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Home / Newborn & maternity
Newborn and maternity · Geneva
Newborn photographer in Geneva
The first fifteen days do not come back. A session at the Cointrin studio, at the baby's pace, with no forced poses and no pointless props.
from CHF 450
Illustration imagesThe photographs on this page are royalty-free images, published while we build our own body of work. They are not Chinou Eye sessions and will be replaced by our first shoots.
The right moment, and why
Between day five and day fifteen. At that age a baby still sleeps deeply and for a long time, keeps the curled position it held before birth, and lets itself be settled without waking. Past three weeks everything changes: they wake, they reach out, the session becomes something else.
It is not an absolute rule. A three week old photographs beautifully, simply differently, more awake and more expressive. But if you have the choice, book during pregnancy and tell us at the birth: we set the date within the following days.
Later sessions have their moment too. Around four months, when they hold their head up and smile. Around nine months, when they sit. Around one year, when they walk. Many families book all three at once.
How a session goes
Two to three hours, at the baby's pace
It is long, and that is normal. The session stops for feeds, changes and cuddles. A newborn cannot be directed, only waited for.
A studio at 26 degrees
The baby is photographed in a vest or swaddled, so it has to be warm. The studio is heated before you arrive, with white noise in the background.
Safe poses, never forced
No position is imposed. The poses that look acrobatic online are made from two frames, never for real. An adult always keeps a hand within reach.
Fifteen to twenty retouched images
Delivered in three to five working days in a private gallery, at full resolution, without watermark. The files are yours.
Illustration images The photographs on this page are royalty-free images, published while we build our own body of work. They are not Chinou Eye sessions and will be replaced by our first shoots.
Safety comes before the picture
It is the first thing parents ask, and rightly so. Here is how we work.
- The baby is never suspended, never balanced, never left alone on a raised surface.
- So called composite poses, the baby sitting in its own hands for instance, are made by combining two photographs in which an adult supports it each time. What disappears is the hand, never the support.
- Hands are washed and sanitised before every handling, fabrics are clean and changed between sessions.
- The light is continuous and soft, with no flash in the face.
- If the baby disagrees, we stop. A session that does not work is rescheduled, not forced.
And before that, maternity
The maternity session happens between week thirty and week thirty-six: the bump is well defined and you are still comfortable. It is also when we meet, which makes the newborn session far easier, because you already know how we work.
- An hour at the studio, or outdoors by the lake if the season allows
- Alone, as a couple, with older children, as you prefer
- Two or three outfits, with somewhere to change on site
- Ten to fifteen retouched images, delivered in three to five days
Maternity and newborn booked together come to less than the two sessions taken separately. Say so when you write.
The price
From CHF 450 for a newborn session. That includes:
- two to three hours at the Cointrin studio, at the baby's pace
- fabrics, swaddles and backgrounds
- fifteen to twenty retouched images, delivered in three to five days
- a private online gallery to share with family
- full resolution files, without watermark, with private usage rights
Siblings and parents in the pictures are included at no extra cost. Session at your home within the canton: CHF 120 more. Prints, album and box quoted separately. Maternity and newborn package on request.
FAQ
What people ask us
How old should the baby be for a newborn session?
Between day five and day fifteen, when the baby sleeps most deeply and keeps its curled position. After three weeks a session is still possible, simply different and more awake.
How much is a newborn session in Geneva?
From CHF 450 at the Cointrin studio, for two to three hours and fifteen to twenty retouched images delivered in three to five days. Siblings and parents in the pictures are included.
How long does the session last?
Two to three hours. It is long because we stop for feeds, changes and cuddles. A newborn sets the tempo and we follow it.
Should we book before the birth?
It is safer. Book during pregnancy giving the due date, then tell us at the birth: we set the real date within the following days. Without a prior booking the fifteen day window is often already full.
Are acrobatic poses dangerous?
They would be if they were real. The baby sitting in its own hands, for instance, is two photographs combined, with an adult supporting it in each. What retouching removes is the hand, never the support.
What should we bring?
What you need to feed and change the baby, a spare outfit, a dummy if you use one, and the comforter or wrap that matters to you. Fabrics, backgrounds and swaddles are at the studio.
How should the baby be dressed?
A vest that comes off easily, with no press studs down the back, and no tight socks: elastic marks take an hour to fade. Plan to undress the baby on arrival while the studio warms up.
What if the baby cries the whole time?
It happens, and it is not a problem. We stop, you feed, we start again. If the day really is not the right one we reschedule at no cost. It is built into how the session is sold.
Can siblings take part?
Yes, and it is included. We photograph them first while they are still willing, then they can leave with the other parent while we carry on with the baby.
Can the session happen at our home?
Yes, within the canton, for CHF 120 more. You need a room with a decent window and space for the equipment. The studio stays simpler, because the light and the temperature are both under control there.
When should the maternity session happen?
Between week thirty and week thirty-six. The bump is well defined and you are still comfortable. Booked with the newborn session it costs less than taken on its own.
How soon do we get the photographs?
Three to five working days, in a private gallery to share with family. Delivery in twenty-four to forty-eight hours is available as an option.
Who owns the images?
You receive full private usage rights: print, share, social, album. We publish no image of your baby without your written consent, and saying no changes nothing about the price.
Do you photograph older babies too?
Yes. Around four months when they hold their head up, around nine months when they sit, around one year when they walk. Many families book all three, and it is the series over time that makes it worth it.
Do you come to the maternity ward?
Yes, on request, in the hours following the birth and with the hospital's agreement. It is a discreet reportage in the available light, very different from a studio session.
What comes next, as the family grows
Family sessions, children's portraits and individual portraits happen in the same studio, in the same light. The series holds together over the years.
Book during the pregnancy
Give us the due date and we hold a window. Tell us at the birth and we set the exact day. Answer the same day.
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