The first 48 hours after your baby is born are like nothing else. Everything is still soft and new the tiny fingers, the first latch, the way your partner keeps counting those little toes. You are exhausted and overwhelmed and completely in love all at once. As your Chicago Fresh 48 photographer, my job is to slow that blur down and give you something to hold onto forever.
Fully bilingual in English & Spanish — porque esas primeras horas merecen ser recordadas en tu idioma.
What is a Chicago Fresh 48 Photographer Session?
A Fresh 48 session takes place in the first hours after your baby is born typically while you are still in your hospital room or birth center suite. It is a documentary style session that captures the realness of those first moments exactly as they happen. The meconium. The vernix. The nurses coming and going. The grandparents meeting the baby for the first time. The details you think you will remember but won’t.
There is no posing, no setups, no bringing in props. Just your family, your baby, and the quiet magic of the very beginning.
Fresh 48 Photography: What I Document
Every Fresh 48 gallery tells a complete story. Some of my favorite things to capture:
- First skin to skin moments
- First feeds – breast, bottle, whatever your journey looks like
- Tiny newborn details -hands, feet, ears, that perfect squished face
- Partners and siblings meeting the baby for the first time
- The quiet in between moments -you just staring at this person you made
- The nurses, the ID bands, the hospital bassinet — the details that place you right back in that room
Where Your Chicago Fresh 48 Photographer Will Be
I photograph Fresh 48 sessions at hospitals and birth centers throughout Chicago and the western suburbs including:
- Prentice Women’s Hospital — Northwestern Medicine, Chicago
- Burr Ridge Birth Center — Burr Ridge, IL
- Other hospitals throughout Chicagoland — reach out and I will confirm
I am also open to at home Fresh 48 sessions if you are delivering and heading straight home, or if you simply want those first hours documented in your own space. It is a beautiful and intimate option that not many photographers offer. Let’s talk about what that could look like for your family.
Fresh 48 vs Birth Photography — Which is Right for You?
Not sure whether to book birth coverage or a Fresh 48? Here is a simple way to think about it:
Book birth photography if you want your full labor and delivery documented the contractions, the pushing, the moment your baby takes their first breath. It is raw, emotional, and completely unrepeatable.
Book a Fresh 48 if you want the tenderness of those first hours without having a photographer present during labor. It is a calmer, more intimate session that still captures all the emotion of the very beginning.
Book both, or better yet, book The Whole Birth Story package which includes your maternity session, full birth coverage, and a newborn session all in one.
Chicago Fresh 48 Photographer — Common Questions
How long is a Fresh 48 session?
Typically 1–2 hours. Long enough to tell the full story of those first moments without overstaying my welcome while you are recovering and bonding with your baby.
When should I book? As early as possible ideally in your second trimester. Because I only take a limited number of sessions each month and my schedule fills quickly, early booking ensures I am available when your baby arrives.
Do you come to me?
Yes, I come to your hospital room, birth center suite, or home. You do not need to do anything except let me know when baby has arrived.
What if my baby comes early or late?
It happens! As long as you are still in the hospital or your first days home, reach out and we will make it work. I am flexible and I want to be there for you.
Can siblings be included?
Absolutely, sibling meetings are some of the most emotional moments I get to document. Please bring them.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes, fully bilingual, happy to work entirely in Spanish from inquiry to gallery delivery.
Can I add a Fresh 48 to my birth coverage?
Yes! Many families book both. Ask me about bundling options when you reach out.
How much does a Chicago Fresh 48 photographer cost? Fresh 48 sessions at The Adri Photo Co. are $575 and include 20 edited images delivered through Pixieset.
Do you photograph LGBTQ+ families? Absolutely — all families are welcome here, full stop. The Adri Photo Co. is proudly LGBTQ+ inclusive and has photographed families of all kinds across Chicago and the suburbs.