All my newborn sessions are lifestyle sessions. What that means is that I photograph you in your home, with minimal posing (but I do give guidance!) to document you in your everyday life. The things you’ll miss most, like snuggling up to your newborn in your corner of the couch. Or the times you admire his little feet and think to yourself “did I really create this perfect little human?” Or the times your older child points the things you overlooked, like the funny way his cowlick swirls in the back of his head. This post is merely a collection of tips to help you prepare for the documentation of this stage, but don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or need more guidance – I’m always reachable by filling out this contact form!
I think it’s important to stay true to your style, but I do encourage you to wear clothes with no (or minimal) logos. A big “Nike” with a swoosh across the front of your husband’s shirt may be distracting and can take away from the emotion and focus of the session. If you feel like you struggle with matching your clothes with family members, wear neutral colors and avoid exactly matching each other (for example, don’t put everyone in a white polo and jeans).
Remember, this is a session that documents your life. You don’t have to completely rearrange your bedroom or paint your living room. Simply declutter and tidy up so the background of your photos isn’t distracting.
As a lifestyle newborn photographer, I keep my lighting natural. Which means I appreciate all of the curtains and blinds open to allow the sun to shine in as much as possible. But in additional, I also tend to turn off all of the artificial lighting in your home (but that can obviously be done much closer to your session time.) I know it LOOKS like it will be too dark, but my camera has low light capabilities that make photographing sessions in available light do-able.
This lifestyle newborn session is meant to capture your family exactly how they are. Although I’ll be guiding your movements a little, it’s so important to go with your natural flow as a family. I usually photograph through some routines that are inevitable through our session. For example, I’ll typically document you feeding your baby, diaper/outfit changes, snuggles, burping, etc. Don’t shy away from doing something you’d usually do, because you’re worried about my time. The best photos and the ones you end up enjoying most as time goes on are the little day to day details in those moments.
This one is the most important one! Being anxious or worried during your session will often translate through the photos. Don’t get too worried if baby is fussy, your toddler is throwing a tantrum or you’re not exactly sure what to do. I don’t mind taking breaks to calm baby down (although, I’ll often even photograph these moments, too!), incorporating fun prompts for your other children or directing you if you’re just not sure what to do with your hands. Let the anxiety of perfection slip away and trust the process!
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