Behind the Scenes: The Newborn Photography Studio

As a newborn prop designer I am absolutely fascinated with photographers and how they "shoot" babies.  There's just something about the way they are able to calm a baby, dress it in adorable little hand knit goods and get it perfectly positioned to capture that precious first shot.  I like to think of newborn photographers as "baby whisperers", they're amazing at what they do and I admire them greatly.  I'm also fascinated by their studios and all that is involved with having the perfect one.

photo via Melissa J Photos

photo via Flickr

photo via Purest Light Photography

photo via Confessions of a Prop Junkie

photo via Katherine Vess Photography

As you can see, there are a TON of things that go into having the perfect newborn studio.  Here are a few things that every newborn photographer should consider having on hand for a well stocked studio:

1. A variety of backdrops
2. A sturdy backdrop stand
3. Posing bean bag
4. Space heater
5. Electric blanket
6. Lots of hats, headbands, fur rugs, definitely a cool bird nest
7. Some cute baskets, bowls and other props to place the baby SAFELY in (safety first people, and always have someone with you to keep hands on the baby at all times!)
8. Plenty of towels and washcloths for propping the baby (cloth diapers work great!)
9. A hamper to store away any "accidents"
10. Studio lighting for days when you can't get the perfect natural light shot
11. Plenty of seating for the parents
12. Water and soda stocked fridge for the parents 
13. A children's play area for big sisters/brothers to stay occupied

What things do you have in your studio?  Any suggestions for other photogs who are just starting out?  We'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions!

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

Can you believe it's THAT time of year again already?  We here at Beautiful Photo Props just LOVE Christmas time because it's such a wonderful season of love and of giving...and what better to help celebrate these than to have a huge giveaway?

We've selected some of the best vendors in the photography & prop world to celebrate with us and each one of these vendors has so graciously donated at least $100 in awesome products just for one of our lucky readers!  So sit back, check out each vendor and show them some love....the lucky winner just could be YOU!

Ready to get the party started?  Here are the details, have fun!

There are 30 wonderful vendors who have graciously donated over $3,900 in prizes, how awesome is that?!  And there will be ONE LUCKY WINNER who gets it all!

DATES: This giveaway will begin December 12th at 12:01am EST and will run until December 25th at 12:01am EST.

REQUIRED ENTRY:  YOU MUST "LIKE" ALL OF THE VENDORS ON FACEBOOK!  Show some love to each of our wonderful vendors by BECOMING A FAN of their Facebook page through the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post.  To do this simply sign into the widget and click the "+1 - DO IT" next to each vendor in the Rafflecopter widget (once you do this a LIKE button will appear)...click on that and you're all set (you can also go to the vendor's Facebook pages to hit the Like button but be careful of how many you do in one sitting because Facebook may suspend your posting abilities after too much activity).

REQUIRED ENTRY:  Share this giveaway on Facebook with either your personal page, business page, or both. Please share the following: @Beautiful Photo Props is hosting a HUGE Christmas giveaway to celebrate her wonderful fans! 30 vendors with over $3,900 in prizes!  Don't forget to validate your entry on Rafflecopter :)

BONUS ENTRY:  Join our Newsletter using the form below and then validate your entry using the Rafflecopter widget:

BONUS ENTRY:  Follow Beautiful Photo Props on Bloglovin and leave a comment telling me you did so (you can do so through the Rafflecopter widget).


BONUS ENTRY: Follow us via Twitter (through Rafflecopter at the end of this post). Please tweet the following (through the Rafflecopter widget): @beautifulprops is hosting a HUGE Christmas giveaway to celebrate her wonderful fans! 30 Vendors-over $3,900 in prizes! Be sure to validate your entry on Rafflecopter.

BONUS ENTRY:  Pin this giveaway on Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/BeautifulProps/12-days-of-christmas-giveaway/

*There will be ONE winner.

*All entries will be collected and winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter.

*Prizes ship directly from each vendor.   Winners may need to pay shipping.

*This giveaway is in no way sponsored by, endorsed by or administered by/associated with Facebook.  By entering this giveaway you acknowledge and understand that you are providing your information to Beautiful Photo Props and not to Facebook.  

Beautiful Photo Props | shop
*Use coupon code "JOLLY20" to get 20% off ALL items

$100 Gift Certificate

Art & Soul Boutique | shop
*Use coupon code "Beautiful" to get 40% off ALL items

$100 Gift Certificate

 Ava's Purple Paislee | shop

  

Toddler Ties & Headband Package ($100 Value)

Baby Joy Studios | shop

3 Headbands and 1 wrap ($100 Value)

Baby Mine Prop Shop | shop

Photographer Package ($184 Value)

Blessed2009 | shop

$100 Gift Certificate

Cardboard Sheek | shop

$100 Gift Certificate

 Christina Houser Photography | shop

Hat & Headband Package ($100 Value)

Dazzled Darling Beaded Necklaces | shop

$100 Gift Certificate

Emily Joy Creations | shop

Lace Knit Wrap Collection ($105 Value)

Eternally Hooked | shop

$100 Gift Certificate

Happy Acres Farm | shop

$100 Gift Certificate

Jo Totes | shop

Camera Bag of Winner's Choice ($100+ Value)

Just Be Happy | shop

Hats & Legwarmers Package ($100 Value)

Kande Nicho Photography  (Giving away TWO prizes) | shop

Vintage Spring & Dawn to Dusk Photoshop Action Collections ($300 Value)

One 50mm Lens (either Nikon, Canon or Sony)  $250 Value

 Lemon Paperie | shop

$100 Gift Certificate

Liam's Loft | shop

Photographer Prop Package (Value $100)

