Fresh48 Photography in New York City
Your baby is here. These hours won't come back.
In forty-eight hours, everything changes.
The way they smell. The way they curl against your chest. The exact weight of that first moment — when you hold your baby and time stops. These hours are raw, luminous, and impossibly fast.
YourCherish photographs them before they're gone.
We come to you — in your hospital room, in the quiet — and document the first day of your life as a family. No posing. No rushing. No setup. Just the real thing, beautifully preserved.
What Is a Fresh48 Session?
A Fresh48 session is a documentary photography session that takes place within the first 24 to 48 hours after your baby is born — while you're still in your hospital room.
Unlike a newborn session (which happens at home, 7 to 14 days after birth), Fresh48 captures the version of your baby that only exists for two days. The swollen cheeks. The deep newborn sleep. The first latch. The look on your partner's face when they hold your baby alone for the very first time.
We work in the light that already exists in your room. We follow your baby's lead. We stay out of the way and catch the moments as they happen.
There is nothing to prepare. Nothing to style. Nothing to perform.
Just your family, and us, and those first impossible hours.
What a YourCherish Fresh48 Session Includes
1 to 1.5 hours of documentary coverage in your hospital room
Soft, natural-light photography — no flash, no harsh lighting
Candid and gently guided moments: first feeds, skin-to-skin, sibling introductions, quiet resting portraits
Your finished gallery of 10-30 edited images, delivered within 5–7 business days
Private online gallery with full download rights and printing license
Personal communication from the moment you book through gallery delivery
We are on-call from your due date. You contact us when you're admitted. We arrive once you're settled into your postpartum room — typically within 2 to 4 hours of your call.
Who Fresh48 Is For
Fresh48 is the right session if:
You're delivering at a hospital or birth center and want your baby's first hours documented
You want photographs that feel real — not staged, not studio-styled
You know you won't have the bandwidth for a full newborn setup session and want something easier
You've had a baby before and know how fast those first hours disappear
You're planning a C-section and want the postpartum recovery documented
You're a first-time parent who wants to hold on to everything
What Fresh48 Is Not
It is not a formal newborn session. We won't be posing your baby in baskets or styling elaborate setups. Fresh48 is documentary — honest, soft, and real.
If you also want a styled home newborn session, we offer that too. Many families book both. They capture entirely different things.
Hospitals We Serve in NYC
We photograph families at hospitals across New York City, including:
Manhattan
Brooklyn
Queens
Don't see your hospital? Reach out — we likely serve it or can make arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I book? We recommend booking between 20 and 32 weeks. This gives us time to set up your on-call arrangement and make sure we're fully prepared when your baby arrives. That said, we've booked families at 37 and 38 weeks — if you're late in your pregnancy, reach out and we'll see what we can do.
What if I have a C-section — can I still book Fresh48? Absolutely. We photograph many C-section births. The session starts once you're settled in your postpartum room, which typically means we arrive a little later than with a vaginal birth. The session itself is just as full, just as meaningful. We understand the C-section recovery experience and adapt everything accordingly. Read more about Fresh48 after a C-section →
Does the hospital allow professional photographers on the postpartum floor? Most major NYC hospitals permit professional photographers in private postpartum rooms once the patient has approved the visit. We recommend noting it in your birth plan and mentioning it to your care team on admission. We're happy to guide you through exactly what to say.
What if my labor happens at 3am? We're on call. You contact us when you're admitted. We coordinate arrival timing from there. We've photographed sessions at every hour — early morning is often when the most extraordinary light happens.
How long does the session last? Most sessions run 1 to 2 hours. We read the room. If everyone is resting, we move quietly and stay longer with gentler moments. There's no hard cutoff — we stay until we've captured what matters.
Can siblings and family members be in the photos? Yes. Some of the most powerful images we've made are sibling introductions — a two-year-old meeting their baby for the first time is something that cannot be recreated. Let us know in advance if you'd like specific family members present.
What should I have ready for the session? Very little. A clean swaddle or white onesie for baby photographs beautifully. A comfortable top for you — something you feel like yourself in. That's it. We don't need props, special setups, or anything styled.
How soon will I receive my photos? Within 5 to 7 business days. We also offer a rush 48-hour delivery option if you can't wait.
What's the difference between Fresh48 and birth photography? Birth photography captures active labor and the moment of delivery. Fresh48 begins after birth — in the postpartum period, once you're in your room. Birth photography requires your photographer to be on-call from early labor. Fresh48 requires us to arrive once you're settled. Some families book both. Many choose Fresh48 because it captures the most emotionally accessible moments without the intensity of labor being documented. See the full comparison →
Is Fresh48 worth it? Every parent who has done it says the same thing: the photos from those first hours are the ones they look at most. Not the posed newborn session. Not the studio shots. The ones taken in the hospital room at 9am when the baby was six hours old and you were exhausted and completely in love. Read more →
What Families Say
"We didn't know what Fresh48 was until a friend sent us the link. We booked at 34 weeks and it was the best decision we made. The photos from our session at NYU Langone are the ones everyone asks about." — Emma & James, delivered at NYU Langone / Tisch Hospital
"I had a scheduled C-section at Mount Sinai and wasn't sure if Fresh48 was even an option for me. It absolutely was. YourCherish arrived once I was in the postpartum room and captured everything I would have missed. I cry every time I look at these photos." — Sarah, delivered at Mount Sinai Hospital
"We had our first baby two years ago and didn't book a Fresh48 session. We regretted it every day. With our second, we booked YourCherish at 24 weeks and it was the most different experience — to actually have those hours documented. Worth every penny." — Melissa & Tom, delivered at Lenox Hill Hospital
Ready to Reserve Your Session?
Availability fills quickly — especially in spring and fall. We recommend reaching out before 30 weeks.
Tell us your due date, your hospital, and any questions you have. We'll take it from there.
YourCherish also offers birth photography, maternity photography, newborn photography, and doula support.
About YourCherish
YourCherish was founded by Olga Zinner, a certified birth doula and documentary photographer who has photographed 160+ births and Fresh48 sessions at NYC hospitals. YourCherish is the only New York team combining luxury birth and newborn photography with certified doula support — serving families at hospitals across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
Page reviewed: March 2026