5 Images you'll want to have from your Baby's Newborn Photo Session | DC Newborn Photography

Hello hello I’m back on the blog today with a new post! I love being able to look back at past sessions and find a way to show the images by sharing helpful things related to family and newborn photography.

Today’s post talks all about in home newborn photography. Most of the time newborn sessions take the place in the family’s home within the Washington, DC area including Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Most families are still getting situated with routines and feedings and it’s way easier to have the photographer come to the home than to leave your home to meet the photographer.

Related blog posts:

Including the Whole Family at a Newborn Session

3 Rooms in your Home to take Newborn Photos

Since my newborn sessions are lifestyle and baby led, it’s just another reason to stay put at home and not stress out to have to pack everything and get in the car and drive.

I’ve put together this blog post to share 5 images you’ll want from your baby’s newborn session.

1. your baby wearing just a diaper

   It can be hard to tell from images but when you hold your baby you realize how TEENY TINY they are. I love photographing hands and cuddles especially when the baby is wearing just a diaper.

2. documenting a feeding

Newborn babies tend to eat what feels like 15 or 20 times a day. More often than not, the baby will get hungry at one point or another during the newborn session. I like to document what the feeding looks like for your family - bottles, boobs, bibs, burps and all!

3. face to face interaction

Sometimes I get to photograph newborns that are a bit older than a “traditional” newborn age. A benefit of photographing a newborn when they’re closer to the 3-4 week age is they are awake more often and they’ll be able to focus on your face!

4. the nursery

Mama was so proud of the nursery, and understandably so, it’s so beautiful! We took a variety of images near the window with more contrasted light along with pull back compositional shots to document the entire nursery.

All of the elements, details, art, and love that goes into the nursery is so special to each family!

5. meaningful items

Little guy got a bit sleepy so we took several images with him with some family handmade wooden trains. How beautiful are these!

The family is also a big Michigan fan and we got some photos of the adorable matching attire!

Preparing for a Fresh 48 Session

Hello hello! I will take a guess that you’re here either because you’re expecting a little one or you’ve already booked a fresh 48 newborn session with me!

I wanted to take a little time to write a blog post about preparing for your fresh 48 newborn session.

Fresh 48 newborn sessions are one of my favorites because the first few days with your new baby fly by and I believe you deserve to have photos to remember those moments.

Related blog post:

• Fresh 48 Session at Home

Let’s take a look on how to prepare for a fresh 48 session!

feed your baby right before the session

Newborns typically eat whenever they feel like it so it’s likely you don’t have a feeding schedule yet. I recommend making sure the baby has eaten within the last 45 minutes of your session to ensure a happy baby. Of course we can take feeding breaks during the session if additional feeds are needed!

Have your baby already wearing the hospital shirt & blanket

This is another way to ensure a smooth start to your fresh 48 session. I would actually recommend changing your baby into the hospital shirt & wrap with the blanket either right before or after the feed. That way the baby is warm and cozy and this also means we can take a variety of images during your session without having to make the baby cold or uncomfortable.

Clear the bed and window area

Lifestyle family photography falls between documentary photography and traditional photography. I want you to have the most meaningful photos documenting family connection so I will take some time to make sure that the areas we are photographing are clean.

If there is something in the background/window area that doesn’t help tell the story of your new baby’s birth, let’s move it out of the way.

The focus of a fresh 48 session is the new baby & family connection!

Wear a robe or comfortable clothing

Mamas - you just went through one of the most challenging things of bringing your baby into this world. You might not feel beautiful or feel like you need photos, but let me tell you - YOU NEED PHOTOS OF YOUR NEW BABY AND YOUR FAMILY.

A robe is typically something I recommend because it’s easy to put on, take off, and it’s loose which helps to make you look super beautiful!

If a robe is not your thing, wear something else that makes you feel comfortable and doesn’t limit you moving around or breastfeeding for example.

