad), and she falls in love all over again. You have just welcomed a new member into your family and I want you to be able to live in the moment, because these are some of the best moments in life!
“Booking a Fresh 48 with Hannah is like freezing the most important time with your new little one – I wanted her to capture every single detail of what bringing this little person into the world (and into our family) was about, and didn’t want to forget anything. I printed out all of Hannah’s amazing photographs, and look at them constantly even though it was a few short months ago. Patrick was my fourth (and final!) baby, and having these photos brings me right back to how I felt when I met him for the first time, and when watching his siblings meet him for the first time – in love!” – Lauren
5. Your Baby will Never be this New Again
The newborn stage is so fleeting and the time in the hospital goes by in the blink of an eye. Your baby will change a lot during the first few days and even in the first few hours of life. They will never be this squishy and new again! Most clients return for a newborn session 7-14 days later and always say their babies have already changed so much. Capture every single delicious detail so you can look back and remember the feeling of that soft skin and the smell of their fuzzy head.
“Our fresh 48 photos are some of our favorite and I’m so happy we did them! I was dead set on having the fresh 48 because I feel like it truly captures the fresh raw emotions that come with a new baby. They are imperfectly perfect compared to the perfect studio shots (which I also love btw!) but just a little more natural.” – Kirby
“They will never be so squishy again! Also, it really is such a sweet time where time stands still before you get back out into the real world that it’s nice to have images to look back on. “ – Heather
Hearing from my clients just reiterated exactly why I love this job; capturing these fleeting moments is such an honor!
If you are interested in booking a Fresh 48, head over to the contact page or send me an email at hdrews@gmail.com. Due to the on-call nature of these sessions, I only take a limited number each month. In 2018, I will only be taking Fresh 48 sessions at Rush, Northwestern Prentice Hospital, University of Chicago, and Advocate Illinois Masonic
**Photographers** if you are interested in learning how to incorporate Fresh 48 sessions into your current business, I have created an online video guide and workshop which you can find HERE.