At-Home Newborn Session Tips

October 25, 2022

One of the greatest honors as a mother is being asked to photograph my couples new family! Blair and Andrew eloped in Piedmont park in 2020, and are two of the kindest people I know. So when they welcomed baby Emily into their lives, they wanted a 3-month lifestyle newborn session to capture this incredible time. I love doing newborn sessions at home, since the whole family can be comfortable. The parents can relax, since they can easily do quick changes or feeding at home. And you also get to document the cute nursery that you spent so much time decorating!

While I go into detail on how to prepare for your At-Home Newborn Session in a previous blog post, I wanted to go into detail on tips for the day-of! I know firsthand how exciting it is to have photos in your home, but you also might be a little nervous. So I wanted to share what to expect!

newborn session tips newborn session tips at home newborn session

Stick to light and neutral outfit colors

For the parents, it’s best to stick to light, neutral-colored clothing for a clean, fresh, and airy look. When it comes to your newborns, it’s similar. Usually, if we are doing photos in their first two weeks of life, babies are too small for real clothing. Instead of worrying about “outfits,” focus on choosing solid, neutral swaddles. A tightly wrapped baby generally stays happy and photographs super sweet too!

If we are photographing your baby a bit older (one-three months), then they will fill clothing out better and in this case, feel free to have a few options ready. As for yourself, simple neutral clothing is best. Think creams, soft blues, blush, and gray. This way, the colors don’t reflect too much on the skin, and the focus can be on you!

at home newborn session close up of newborn baby newborn session at family home

Prepare your newborn

One of my biggest newborn session tips is understanding what will work best for your baby. First, know that we will take ample breaks for feedings, changing, etc. So, don’t worry if baby needs something during the session!

Also, don’t worry if baby is sleeping. Many moms hope for their babies to be awake, but it’s actually easier to get those beautiful photos when they are calm, still, and sleeping. I recommend keeping your baby awake before the session and then giving them a big feeding right before so they are nice and sleepy for most of the session.
Whether asleep or awake, happy or crying, there are lots of different shots and poses we can do for each scenario. When baby is fussy, I can take this time to grab tight detail shots of their hands, feet, and ears. There’s also always photographs of the details of their sweet nursery.

 

nursery photographs at newborn session family photography by Izzy and Co Photography family photography by Izzy and Co Photography newborn photography by Izzy and Co Photography

Think about where to have your photos

Obviously, I love getting those gorgeous shots of your baby’s nursery. So, you know that we’ll spend part of the session in the nursery.

Aside from your nursery, I also love to get pictures of the family in your bedroom. I suggest keeping your bed simple, with a natural bedspread and pillows. Make sure that the room is also decluttered a little bit. Of course, it doesn’t have to be spotless! I know how busy you are! But we also want to focus on rooms that are a little more decluttered, and we can move furniture around if needed. Your bed, stripped to minimal decor, will make for perfectly snuggly photos and add variety to your images. I also love using a blank wall with great natural light for clean minimal portraits. These will look high-end framed and add clean visual breaks to your album.

Putting these different locations together creates cohesive but different images that you can use for an heirloom album or gallery wall. We can even help you put your heirlooms together!

newborn photography by Izzy and Co Photography newborn photography by Izzy and Co Photography in home newborn session

Our Baby’s First-Year Collection

If you are looking for a collection created just for new parents, you will love our Baby’s First Year Collection! This package includes three sessions within your baby’s first year. This lets you document all those milestones – from newborn to 3-6 months to one year birthday. After each session, we will schedule a Reveal to view your images together and help you choose artful heirlooms for your home. After the final session, you will get a beautiful family album that you can treasure forever. I can walk you through all of our heirloom products, including our wall galleries. 

Photographing newborns and their families is always a wonderful experience. That’s a big reason why I always share newborn session tips. I want you to have a great experience too! Being able to include pets and older siblings in the sessions is lovely as well (to your comfort level, of course!).I suggest focusing the first half on just the two of you and your newborn, but we can include pets and family during the second half. It’s all about what’s going to create the best session for you!

If you’d love your own newborn session (or better yet, a collection of your baby’s first year), say hello! We’d love to hear from you!

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