Let your nurse know ahead of time

One last way to prepare for your fresh 48 session is to let the nursing or staff members know you will have a short photoshoot. The nursing staff come in and out of the room frequently so it will be a good idea to let them know the time of your session so they can expect to check on you before or after.

I can’t think of a time that I did a fresh 48 session and the nursing staff didn’t come in, however, if there is testing/updates/monitoring they can do before or after the session it will be less distracting to your family.

Thank you so much for reading this blog post and I hope you learned some ways to prepare for your fresh 48 session!

Did I leave anything out? Leave a comment below!

3 rooms in your home to take newborn photos

So you’re thinking about scheduling your newborn session. Have you thought about the best location for your newborn session? Your home is the perfect place to take newborn photos!

I’m a newborn and family photographer in the DC area and it brings me joy to photograph family connection and all of the small moments that you want to look back on for years to come!

There are a few rooms I typically recommend using for your in home newborn session. Check them out!

The living room

This family had windows in the front of the house that let in beautiful light the morning of the newborn session. We started with portraits of big sister while baby brother was upstairs getting fed and changed. There’s a lot we can do in a short amount of time - I knew I wanted to photograph her in the chair and to twirl around and be silly. The timing worked out great and we were able to get photos of her with dad. Once the baby and mom came down, we added them to the mix, varying up the family combinations and adding in variety with the window - both standing and sitting poses.

The master bedroom

The master bedroom was actually where we also took photos of big sister’s 1 year milestone photos! You can check out that link here - One Year Milestone Session at Home.

We were able to photograph portraits of baby brother, grabbed a couple of quick family shots on the bed, and then we spent some time chatting while mom and baby brother got some special photos with each other. It’s so important to me that all family members get photographed because all of the connections are special and each family member has a unique bond with others.

The nursery/bedroom

We ended the session in the baby’s room. It was another way to photograph unique family decor and items. Families spend so much time decorating the nursery, for example getting the crib ready and painting the wall, hanging art, etc so I wanted to grab a few photos of this stage of life. We got a variety of family combinations and even got more of the siblings together.

It was such a fun session and I am so lucky to be invited into families homes to do this!

Check out some related blog posts below:

• A Fresh 48 Session at Home

• What I want you to know about a newborn session with a toddler

Thinking about scheduling your newborn session?

What I want you to know about a newborn session with a toddler

So you have a toddler, and you just had a new baby. And you want to book a newborn session. Now what?

So glad you found me, I’m a lifestyle family and newborn photographer in Washington, DC and lifestyle newborn sessions are my jam!

When a family contacts me to book a newborn sessions, sometimes I get questions like - will you take portraits of the baby? Will you photograph my other child? What if my baby is awake? When should we schedule? I wrote a little blog post here for you called Frequently Asked Questions Newborn Session questions and it’s linked there!

Related Blog Posts:

• In home newborn session | Bethesda Maryland

• Family of three newborn session | Washington DC

In this blog post, there are a few things I want you to know about your newborn session with a toddler.

Newborn sessions are flexible

I don’t have super high expectations for toddlers, especially when they are competing for their parent’s attention. If the toddler needs time to warm up, we will start with photos of your newborn and then give the toddler time to get interested.

And vice versa if the newborn is needing comfort I will start with portraits of the toddler. There’s always something special to photograph during your lifestyle session!

If the baby is comfortable and happy, we will take portraits of the baby. Does your baby prefer to be held? That’s okay too - I’ll have you hold baby while I get family photos and portraits of the baby in your arms.

I will engage with your toddler to get their trust!

I don’t ever want your toddler to think that the session is about the baby. As a lifestyle photographer, I focus on the whole family. I will introduce myself to your toddler and usually ask them to show me their room or some of their favorite toys. And I’m not above singing children’s songs to get them excited.

Sometimes it’s helpful to give the toddler a job such as getting a blanket, or showing their toy to their sibling.

