So you’re getting ready to welcome a new baby into your family. Maybe it’s your first…or maybe this little one is joining a couple of brothers and sisters. Either way, the nine months of waiting means there is a lot of time to think about things like what crib to get or what colors to paint the nursery and you might be thinking about whether or not to have newborn photos taken.

I offer (and ADORE!) Fresh 48 Sessions which take place in the hospital within 48 hours of delivery but the most commonly booked newborn session that I offer are lifestyle in home newborn sessions. They’ve been growing in popularity for the last few years so people have become more familiar with them. Still, I know that many moms-to-be are unsure of exactly what this kind of session is and whether it can work for them so I thought I’d address some of the most common things I hear from moms to be.

“But my home is too small, it doesn’t get great light, it’s cluttered or not perfectly decorated.”

My response? Your home is a part of the story which adds context and will be a part of your memories of this chapter. But to put your mind at ease, I promise that size is not an issue, nor does your house need to look like a Pottery Barn showroom. I have photographed families in enormous houses with rooms we did not even enter and in tiny condos where it’s a snug fit for me to fit in some of the rooms along with the mom, dad and baby. We make it work! For many lifestyle newborn sessions, we spend most of the time in the master bedroom, the nursery or the living room so there is no need to do much other than make sure the bed is made and the general area around the bed is decluttered.

As for light, I’ve been in homes with huge floor-to-ceiling windows and I’ve been in garden level condos in the South End with minimal natural light at all. As long as we can find a window, we can make it work.

But…..what makes this a lifestyle session? What will we do? How will we know what we are supposed to do?

This is my favorite part of lifestyle newborn sessions! They are all different because what happens is really led by the baby and we go with the flow. If the baby is sleeping soundly when I arrive, maybe we will start with some solo baby shots. If the baby is nursing, I’ll photograph that, as long as you’re comfortable with it. If the baby is awake and wide eyed, we’ll capure that. If the baby is being burped or being swaddled, I will photograph that. I’ll guide you to where the light is best and help you all settle in and get comfy somewhere and do what you would do if I wasn’t there. I’ll keep a mental checklist of the kinds of shots I want to get (Mom/baby, dad/baby, mom + dad + baby, siblings together, baby alone, etc) but how that plays out will look different in every home. If the baby fusses, we’ll take our time while you work through that and as you can probably guess, I’ll take pictures of that too because it’s all part of the story.

“Can my toddler/s be in the photos too?”

“My toddler is a maniac and I don’t think he will cooperate at all.“

Your older kiddo/kiddos are going through a big change with the addition of a new family member. I get it and I know just how to go with the flow and let them ease into or session so that they are a part of it in a way that works for them. I know how important the family and sibling shots are and the great thing about lifestyle sessions is that we can let things unfold naturally and capture the sweet moments of connection as they happen. And they will happen!

Will I have portraits of the baby that I can use for a birth announcement?

Absolutely! Even though lifestyle sessions are loose and relaxed and focused on connections and authentic moments, that doesn’t mean that we won’t intentionally create some images that focus solely on your beautiful baby. I look around your home for opportunities to capture solo shots of the baby and these are always some of my favorite shots.

So how do I know if this kind of session is for me?

The truth is, in-home lifestyle newborn sessions are not for everyone. They are best suited for those who are drawn to the beauty of ordinary moments and people who embrace authenticity over perfection. You know best whether that is you and only you know what kinds of images speak to your heart. If highly posed and totally polished is more your thing, this may not be for you. But if you’re a sentimental, romantic kind of person or you’re drawn to documentary photography and images that capture all of the little details of your life, then we’d be a good fit!

More questions? Reach out and ask! Next, I’ll be working on a blog post about what to wear at a lifestyle newborn session so stay tuned!

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Nora had moments when she would get upset and fuss like all new babies but her parents were already like old pros with all of the soothing tricks which really helped to settle her each time. As she calmed down, she was constantly gazing right at their faces and of course,  like any smitten new parents, they returned her gaze each time. Those first few weeks of bonding with your baby and learning how to recognize their cries, their needs and their preferences are all about trusting yourself and gaining your baby’s trust. It was really special to witness this beautiful new relationship developing right in front of me. Here are a few of my favorites!

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Some people wear their hearts on their sleeve and others wear their hearts all over their faces.  Erin and Topher are those kinds of people-the kinds of people that I could photograph all day because their love and every other layer of honest emotion is all right there for everyone to see–so much expression and so much joy for this new chapter that is beginning. I couldn’t be happier for them all. Here are some favorites:

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