What I bring to my Newborn Shoots

This blog will be informative for clients and educational for photographers.  I'll go into detail on what hardware I bring on my newborn shoots and why.  If you like what you read or have anymore questions, comment below. 

1. One goes without saying: a camera. I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark III.  If you can afford it, you should always have a backup camera. Accidents happen. 
2. Lenses: When shooting a newborn, safety should always be a priority.  For now I shoot newborns with a 24-70 Canon L Series lens.  This allows me to stay as close a possible to the baby incase he or she moves. The goal is also to get a macro lens and a 35mm lens as well. 
3. Strobes: Alien Bees are a solid brand as far as strobes go.  A better idea is static lighting.  The pop of the strobe, at times, bothers the baby and you definitely don't want to do that. The deeper sleep the baby is in, the better poses you can get.
4. Light modifiers: I love my octobox.  I take it on all my shoots. Light modifiers soften the light and keep the light traveling in one direction for better shadows. 
5. Transceivers: This is was sets off the strobes. Most times you only need a set of two.  Alien Bees have a built in slave that sets off second or third strobes.
6. Wireless speakers: I'M GIVING AWAY A HUGE SECRET HERE! Go on Youtube and find a long video of Sounds from Inside the Womb.  It's great white noise for the baby.  They just spent nine months listening to this.  
7. Extra Memory: You might not have dumped other shoots from your chip and don't have space. Or (I've done this more times than I'd like to admit) you left your chip plugged in at home.  You should have at least 3.
8. Card Reader: If you want to show images on location.
9. Laptop: If you're brave enough to show your work straight out the camera you might want to bring this with you.  I have birth announcements as part of my newborn package and sometimes I have clients pick their favorites on location.
10. External Hard Drive: I like to back my files up IMMEDIATELY.  Not once but twice.  First the external hard drive and  Dropbox.  You can never be too safe.
11. Extra AA Batteries: You should be switching out batteries before every shoot.  Just incase you don't, extra batteries.
12. Extra Camera Batteries: Once again, you should always have fully charged batteries in your camera but just incase, extra batteries.

Remember, referral $$$ for sending a mother to be my way.  

Thank you for your time.  I hope this was informative to both potential clients and to other photographers.