Photos from your newborn session should be natural

Some families are quiet and cuddly, some families are busy and playful. Sometimes the baby wants to eat a lot and sometimes the baby wants to sleep a lot. Sometimes the older one is having a bit of hard time. These sessions are so important as well as powerful.

Your photos will be a natural representation of what happened during your session. If your toddler wants absolutely nothing to do with the camera, we certainly won’t be making your child sit and smile. BUT if they want to be held, I will photograph them with family members. We can’t photograph what didn’t happen!

Newborn sessions are a bit longer than a family session

A lot of the time the newborn will need to feed or be comforted during the session so we allocate around 1.5-2 hours for these shoots. I find it gives us more time to go with the flow and not rush things. It also gives more time to give attention to play with the toddler!

We can’t guarantee any of those “pinterest inspiration” photos (but we can try)

Once your session is confirmed, you will complete a brief questionnaire for me to learn more about your family, names of family members, etc. If there are any photo ideas you have in mind, we will definitely try to get them, however these can’t be guaranteed. Sometimes the newborn and toddler will absoloutely not allow it. BUT good news is we will get very special photos of your family that might not be able to be replicated by another family. Cool right?

If you’re doing this session at home, there are several amazing areas to use!

This can be your toddler’s room, the baby’s room, the kitchen, living room, and/or playroom! For these, we spent a lot of time in the master room, nursery, family room, and we finished the session outside.

Your home is so special and it might not look the same way in 5 years.

Let’s start telling your story!

Are you ready to schedule a family session?

Outdoor Newborn Session | Glenview Mansion Rockville

Most of the time when families schedule their newborn session with me, they decide to have the newborn session in their home.

This lifestyle newborn session was in the DC area at a location that I love- Glenview Mansion!

It was so great to spend time with this large family. All of the siblings enjoyed helping and we even got the grandparents in there too!

Newborn sessions will always have my heart because there are so many moments of connection, love, intimacy, strength and every other emotion there is to be felt when you have a new baby at home.

When you look at the images below you’ll get an idea of all of the variety you’ll get in your gallery- parents with the children, siblings, feeding, and most of all- connection.

As cliché as it sounds, the newborn phase is so so fast so please reach out and help document this precious time!

In Home Newborn Family Session | DC Newborn Photography

I feel so so lucky to have this job! I photographed Mom and Dad for their maternity session at Brookside Gardens in the DC area and just a few weeks later I got to photograph them again at home with the new baby.

Related Blog Posts:

Maternity Session at Brookside Gardens

Frequently asked Newborn Session Questions

One thing I love about in home newborn sessions is that I get to talk with the family about this exciting time of their life, the change, the adjustment, and I get to photograph all. of. the. love.

Each newborn and family session is so unique and each family has different family dynamics, different homes and locations, and the interactions between family members can vary. And I’m here for all of it!

I hope you enjoy some the images below of this beautiful family.

Would you like to learn more about booking a lifestyle newborn session in the DC area?

Frequently Asked Newborn Session Questions

You’ve landed here because you’re interested in a newborn session! I’ve created this blog post to answer the most common questions about booking a newborn session. My lifestyle sessions are baby led and they are perfect for documenting your growing family.

Keep reading to find out the answers to frequently asked newborn session questions.

do you do in home sessions?

Yes! I actually prefer to do newborn sessions at home. Me coming to your home is one less thing for you to have to worry about - no need to drive to a studio, no need to buy props, and most of all - you’re in the comfort of your own home. It’s the perfect place for a newborn session!

can we take photos in my front yard or backyard?

Of course! We will discuss areas at your home that are most important to you. When indoors, mid morning around 9 or 10 is the best time for soft light, but it can be a hard time to photograph outdoors at that time, unless there are shaded areas outside of your home. If you’d like both, I will discuss with you about arriving a few minutes early to your home to find the most ideal areas outside that will photograph well so that we can get a mix of indoor and outdoor photos.

what age does my newborn have to be?

