5 Things to Know About Your In-home Newborn Session

Ah newborn sessions are just the best. We know babies grow fast, but wow those newborn days go by in a blur. Hence the importance of newborn pictures. But here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Yes, these pictures should be in your house. There are so many reasons why. it’s easier to get ready at home and not have to tote your kid(s) to a studio. You have snacks and coffee (!) nearby! Your older children (if you have any) are comfortable at home and have a place to play and keep happy, while they aren’t in the pictures.

2. No, your house doesn’t need to be perfect. I just need one room with light and we can do the session there! It doesn’t need to be perfectly decorated, but just decluttered. Yes, we can move clutter around to avoid it in the pictures! Don’t stress about cleaning, I can help clean off counters and hide clutter for the shoot. :)

3. Yes, you need to be in the pictures! Your baby will grow up and want to see you in these pictures, trust me! Plus, babies can be fussy and want to be in their mom’s arms. Pictures of babies in their mom’s arms are the most beautiful images I take, in my opinion.

4. Not all pictures need to be on your bed. I know, I know. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I believe newborn sessions can really be anywhere and bed pictures are just one option! Whatever room has the best light will be the best option for pictures of your little one. Trust me it will look great! Let’s not focus on images you see on Pinterest but instead, we’ll make beautiful images that represent your family’s individuality.

5. This is an investment, but you will cherish these images more and more as time goes on. Every year I love my newborn pictures of my babies more and more. Newborn sessions tend to be pricier than a regular family session because of the time it takes to do the session, but believe me it will be worth it. You will look back at those images for decades to come. Don’t worry about the baby weight you need to lose. You look perfect! You just had a baby! Your body is amazing! And anyway, your children will not care about that. They will love seeing you in them no matter what. My daughter Penelope asks to see “baby Penelope” pictures all the time. Her favorite images are the ones with me in them. I’m so glad I have professional images from that time in her life.

If you want to get more information about a lifestyle newborn session with me, shoot me an email here. I can answer any questions you have about your newborn session. I’m excited to plan a session with you!

Want to learn about my approach? I talk about why I do lifestyle newborn photography in this post. Read enough? Interested in booking a session? Great! Contact me here and we can chat!

What to Look For in a Newborn Photographer

The photography business has changed a lot in the past couple of decades. It used to be the case that a typical photographer handled every type of session under the sun. We’re talking newborns to weddings to school portraits and everything in between. These days most photographers specialize in a certain style and session. Wedding photographers usually do engagements and sometimes maternity but usually that’s where they stop. Raleigh family photographers will typically do maternity, newborn and family shoots, but that’s not always the case. I know many photographers that only do newborns and some families but not maternity, or other that do families but not newborns.

So, when deciding on a Raleigh Newborn Photographer choose someone who specializes in newborn photography. You want to look for someone who has a few newborn sessions under their belt. Look for someone who shares a lot of newborn work, who shows that that is their focus and passion in their business. You wouldn’t go to a dentist if you had a broken leg, right? It’s the same idea.

Photographers spend thousands of hours in training to not only learn how to use their equipment, but also how to photograph different subjects in different situations. Just because someone has experience photographing couples or events, doesn’t mean they will be good at photographing newborns, and vice versa.

Here are some things to consider when looking for a Raleigh newborn photographer:

Location: Do you want a studio setting or do you want to shoot in your home? Choose a photographer who shoots in the location you want. Not every photographer uses a studio, so make sure the photographer offers the type of session you want. Some studios are white and bright, and some use dark backgrounds for a more dramatic look. I am a natural light photographer who does newborn sessions in your home. I do not use a studio or studio lights. Everything is done with the light from your windows. This means if it is very cloudy or rainy we will have to reschedule… but I guarantee waiting for sunshine is worth it!

Style of the poses Does it mesh with what you like? Do you want your baby in buckets and other props, or do you like the style that is more natural in nature? Are you expecting only photos where everyone is looking at the camera or do you like photos that incorporate more movement and connection (snuggling, hugging, playing). It’s important to look at the work of the photographer that you are booking and make sure you like style of the images they post because that is what you will get. If the photographer is posting mostly documentary/candid images they probably don’t use props and if they use props they will not usually photograph in a natural style.

Overall colors of the images There are several ways that a photographer expresses their style. Other than poses, photographers also control how the final image looks by the editing they do in post-processing. Cameras naturally take images with more muted color tones so photographers have to edit the pictures so they don’t look dull. But how they edit them is completely up to their personal preference and style. Take a look at the images they post on social media and their website… Do you like the overall look of the images? Some photographers edit their images to be bright and bold, while some use muted tones. Some photographers love dark and moody images, and others only like light and airy (this generally means the image doesn’t have a lot of dark tones even in the background). Some edit their images to have more yellows and golds, while others keep their images more natural looking. You might not know how to describe what you are looking for, but you will know it when you see it! I like my photographs to be true to natural colors, but bright and happy! I like some shadows, so the bright colors can pop, just like in this session below.

Want to learn about my approach? I talk about why I do lifestyle newborn photography in this post. Read enough? Interested in booking a session? Great! Contact me here and we can chat!