6 Tips for a Beautiful, Stress-free In-Home Newborn Session

You’re expecting a baby! You know you want someone to document your baby’s first days, and your first days as a new or growing family.

1. Book early!

If you’ve found a photographer you love, there is no such thing as reaching out too early. Most photographers book out newborn sessions months in advance and take a limited number of newborns each month. Plus, the last thing you’re going to want to think about when your baby arrives is how and where to find a newborn photographer.

2. Contact your photographer as soon as you’re home and ready!

Baby is here! I truly believe there is no “wrong” time for newborn photos. Want those super new details and emotions captured? Contact me ASAP and we’ll try to work in a Fresh 48! Want to take a few days to heal and to settle into your new normal? Perfect - babies still look really new for the first 2-3 weeks of their life. Need more time? That’s totally okay too… you should feel ready and excited for your newborn photos. Read more at When is the Best Time to Book My Newborn Session?

3. Think about whether you want breastfeeding or skin-to-skin photos.

I always ask mamas to think about whether they want feeding or skin-to-skin photos BEFORE their session, so that they don’t have to make those decisions on the spot when I’m there. I never post nude or semi-nude (including breastfeeding) photos without a client’s express permission; it’s totally okay to want and to have those photos just for yourself.

4. Don’t stress about deep cleaning.

I can’t emphasize this enough. Do not drive yourself crazy deep cleaning your home. You don’t need to dust. You don’t need to vacuum. A quick pickup of scattered items is great, and the MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO is remove clutter from your countertops and tabletops. Seriously, just sweep all the cords, dirty dishes, mail, phones, alllll the stuff into a great big basket and throw it into a closet. This eliminates distractions and does WONDERS for making your place look clean and tidy in your photos.

5. Let go of expectations.

For real. Your session is probably not going to go the way you think it will. Your baby may get cranky, or sleep the whole time. They’ll definitely want to take multiple opportunities to eat, and then they’ll probably spit up or poop. Multiple times. That’s okay. We’re still going to make gorgeous images. Just try your best to stay calm and enjoy the moment… babies--like all kids--can sense your stress, and will feel more stressed if they know you’re not comfortable.

6. Trust your photographer.

Personally, the clients I have who are the *most* happy with their galleries are the ones who go with the flow and let me work my magic in their space and with their people. I always, always, always privilege beautiful light - this allows me to capture the most high quality, beautiful, flattering images that capture real moments and emotion. That may also mean that I ask you to shoot in spots of your house that you may not have expected - I’ve taken family portraits on kitchen floors, under stairwells, on kid’s giant climber cushions dragged to a window. Try your best to trust that my highest priority is capturing a beautiful, diverse gallery of images for your family.

I also really encourage clients to consult the style guide section of my Session Guide, which even includes Pinterest boards with outfits for every member of the family. While the MOST important factor in deciding what to wear for your portraits is feeling beautiful, comfortable, and like yourself, there are colors, fabrics, and styles that work exceptionally well with my editing tones. If you like the "look" of my photos, it's worth choosing clothes in my recommended color family.

Ready to book your lifestyle newborn lifestyle session? Reach out to me on my Contact page!