Because I’m a lifestyle family & newborn photographer, we can be more flexible when it comes to timing of scheduling the newborn session. I have photographed newborns right after birth up until about 2 months of age. So the answer is - whenever is a good time for you!

do you use props?

I don’t bring anything to my newborn sessions other than my camera, lenses, and maybe a step ladder. No props! Your home environment makes the perfect backdrop. If you have a family heirloom or outfit you’d like to photograph your baby in, we can incorporate that into your session.

what if my baby is awake?

If your baby is awake, I’ll photograph your baby alone and with family members!

what if my baby is asleep?

Same! If your baby is asleep, I’ll photograph your baby alone and with family members! If there are sibling at your family session it may be better to take these sibling shots when your new baby is asleep.

what if my baby gets hungry?

That tends to happen at newborn sessions, and guess what - I’ll still be clicking with my camera! Whether you’re nursing or bottle feeding, I love documenting these feedings based on your comfort level.

do you include other family members?

Absolutely! With this being a lifestyle session, all family members are included. I usually try to take portraits of the baby alone and with each family member. Including pets!

do you pose the baby?

I will direct you to place the baby in the best lighting and may wrap the baby in a swaddle but I don’t do much posing when it comes to my lifestyle sessions. Because I don’t use props, we won’t be putting baby in those adorable froggy poses or putting baby in a basket. Baby alone or in family’s arms are the perfect places for newborn babies at lifestyle sessions!

what is included in the session fee?

Your session fee includes your two hour session along with a digital gallery to share and save your images. I typically include galleries of over 50 images from your session.

do I need to clean my house?

No need to worry! We will only photograph rooms that have the most light - the living room, master bedroom, and nursery are usually great areas. We will be using window light so it’s a good idea to clean any clutter from things that won’t add to the story. I’ll likely ask to rearrange some items depending on the angles of the photos we take.

when should I book the session?

Because I only offer limited newborn sessions each month, please contact me at least 2-3 months before you’d like your session. I’d love to add you to my calendar!

Fresh 48 Hospital Session | Atlanta Family Photographers

This blog post may have caught your eye because it features an adorable fresh new baby! In these days of COVID-19, restrictions are in place that do not allow hospital photographers to help document these special new moments for a family as they welcome their little one. I was looking through photos from previous sessions and I wanted to share photos from a Fresh 48 newborn session that I did about a year and a half ago. Even though these photos aren’t super recent, the photos are still meaningful, as this Mom and Dad welcomed their baby girl.

So What is a Fresh 48 Newborn session?

A Fresh 48 Session, also known as a Birth Place Session or Hospital Newborn Session, is a photo session that takes place where you welcome your baby within the first 48 hours of your baby’s life.

These are typically done in a hospital once you are in the recovery room, but can also take place in your home if you have had a home birth. It’s a special time that allows you to soak up every second of welcoming your baby, holding her, changing her, and taking in all that parenthood has to offer, while having a photographer to document these moments.

Fresh 48 Sessions are a little different than Lifestyle Newborn Sessions, in that there are key elements included within the first couple of days of welcoming your baby.

These are a mix between lifestyle and documentary, where there isn’t much posing, but rather me moving around the room photographing hospital elements such as the hospital bed, the hospital bassinet, the hospital shirt and blanket, and more elements that help to tell the story if your baby’s first few moments.

Typically, I like to take a photo of your family, as you may have not yet taken a photo of your new, growing family. I take portraits of Mom alone with baby, Dad alone with baby, and of course portraits of baby. Many times the families include images from the Fresh 48 session to use in the birth announcement of their baby. Fresh 48 Sessions are also a great time to document the siblings meeting for the first time.

