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Crystal Lee

photography

The Grand Strand's Top Newborn Portrait Studio

Because they're only this little for a little while.

Years from now I want you to look back on these photos and remember a time when your newborn was small enough to fit in your hands.

As a mother, I know how important these first images are. I have many years of training and experience in handling, posing and settling newborns. During our time together I promise to handle and care for your baby as if they were my own.

You are about to start on your greatest adventure, and I would love the chance to be there with you from the very beginning.

View The Galleries

Swaddled

These smaller sessions are perfect for older newborns and for families that just want a few images to capture the sweet, curly newness of their baby all swaddled up.

Fully Posed

If you're looking for a full newborn session experience and the most variety in your gallery, you'll want our signature posed session! This includes both swaddled & tummy poses.

1-6 weeks of age

1-3 weeks of age

"As a new parent, there are so many things to worry about. Everything is as new for us as it is our little blessing. As soon as we walked in the door,

our fears and stress melted away.

She is professional, experienced and amazingly talented. If anyone is shopping for a photographer, look no further!"

Quick note- this video shows my old studio in The Market Common that I worked in for 8 wonderful years. My current studio location is in Murrells Inlet. Stay tuned for a new video later this year!

Video Studio Tour

A sneak peek behind the magic

The Process

A custom experience, from Start to finish!

You have a lot going on in your life right now, I get it! Bringing new life into the world is no small feat. The Crystal Lee newborn portrait experience has been designed to be as stress-free as possible for you and your growing family. I promise you, we are unlike any other photo studio in the area. Let me guide you every step of the way.

Here's how it works:

1. Consultation & Booking

Because of the small window of time that we have to capture newborn photos, it’s important that you book while you are still pregnant. In order to give all of my clients the same custom experience, I take a limited number of due dates for each month.

Just visit the contact page to check my availability and then we'll schedule a quick phone call to see if we're a good fit to work together.

After booking you will receive a detailed prep guide and we will set up a pre-session consultation so that I can start customizing your sets and planning for your printed art work.

2. Baby Is Here!

Be sure to add me to your “baby is here!” contact list at the hospital. Posed sessions are most successful when done within the first 7-21 days of life so it’s important that I know as soon as possible when baby has arrived.

Newborn sessions are scheduled on weekdays ONLY, typically at 10am. If you’ve chosen to add a family or sibling pose to your session, that will be done first. This is important to keep in mind when planning around school and work schedules.

3. During The Session

My sessions are baby led, meaning I will take baby’s lead as far as what poses we can safely achieve and I will never deny a diaper change or feeding. For this reason, full newborn sessions take between 2-4 hours. Swaddled sessions are roughly 60-90 minutes. Family and sibling poses will be done first, then you can sit back and relax while I work with baby.

Before you leave the studio we will confirm a date and time for your viewing appointment.

4. After The Session

After your session has been completed, your images will be individually hand edited and prepared. In 1-2 weeks you'll return to the studio for a presentation of your finished portraits.

Final purchase decisions and payments are made at this appointment, so we ask that siblings remain at home for this appointment so that you can give your full attention to this part of the process.

5. Product Production & Delivery

All of our art products have been sourced from the best professional labs around the world.

Your art pieces will be prepared & ordered within 48 hours of your ordering appointment. With production and shipping time, your final products will be ready in about 3-6 weeks. (Up to 8 weeks for our handcrafted wood products.)

We will contact you when everything is ready for pickup at the studio. Any digital files that you have selected will be available for download online within 48 hours.

Let us take the stress out of planning and ordering! In our studio, you will leave this experience feeling confident and taken care of, instead of getting stuck trying to figure everything out on your own.

Scroll down to see starting prices and then contact me for a consultation.

ready to learn more?

I would love the chance to give you

a portrait experience

that you won't find anywhere else.

Let's Begin with the end in mind

My goal is to create more than just photos for you… it’s to create art. To take this precious time of your life and document it in a beautiful, whimsical way that you can display as finished pieces of art in your home. Don’t let these gorgeous photos just sit on your hard drive or Facebook memories!

My job as your photographer isn’t truly done until your images have been printed and displayed. You will leave this experience with beautiful, tangible pieces from your session that you and your family can enjoy for generations.

Newborn Session Pricing

Your session fee covers 3 appointments:
1. A pre-session consultation
2. Your portrait session with Crystal
3. A private viewing & ordering appointment

It also includes:
• Your due date or session date reserved on my calendar
• Personalized session planning
• Access to my collection of props, backdrops and baby outfits
• Editing and retouching of all final images

Swaddled Newborn Session (1-6 weeks)
• 60-90 minute portrait session, swaddled poses only

Fully Posed Newborn Session (1-3 weeks)
• 2-4 hour portrait session, swaddled & tummy poses.

Optional family and/or sibling poses included in both session types

*Session fee does not include prints or digital images.

Step 1: The Session Fee

Newborn Session fee: $200

Step 2: Choose your package

You'll return to the studio two weeks after your photo session for a private viewing & ordering appointment. All purchases will be made at this time, so it is important that all decision makers are present.

Collections start at $550 and most clients invest between $850-$2300 on their portrait art and digital files.

Do you offer a baby plan?

I do not. As a parent, I understand that it's a huge commitment up front for parents to sign on with one photographer for an entire year!

Instead of locking you into a huge personal and financial commitment up front, I offer a discount exclusively for my newborn clients should they decide to book their milestone or cake smash sessions with me.

I also offer a complimentary baby registry program, available for all of my newborn clients.

Let's do this.

Are you ready for a portrait experience you'll never forget?

Resources from the blog:

The Difference Between Swaddled And Posed Newborn Sessions

Swaddled vs fully posed, what's the difference? Here I break down the details so that you can make the best choice for your little one’s first photo session.

newborn

How I keep your newborn relaxed during their photo session

Knowing how to soothe and comfort a newborn is key to the success of my photo sessions and can be very helpful for you at home as well.

Baby Tips & Inspiration

Sibling Portraits: Posing a toddler with your newborn

Asking a toddler to pose for a photo with this new baby that they've barely gotten to know can be a challenge. Read on for tips on how to prepare for this pose during your session.

BABY TIPS & INSPIRATION

10 Questions To Ask Before Booking A Newborn Photographer

Choosing the right photographer for your baby’s first portraits is an important decision. Here are some questions you should always ask before you book.

newborn

I am SO excited to join you on this adventure! Just fill out the contact form below to start the conversation.

After I confirm my availability I'll be in touch to schedule a discovery call.

Ready to book?
Want to learn more?