Jessica Loren Photography: 10 Questions with Jessica Hoey

Photographer - Jessica Hoey

Business: Jessica Loren Photography

Location: Brisbane, Queensland

Experience: 8 years

Photography Types: Maternity, Newborn

1. What kind of experience do you have as a photographer?

I’m Jess the founder and photographer at Jessica Loren Photography. As a former pediatric occupational therapist and mother of 2, newborn photography seemed a natural fit for me when I graduated from photography college 8 years ago. This formal training was fueled by a passion for art and photography and a decision to follow my dream.

Since then, I have photographed hundreds of newborn babies and mamas-to-be, attended international specialty training workshops (have been mentored/ trained by some of the world’s most renown newborn and maternity photographers), my images have won awards, and I have been called a baby whisperer!

All the magic happens in my gorgeous all-white natural light studio. It creates the perfect canvas for me to capture simple natural and timeless images fueled with a belief that “less is more”, my focus is on baby and all the precious little newborn details; little fingers, toes, button noses… I also love to capture the real love and connection between baby and family and those candid moments. Babies are perfect just as they are without the need for gimmicky props.

2. What type of photography do you specialise in?

I exclusively specialise in newborn and maternity photography.

3. Where are you located?

My photography studio is centrally located in the suburb called East Brisbane, only 5 km from the CBD. Easy street parking is available.

4. When should clients book their photography sessions?

I take bookings from 12 weeks pregnant and tend to book out months in advance. So, ideally, I recommend booking a newborn photography session whilst pregnant. However, I realise that not everyone is so organised. For parents who have left booking their session to the last minute, they can get lucky…babies do have a habit of arriving early or late, allowing me to squeeze in an extra shoot.

When a newborn session is booked, I make a tentative shoot date based on the due date.

I only take a limited number of bookings for newborn sessions each month. This means I can keep my diary nice and flexible and work to each baby’s actual birth date rather than their estimated due date.

I like to photograph newborns before they are 2 weeks old (ideally between day 6-12) while they are pretty chilled, curled up and sleepy. They change so much in those first few weeks so the earlier the better. However, I can do newborn sessions up to the age of 4 months

5. What kind of prices and packages do you offer?

I have made pricing very simple and flexible for my clients.

The $350 Newborn Session Fee covers my time, talent and over 8 years’ experience in photographing newborns and their families, and an optional ordering and design appointment a few weeks after the session with access to a viewing gallery of 40+ images to choose from. It also gives Mamas use of a carefully curated wardrobe and everything needed for baby during the shoot. This does not include any digital images or products.

Once clients have viewed the final edited images from their baby’s newborn shoot, they then choose a Collection to purchase, whether it is just digital images or a combination of digital images and products. Collections start from $995.

There are never any high-pressure sales pitches from me. My clients can spend as little or as much as they like. I let my images sell themselves. To give you an idea, my clients tend to spend between $1500-$3000, but there is no obligation to do so.

I do believe that family portraits deserve to be enjoyed as artworks in your home. Many of my clients say they have never printed their wedding photos. I understand parents are busy. So, I have carefully sourced beautiful heirloom products from the best printers and craftspeople in Australia and can offer a full-service experience.

Additional session details and full pricelist can be requested.

6. How should customers prepare for their photography sessions?

Once a newborn session is booked my clients receive a comprehensive Newborn Preparation Guide which carefully outlines details of the upcoming newborn session and useful hints and tips, including a what-to-wear guide. They also complete an online questionnaire which helps me style the session to their taste and goals. I want each session to reflect the individual family and want them to love every image I capture.

7. What should customers expect during a photography session?

A newborn shoot is unlike any other session as newborn babies do not have a routine established. I let baby be our guide, so we stop for feeding and settling as required. There are no other bookings on the day of your shoot for this reason. I want the session to be relaxed and stress free.

I use simple posing with a natural feel (including the sibling and parent portraits). I love to capture all the little details too, little toes, fingers, baby rolls, puckered lips, eyelashes etc. I gently guide a baby into a pose that is comfortable for them.

Typically, the Newborn Session takes between 2-4 hours.

8. How do you ensure safety of the newborn during the session?

My clients can be rest assured that their baby is in good hands with me. I have had two babies of my own plus specialist newborn photography training in newborn handling and safety and 8 years of hands-on experience.

Because of my natural newborn photography style, I don’t position babies in unnatural poses. I ensure that baby’s head and neck are always supported. Baby’s safety and comfort is my top priority. And baby is never left unspotted or unattended.

Sessions are never rushed. I allow plenty of time for feeding and cuddling so that baby is kept happy and secure. I also keep the room temperature slightly warmer-than-normal for a baby who is naked or wearing minimal clothing.

And YES, I am ABSOLUTELY FULLY VACCINATED. I get my yearly flu shot to help protect these precious newborns and families, and I’ve had BOTH COVID-19 vaccines.

In the COVID-19 environment I am taking extra precautions, including wearing a face mask for all newborn photography sessions. Stringent cleaning guidelines are followed (including washing all wraps and blankets used in each session), and I am ensuring 48 hours between photoshoots. The studio has a separate parent room to relax and feed in privacy and maintain social distancing.

I am certified in infant CPR and first aid.

9. How soon will customers be able to get their photos?

Immediately after a newborn session, I begin to sort through the images and carefully select the best of the best to share and edit. It’s a tough job!

Professional photo retouching is included with all newborn sessions. We specialise in the most comprehensive and detailed editing, and while we focus on a natural look, we will edit to your liking.

2-3 weeks after each session, 50-60+ fully edited images (including black and white conversions) are available for viewing in a private online gallery for 7 days.

Clients then choose the Collection they wish to purchase from the comfort of their own home or they can book a ordering and design appointment at the studio.

All Collections include digital images that are supplied as high-resolution jpg via download. Artwork can take up to 3 weeks for delivery.

10. Do you have anything else you would like to tell us?

Choosing a newborn photographer is a hard decision. Many photographers don't have the training, experience or expertise needed to get amazing images at every session. I specialise in natural and timeless images. I can guarantee you consistent results which is extremely important because you can never get this time back.

I encourage prospective clients to have a good look around my website and Instagram account. If they think we are good fit, then I ask them to get in touch.