These sessions can range between 30 and 60 minutes, considering ensuring you have enough of a variety to tell the story of baby’s first few hours. I like to include the typical hospital clothing, as this is the only time baby will probably be in this clothing. I also enjoy incorporating adorable outfits like this matching robe and swaddle for Mama and baby.

related blog posts:

• How to Prepare for your Fresh 48 Session

• A Fresh 48 Session at home

Send me a message if you’d like to chat more about booking a Fresh 48 session! I offer a bundle when booking with a maternity or newborn sessions so please mention that so we can find a way to offer you several images to welcome your baby!

5 Reasons to Have your Newborn Session at Home

If I had to choose a favorite type of photography between a lifestyle newborn session and a lifestyle family session, I would have a really hard time. I love both. Both sessions include multiple family members and both use the same lifestyle approach to show the family’s connection. Most of the families that I’ve photographed have included an on-shoot location, meaning an outdoor location. We go to the park, we go to an urban location, or whatever location is meaningful to the family.

When families book a lifestyle newborn session I find it easiest to have the session at home. There are a few reasons for this and I decided to write a little bit about it.

Thinking about why having a lifestyle newborn session at home is a good idea? I’ll give you 5 reasons to have your newborn session at home!

1. you don’t need to leave home

Okay so first things first - I come to you and you don’t have to think about leaving home or going anywhere! I find that getting used to a new baby and new family dynamics can be a little challenging to navigate at the beginning, so why add to that? As soon as you decide you want to schedule your newborn session, contact me and we will schedule it and I just have to show up! No planning transitions, getting everyone in the car to go anywhere- I keep it easy and photograph you at home!

2. you waited 9 months to meet your baby

You have been loving your baby for many many months and the day has come and he’s here! It’s the perfect time to schedule that newborn session because you’ll want to remember all of the details and moments you had when your baby was this tiny. It was all you wanted and waited for over the last 9 months. You definitely need to hire a newborn photographer!

3. your home is the perfect backdrop

Newborn sessions allow me to be creative and use the family’s home, which I find makes a great backdrop. Most of the areas in the home that I use during newborn sessions are the nursery, master bedroom, kitchen, and living room. It really all depends on light. I have quite a few photos of me when I was a baby but I can only think of a few where I was a newborn. I don’t know that many of the photos really had a lot of detail about what my bedroom or home looked like. I am honored when families let me into their home for these special newborn sessions. I start off by noticing the light in all of the bedrooms and using color, textures, and angles to add to the photo when I photograph you.

4. your baby is only this little once

Babies grow so fast, especially when they are newborns and I strive to photograph those little moments and body parts that soon you may forget. Those baby hands, toes, and the way they curl their body are all things I want to photograph during your lifestyle newborn session. I pretty much let the baby guide our session, when he’s sleeping we cuddle and photograph him. When he wants to be held, we get those photos when he needs to be soothed. I love using hands to tell the perspective and show the size of baby.

5. you need to be in the photos - for your children

If you leave keeping one of these things in mind about why to schedule a lifestyle newborn session (whether in your home or on location) PLEASE do it for your children. My mom looks back on photos of herself when I was a baby and cringes at her perm, but guess what - I get to see how beautiful she was when she rocked the curly big hair. My dad actually was a hobbyist photographer and I definitely got this interest from him and am glad to carry it on.

Your children will thank you for it.

Never mind that you think you need to lose a few pounds or you don’t feel pretty after having your baby. I will focus on capturing connection and you, your baby, and your family in a way that you will love and cherish.

So thankful you’re here!

Atlanta Family Photographers | Decatur Newborn Photography

I had the opportunity to photograph this family when I flew home to Atlanta last month for a lifestyle newborn session. I enjoyed my time getting to know this family and how we could document their new addition to their now family of four. Newborn sessions are perfect for this type of storytelling!

Lifestyle newborn sessions take place usually right in your home and we use your home elements to tell the story of your new and growing family. During this newborn session we started out by taking lifestyle portraits of this little guy and some with Mom, and then had his big sister join the fun. We were able to get so much variety that incorporated blankets that meant a lot to the family, lots of snuggle time with the baby, their family dog, and of course playful images of big sister on her trampoline and playing “skies” with her Dad in their gorgeous great room with beautiful skylights.

