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!

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?

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!

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!

Differences between posed newborn and lifestyle newborn sessions | DC Family Photographers

I’m always looking for ways to be able to share images from Atlanta and Washington DC family sessions and I just realized that I hadn’t written a blog post sharing images from this lifestyle in-home newborn session yet! I met this family as they welcomed their second child and figured it would be a good time to write a little bit my session with them. Big sister was so helpful and she wanted to be involved with the session. She played with mom and dad, spent some time showing off her big sister book, and it was adorable to see how she was helping out with her baby brother. They are a couple of years apart and I loved spending time with them.

The family contacted me about wanting a newborn session and I loved that we had the session right in the comfort of their own home.

Having your family session in your home allows me to be able to photograph the natural elements in your home and be able to have a laid back session.

I’ve written a little bit in this blow post about what else you can expect from your lifestyle newborn session.

There are really two main types of newborn sessions - posed newborn sessions and lifestyle newborn sessions.

How do you know if you want a posed newborn session or lifestyle newborn session?

Posed newborn sessions are perfect if you want your baby in one of those cute little poses where they are typically sleeping and laying in some sort of curled up position. When scheduling this type of newborn session, it is ideal to schedule when your baby is younger and more sleepy, and it tends to make the posing easier.

Posed newborn sessions focus more on the baby wrapped in a swaddle or newborn outfit and may include some kind of backdrop.

Many posed newborn sessions are offered in a studio, but there are some photographers that will bring all of the props and posing items to your home. These sessions can take up to 4 hours to get your baby happy and posed and get those images just right, but the result yields beautiful images!

Lifestyle newborn sessions typically include images of both the newborn and family members.

I prefer the lifestyle newborn sessions for a variety of reasons, not only because everyone can participate, but also because the baby can be awake or asleep. And if the baby gets hungry during the session, we take a break. I actually continue photographing those moments of comfort as well as when the baby is nursing images if the family would like nursing images.

Lifestyle newborn sessions take place right in your home, so you don’t have to worry about packing up your belongings and driving to an unfamiliar studio. I’ve always gravitated towards lifestyle sessions because they tend to give more of a peek into the family’s life and document the family’s routines bringing home a new baby. I love capturing the beautiful nurseries that families work so hard to create.

We really go with the flow of the baby during the session and we are focusing more on capturing the moments that they are being held if they are fussy or laying on the bed if they are content and comfortable. I love including all family members in lifestyle newborn sessions.

Lifestyle sessions are also laid back and we aren’t as limited with timing of these, which allows for more flexibility. I’ve photographed newborns when they’ve been 1 month old!

And because I offer all-inclusive sessions, you get to have all of the images that help to share this beautiful time and you don’t have to worry about having to choose your favorite 10. My hope is that you will love so many more than 10 of your images!

Think you’re interested in booking a lifestyle newborn session? I’d love to chat with you!

Related blog posts:

10 Ways to Tell a Story During your In-Home Newborn Session

I love love love lifestyle newborn sessions.

Being a lifestyle photographer means helping to tell a family’s story and incorporating meaning and emotion into the image from the session.

Looking through my last few newborn sessions I realized there are some important detail shots that I tend to take that help to document the special time of welcoming a new baby into the world.

Here are 10 ways to use photography to help tell a story during your in home newborn session.

1. Include the Entire Family

Sometimes Dad’s aren’t particularly jumping to the opportunity to get their photo taken. I like to take a few photos of the entire family at the beginning of the session and then let Dad be on his way. 

2. Focus on the Baby within the Family Photo

While I still have Dad’s attention and the family is still together, I like to crop in tight to get a shot of the baby. This might mean moving the family around a little bit, but it’s a nice way to create variety within a family shot. The baby was awake for almost this entire session and I love this photo with her eyes open.

3. Photograph the Baby Feet

I don’t think I could have a newborn photo shoot without photographing the baby’s feet! The baby is so precious and new and getting close up photos of the baby’s legs and feet is so important. They grow so fast at this age so make sure you don’t forget that detail shot!

4. Use a Window

The master bedroom in this home had really great window light. Most of my sessions are taken with natural light when possible, and for those sessions I like to take some photos near a window. My focus is more on the baby and the family so it doesn’t bother me when the windows are blown out. 

5. Capture Connection

I typically like to schedule my newborn sessions when the newborn is 2-3 weeks old because the babies are more alert. When they are awake it tends to be a little easier to capture connection. Whether you are photographing the baby’s connection with the family or with the viewer, it can be a nice way to tell a story.

6. Peek In

For rooms and space that allow, I like to step back and take the photo that allows the viewer to “peek in”. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect way for the family dog to join the photo. When taking these peeking-in shots, you can frame the shot with the door and/or crib if the room allows.

7. Document a Feeding

When Moms are comfortable being photographed nursing their babies it gives me an opportunity to walk around from different angles and document this special time. Newborns naturally eat often so don’t be afraid bring your camera and document a few of these photos for the family to enjoy.

8. Photograph the Baby in Crib

This photo can be taken with the baby in their crib awake or sleeping and I think it helps to tell the story because this is where the baby spends so much of their time.

9. Encourage the Parents to Look at the Baby in Crib

Photographing the parents looking at their baby in the crib is another idea to tell the story with a different perspective and creates connection between the parent and the baby. Another thing you can do is have the parents put their hand on the baby. Babies are so small so I always like to incorporate objects, furniture, and people in comparison to document their small size.

10. Place the Baby on the Bed

Placing the baby on a clean bed and photographing them from different angles is another way to tell the story. This one allows you to compare the size of the baby and remember what they felt like.

If you’ve had photos taken of your newborn, did you get any of these photos?

If you’re a photographer would you add anything else to this list?

Leave a comment below!