I thought I’d do a fun series called Newborn Photography Studio Essentials! I love what I do but when I was starting out, it would’ve been so helpful to know where to spend and where to save! I want to help fellow newborn photographers who are just starting out and building their studio. When it comes to newborn photography, there is a lot of extra stuff involved! Even if you’ve been in business for awhile it takes time to refine your go-to items and figure out what works with your workflow!

Ask any newborn photographer what their studio is like, and 9 times out of 10 I guarantee they will grimace and immediately say “Oh I need to organize/de-stash/buy more.”

I came from photographing weddings and New York or Paris Fashion Week so I had never had a dedicated studio space. My work was always done on location. So when I made the transition to newborn photography, I got a crash course in setting up a studio and ALL the extras that were required for running a successful newborn photography business!

I will also admit that because it was a crash course, I did try to do it on a budget. Which means, I invested in products that I *thought* would help me, but ended up being a complete waste of money. One of those items? Knockoff posing beans.

If you’re a newborn photographer, you’ve seen everybody and their grandmother offering posing beans, I know, I was there too. I figured a bean is a bean is a bean, so I opted for a more affordable option and when it arrived…I was underwhelmed. I couldn’t understand why everyone was raving about them? I felt like I was missing something and my posing suffered as the beans would shift or were just plain the wrong size.

Fast forward to a year later, hating beans, I chatted with a fellow newborn photographer and she was raving about The Original Photoblocks Props Posing Beans. Internally, I rolled my eyes cause I’d heard it all before…the magic beans…well I was a skeptic and just smiled and nodded along. That night I posted in several different photography groups, asking for opinions on the beans. For those who had them, they swore by them. And for those that didn’t, they claimed they didn’t think they were a big deal.

Well, allow me to say, they are kind of a big deal!

From the construction to the actual feel/stability, there is a night and day difference in the overall quality of the Original Photoblocks Props Posing Beans to their knockoff counterparts. The quality of velvet used is noticeably more sturdy and has an actual grip, so when you stack the beans, the velvet locks and makes them more stable. Whereas my knockoff beans would slide around when stacked on top of each other, which drove me crazy and made posing that much more difficult!

The Original Photoblocks Props Posing Beans are firmer and the sizing is PERFECT for actual posing. I also picked up their naptop and that has ensured that my beans stay perfectly in place. Plus the extra layer adds a nice firmness that has made posing tremendously easier! The number of poses that you can successfully achieve with just two beans is astounding!

Plus, as a small business I think it’s so important to support other small businesses. Sure the price is a little more, but you’re paying for quality, hand craftsmanship, and plus you’ll get amazing customer service. Owner of The Original Photoblocks Props, Gabriela Koopmans is one of the kindest humans I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Her creativity is awe-inspiring! One look at her website and you’ll see why her products are in high demand! I was lucky enough to visit her actual storefront and had the BEST time picking up beautiful handmade items to add to my studio collection! (That burlap layer in the above photos is also from her! Such a great texture piece!)

Hindsight is always 20/20 and if I had it to do over again, I would invest in The Original Photoblocks Posing Beans the first time around and save myself the struggle! For all my fellow photographers, I hope this helps you on your journey!