Are you interested in a newborn session in Atlanta or the DC area? Send me a message and let’s see how we can document this new and important time for you and your family.

related:

Victoria’s Lifestyle Newborn Session

Did you know I also offer Fresh 48 Sessions?

Check out the Fresh 48 Newborn Session information here!

10 Must-Have Photos to take During your Fresh 48 Newborn Session | Silver Spring Newborn Photographers

If you happen to be looking for a newborn photographer in the Washington DC area, I’m happy to say that I not only offer lifestyle newborn sessions, but also birth place sessions - known as Fresh 48 newborn sessions. Fresh 48 sessions take place at your baby’s place of birth within the first 48 hours. Fresh 48 sessions are a little more documentary in nature, and I’m there to document things that are naturally happening.

Fresh 48 Session and Lifestyle Newborn Sessions are both pretty similar, and I have families that tend to choose both. The birth place sessions take place within your baby’s first 48 hours when you all are still in the hospital, and lifestyle newborn sessions can take place any time after you get home, up until your baby is one month old. In this blog post I have focused more on must-have photos from your fresh 48 session that you can cherish from your baby’s first few hours.

1. baby in bassinet

During your fresh 48 newborn session, there will be moments that your baby will lay beautifully in the hospital bassinet. This is the perfect time to take an overhead shot of the baby in the bassinet, wrapped beautifully in the hospital blanket and hospital hat.

2. portrait of baby

while your baby is laying they will either be asleep or awake and it will be a great time to focus on that portrait! This little guy was getting some great sleep being just two days new and I took a few moments to document his first few hours!

3. baby nursing

We know that babies eat. They eat a lot! During your fresh 48 newborn session I can almost guarantee that your baby will get hungry. When baby nurses, I will be there to photograph those intimate moments where Mama and baby are connected.

4. belly button clip/cord

This is a sweet moment to photograph because before you know it, the belly button clip will no longer be there. I think of this as a special reminder of how you brought your sweet child into this world. You provided for him for 9 months and he is now here because of you. Why not photograph and document this memory?

5. baby crying or making faces

Let’s face it - babies cry! Sometimes they really make the cutest faces when they aren’t happy and I tend to click through those moments. These moments of being upset don’t last very long until they’re held or fed so I snap a few of these quickly!

6. baby’s toes/feet

If your baby is laying content I usually spend a few moments documenting those little details. I always always always photograph baby feet during your lifestyle newborn session. The toes. The feet. The rolls. The hospital bracelets and anklets. All of it!

7. action shots

During your fresh 48 newborn session I use a documentary approach to photograph what’s already happening. When your baby needs to be fed or changed, those are great opportunities to get some of those candid moments! When you need to change and dress baby, feel free to take your time and soak in taking the new role of being your baby’s caregiver. I love taking action shots because they help tell the story of your baby’s arrival and can show a perspective of the size of your sweet tiny baby.

8. an interesting perspective

I love taking a pull-back photos of your baby because it helps to tell the perspective of how tiny he was! I take a few of the baby on the bed as long as he or she is comfortable and I love the way it shows their size!

9. hands

One way to describe my lifestyle work is connection. During your newborn or family session I am looking for ways to capture connection. The way I usually capture connection during a fresh 48 newborn session is photographing hands. By including hands, it helps to create that connection as well as the perspective of holding your new tiny baby.

10. family portrait

Yay for being a new family! Whether you are welcoming your first baby or your second, third, or fourth - your family dynamics will change. During your fresh 48 newborn session make sure to get a family portrait that can include all family members!

What do you think? Are you expecting an addition to your family and would like to book a fresh 48 and/or lifestyle newborn session in the DC area? Send me a message!