What is a lifestyle newborn session? At-home lifestyle newborn sessions are about the connection and love that family members already have for their new addition. During your session, I'll capture special moments with each family member and the baby and the family all together.
As I prepare for your session, here is some information about what to expect:
Important tips to help your newborn session run smoothly:
-Babies like to be warm, so make sure your house isn't cold. Turn off any fans and turn the thermostat up if necessary!
-Try to keep the baby awake for at least 1-2 hours before the session. This will ensure they sleep, so we capture fewer cross-eyed infant moments. Trust me; we'll probably get some with their eyes open (it's inevitable).
-If your baby uses a pacifier, have it on hand.
The Space: We'll focus on rooms such as the nursery (if set up) and the master bedroom (ideally on a white or very light/neutral bedspread. If you don't have a white cover, plain white sheets by themselves work great!), the living room, and any rooms with large windows that provide a lot of light. When I arrive at your home, I'll look around and see what areas might work well due to the natural light available. Below, I will ask you how the natural light is in these rooms, as rooms with a lot of natural light photograph best for indoor lifestyle sessions. You will want to declutter these spaces before I arrive, but please do not stress clean your entire home as there is no need! If your crib has bumpers, I prefer you remove them for the session if possible – I love to get some shots peeking into the crib.
Feedings: I always build extra time into the session for feeding breaks if necessary. However, to help the session go as smoothly as possible, I ask that you feed the baby right before the session so that we can get started photographing your new little one right away.
Wardrobe: Clothing choices play a huge role in your photos' overall feel and tone.
For mom: I recommend a long lace/silk robe, maxi dress, or flowing top/kimono as these look natural to the environment and photograph well for newborn sessions. Whites, neutrals, and Earth tones are wonderfully dreamy and help set the tone for a light and airy gallery. You will want to avoid bright tones as it can create unnatural skin tones on the baby due to the color cast. Please also avoid loud, busy patterns, logos, and dark colors. If you feel most comfortable in blue jeans, I recommend you are the only one wearing them. Most importantly, you want to feel comfortable and confident in whatever you choose.
For baby: start with a simple neutral onesie and/or swaddle. I bring plenty of swaddles and headbands to the session if you'd like to use one of those! Don't worry about styling baby if you don't want to 🙂
For Dad: go simple and casual! A fitted pair of jeans or chino shorts with a neutral v-neck or henley t-shirt always looks great. Neutrals do not have to mean a plain white T-shirt. I consider neutrals a palate of likeness (gray, navy, tan, white, ivory, soft blue, soft pink, etc.)
For lifestyle newborn sessions, I like to remind my clients to look at the colors of your home and the rooms we will be photographing in – it works well if your clothing colors and patterns complement each other.
Props: Since my newborn sessions tell an honest story of your growing family, I like to keep props to a minimum. If you have special heirlooms or other things you'd like to include in the session, we will definitely work them into the photographs in natural settings.
After the lifestyle newborn session
Once our session is complete, I have the pleasure of selecting my very favorite images from the session to provide you with your edited gallery. You'll choose the images you'd like to download, and you always have the option to add on more to your pre-paid package. Once you receive your images, you are welcome to print them through the lab of your choice or order them directly from my pro lab within your gallery for your convenience.
Please don't hesitate to ask any questions about preparing your home or your family for your session. I can't wait to capture this special time in your lives!