Little Love's Designs | shop

$100 Prop Package

Make Your Mark. With Melanie | shop

$118 Jewelry Package

Model Life Magazine | shop

Full Page Ad ($200 Value)

On the Spot Studio | shop

$200 Gift Certificate

Popcorn Pixels | shop

$250 Custom Logo Package

Prairie Sweet Boutique | shop

$100 Shop Credit

SewTamz Designs | shop

$100 Gift Certificate

Splash of Color By Moonlight | shop

5x5 Vinyl Backdrop of Winner's Choice ($109 Value)

Sugar Lime Designs | shop

$100 Shop Credit

Sunshine Couture | shop

$100 Prop Goodie Bag

Tashi.Cataleya | shop

$100 Grab Bag Package

The Couture Baby | shop

Sequin Beauty Wing Set & $25 gift certificate ($100 Value)

Whimsy Custom Frames and Design | shop

Frame Set ($103 Value)

Remember, you MUST complete each and every step to be entered to win, if you don't complete them all it will not count!  Good luck!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CLOSED - This Is One BIG BAD SASSY Giveaway!

Well my friends, this was a HUGE giveaway and we had 1,015 entries!  Can you believe it?!  We are so happy to announce the following winners that were chosen by Random.org:

1.  Entry #196 - Photo Love Photography (winner of Bad Sass $250 Gift Certificate)
2.  Entry #579 - Cortney783 (winner of Bad Sass $250 Gift Certificate)
3.  Entry #639 - Shasta Philpot (winner of Sassy Designs $100 Gift Certificate)
4.  Entry  #60 - Trina Claycomb (winner of Sassy Designs $100 Gift Certificate)
5.  Entry #205 - Micaela Staheli (winner of Jessica Drossin $75 Gift Certificate)

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who participate and congratulations to all of the winners!!  You all have 72 hours to email me at kimberly@beautifulphotoprops.com to claim your prizes :)


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Oh my oh my!  I'm so excited for this giveaway, this one is a HUGE one my friends!  We've got three wonderfully generous vendors who are graciously donating gift certificates to a total of FIVE lucky readers!

I am oh so honored to be doing another review and giveaway for my friends over at Bad Sass Backrops Inc., the best of the best in the backdrop/flooring design industry!  Rated #1 in customer service and THE creators/inventors/originators of the "Split" and "Tri-Split" designs, Bad Sass Backdrops is my one and only choice for my backdrop and flooring design needs!  Also on board is Sassy Designs.  Sassy Designs is the leader in unique, original, & fresh greeting card, invitation, and announcement templates - and design goodies to create your own!  And it doesn't stop there, Jessica Drossin Textures is also in on the fun!  Jessica is an artistic person, with a background in the visual arts of painting, printmaking and sculpture. For fifteen years she worked as a graphic designer and art director in the entertainment industry, creating adverting and packaging for video games, movies and music.  Her textures are amazing and her photography is stunning.  And guess what?  Jessica's textures are now available to be printed on Bad Sass Backdrops!!  How amazing is that?  I am so honored to have her on board as well :)


So I bet you're excited to find out what's being given away by these incredibly generous vendors right?  Hold on tight, this is really gonna blow your mind....

Bad Sass Backrops is graciously giving away not one but TWO $250 Gift Certificates...one each for two lucky readers!

It doesn't stop there either, they've also put together a special coupon code just for our readers...a huge 40% discount just by using the code BADSASS40...that's the most they have EVER marked down their backdrops!  Wow, right?  Do they rock or what?!

Sassy Designs is graciously giving away not one but TWO $100 Gift Certificates so there will be two lucky winners here as well!  Are you getting even more excited?  I know I am!!

And Jessica Drossin Photography is so graciously giving away a $75 Gift Certificate as well, isn't she awesome?  I told you this was one helluva BIG giveaway!

I'm SOOO excited and I bet you all are too so let's get all the details on how to enter out there and get this party started!

HOW TO ENTER:

Initial Entry:

“Like” the Bad Sass Backdrops Facebook page, the Sassy Designs Facebook Page and the Jessica Drossin Facebook page and tell them Beautiful Photo Props sent you.  

Once you have “liked” their pages please "Like" the Beautiful Photo Props Facebook page as well at http://www.facebook.com/BeautifulPhotoProps and leave a comment on THIS BLOG ENTRY letting me know you did so (comments left anywhere but this blog post will not be counted).

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

 

1.  Follow Beautiful Photo Props on Bloglovin and leave a comment telling me you did so for an extra entry.   If that entry is chosen as the winning entry it will be verified that you are a follower.

2.  Don't be shy - share, repost, blog and tweet about this giveaway :) Come back here and post a link ON THIS POST ONLY telling me where you did this. Each one that you do counts as an entry, you must include the link for each to be counted. You can enter one time per day for every place you share (comments posted anywhere other than this blog post will not be counted. You MUST make a new post for EACH entry or it will count as one).
3.  Follow this blog for another entry and leave a comment telling me you did so.  If that entry is chosen as the winning entry it will be verified that you are a follower.
4.  Paste this giveaway link on your Facebook wall and comment below with your FB page link.
5.  Make a purchase with any of the vendors between now and February 29th and comment below with what you purchased - each purchase you make counts as 3 entries so be sure to leave 3 individual comments for each item you buy (and don't forget your COUPON CODE)!

The contest will end March 2nd at 11:59pm EST.

I will choose the winners using Random.org and post the winners no later than March 3rd by 6pm EST.  Thanks to everyone who participates, I sincerely appreciate it!  Good luck!

**This giveaway is neither endorsed by or run by Facebook or any of it's affiliates and follows all rules and regulations.