IN HOME NEWBORN SESIONS | WHAT TO EXPECT
WHAT TO EXPECT:
When I arrive, I will take a quick look around the house to find areas with the best lighting, good backgrounds, and special décor or personal items that will add special touched to your images. The most popular places to shoot lifestyle sessions in are the nursery, living room, master bedroom, and other living areas. Sometimes other areas offer unique backdrops like kitchens, foyers, or near patio doors.
Newborns run the show. The session will follow their lead. Meaning we feed, change diapers, and let them sleep on their schedule.
During the session, you are encouraged to fully love on your baby, and the rest of your family. Snuggles, kisses, laughs, and other natural interactions are best. I will offer some suggestions for you to follow, maybe adjust your body placement for better angles or light, or give you little cues, like “kiss her feet”, “play with his hands”, or “hold them a little more this way”. All simple things that allow you to be your family, as uniquely perfect as you are, and capturing everything the best way possible.
New moms are always concerned about the state of their home. I do not expect you to deep clean your home. Just clean up some of the clutter in main rooms. Depending on your home, I may move some furniture slightly or décor out of the shot. I promise to put everything back when we are done.
HOW TO PREPARE
- Prep your space: Your home does not have to be perfect. I promise. It’s your home and it’s supposed to look lived in. You don’t have to hire a professional cleaning company before your session or redecorate the living room; I’m there to focus on you and the interactions with your new baby. Instead, focus on uncluttering your home which means just tidying up a bit and basically putting stuff in the room where it belongs (no coats on couch or towels on bed sort of thing) and just toss the rest in a closet until I leave. Giving windows or mirrors a quick wipe does go a long way because streaks or dust on these surfaces can be very obvious in photographs.
- Crank the heat (or turn off the air conditioning). The adults may feel a bit hot and uncomfortable, but the baby will be toasty and happy – and incredibly happy. I recommend having your home around 80 degrees. Babies love it, and it really helps keep the session running smoothly.
- About 30 minutes before the scheduled session or before the baby naps, loosen the baby’s diaper to allow time for the diaper’s imprint marks to disappear. Also remove any tight clothing that could leave marks on the skin. You can swaddle baby in a warm blanket until I arrive; they tend to like that and it’s a sweet photo op for me. If baby’s skin is a little dry or flaky, try applying a small bit of baby lotion to those spots the day before our session.
- Collect any items you want used in the session beforehand such as blankets or stuffed animals. We’ll go through these together to determine what and how we can use the items in your session.
- I typically shoot a good portion of the session in the nursery so please have the curtains and shades open to let in lots of natural light. I also love to photograph baby with mom and dad in their bed, on the couch, anywhere comfy and snuggly. No need to clean, but just try and make sure the clutter has found its way to a closet in these particular rooms.
- In home newborn sessions are usually a little shorter than a studio session. Since we aren’t posing baby, it takes less time. You will still have a full gallery of images to choose from. It’s just the flow of the session is a lot faster when you remove the part of posing baby. I just want you to be aware that it may be a shorter session than a normal 3 hour studio newborn session.
WHAT TO WEAR
Keep in mind that I’m documenting a day in your life, so keep it real by wearing what you’re most comfortable in and by being yourself. I encourage neutral colors, steering away from t-shirts with logos or bold patterns. Casual clothing is perfect and bare feet look most natural in a home setting. Moms, consider a light flowy shirt, maxi dress or a pretty cotton robe that will be both comfortable and soft while you are cuddling with your new baby.
NOTE: The house will be warmer than usual so dress appropriately for the temperature. Being a new mom is exhausting, and the heat can get to you fast. For baby I recommend naked, in just a diaper or in just a neutral colored onesie. I realize there are tons of really cute baby clothes but it’s rare to find any that fit properly or that won’t be distracting in photos. Simple and timeless is always a great option for clothing in sessions.
Primp yourself just a bit. You deserve it. Do you hair, wear a little make up, a favorite piece of clothing or jewelry, and anything else that helps you feel more like you – the you that is well rested and not mentally exhausted.
MOST IMPORTANT
Relax. If the baby gets fussy or alert, don’t worry. A baby can sense your anxiety and we want to keep the environment as mellow as possible. Take some deep breaths and enjoy this time with your new baby. Lifestyle sessions capture true life – from happy full and rested babies, so fussy hungry babies. All of it is part of this new chapter of your life.
Ultimately, I want you to enjoy this experience as much as I enjoy capturing it. I can guarantee you that you will not regret having these memories to cherish.
