I absolutely LOVE Lifestyle sessions so much!
I love them because they get to showcase your brand new family member in the comfort of their own home with their parents, siblings, and pets! Babies change SO MUCH in those first few weeks, so I love being able to capture that brand new goodness for parents in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
The best time for in-home sessions are during daylight hours, usually in the morning. Starting your session between 9am - 1pm usually gives the best light and happiest baby!
Photo by Ana Ramalho
I love natural light and I love capturing your new baby and family in the natural light in your house! I will be embracing your home’s natural light, turning off the overhead lights and taking advantage of the natural brightness as much as possible (another reason why I like doing these sessions during the bright part of the day). I’ll pop you all next to windows as much as possible for those pics — we will take full advantage of the light coming into your house. Even on the cloudiest (and even rainiest too!) days, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how much the outside light comes in to give you the best possible pictures!
If the natural light is not sufficient enough, I will use my flash at a very low power to bounce off of the ceiling to add just enough light to illuminate you all in your space.
Photo by Ana Ramalho
Lifestyle baby photos are all about being relaxed at home. Now you probably are wondering how can you prepare your home and your family for your session.
WHEN DO WE SCHEDULE A NEWBORN LIFESTYLE SESSION? I typically advise parents to schedule as soon as they feel comfortable after birth! Truly, the ‘newer’ the baby, the better the session typically goes. The younger baby is typically the sleepier they are = more cooperative for pictures. Sometimes after a few weeks baby acne sets in, scratches appear, etc… so I really try and encourage in-home sessions as close to birth as possible/comfortable for families. Ideally within the first two weeks after birth, but the sooner the better.
Photo by Ana Ramalho
HOW LONG DO NEWBORN SESSIONS LAST? Typically between 60-90 minutes. I know how precious that time is those first few weeks after baby has arrived so I don’t want to overtake that for your family, so I try and be quick and efficient in getting you all of the snaps you want. Providing me with a list of some shots you’d like to get definitely helps too!
LET’S TALK WITH LOCATIONS - First, turn up that heat! I’ve found that baby is so much happier in a warm environment. This allows for baby to be comfortable for any diaper pictures and isn’t so upset to have their clothes changed if the house is warm.
I will be coming to your home for the session but we don’t shoot in every room. Typically I like to start in the nursery. I love to document all the adorable elements of a nursery. The mobile that was picked out after hours of Etsy searches, the blanket that was handmade by an excited Grandma, the rocking chair that has been passed down for generations. Those are the elements that add to the overall design you’ve created. I want to make sure we capture that.
Photo by Ana Ramalho
Typically after that, we will move to either the master bedroom or the living room. Lighting will dictate this. I’m looking for a room with the best light that has space for the whole family to cuddle. A bed or a couch is the perfect spot to gather everyone including the family dogs for a beautiful portrait.
NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT CLEANING. I completely understand how overwhelming it can be to take care of the baby plus entertain the family and try to recover from delivery. So do not stress about cleaning. So your entire house DOES NOT need to be spotless! In fact, if I see a spot I want to shoot and there is stuff in the way I will happily move things around to give you the illusion of a spotless house. I just might need a slight reminder of where to put it back! If it fits in the budget I highly recommend having your house cleaned before the baby arrives so it is one less thing to stress about!
Photo by Ana Ramalho
PREPARING THE FAMILY. The first question I always get is what are we going to wear? Neutrals photograph beautifully and look timeless. But this does NOT mean everyone wears a plain white t-shirt. Consider grey, tan, charcoal, black, white, navy, or even soft blue or soft pink to add a hint of color. Mom, get a casual dress with soft fabric, if it's comfortable. You can also get a grey, white, or black nursing tank and a sweater to go over top. The tank top allows for those beautiful and intimate skin to skin shots, while we can throw the cardigan over for a little more formal shot with the family. Partners and siblings should dress in neutral colors too. Patterns are okay as long a they are simple and not distracting.
The second part of preparing your family is letting them know what to expect. If you have other children, tell them that someone fun is coming over to take their picture. Feel free to offer bribes for good behavior, you have my full support!
Mom, you are the comforting arms that your baby will settle down in, you are the food source, and if you are stressed the baby will pick up on it. So give yourself an extra hour to get ready. I’m not kidding. I want you to take your time and have time to feed the baby as you get ready. The more relaxed and beautiful you feel the better the photos. Everyone picks up on mom’s mood so as long as you are happy they will be too!
Photo by Ana Ramalho
PREPARING BABY. Try to feed baby shortly before your session time. This ensures baby has a full belly and will hopefully be happy and cooperative for pics! If you would like any feeding/nursing pictures, we can do this at the beginning of the session… so hold off feeding babe until I get there and we’ll get some feeding/nursing pics done first!
Dress the baby in a simple white short sleeve onesie so I can get some photos of them in the nursery. We can take breaks during the session for feeding top offs if needed. Have any accessories like bows for girls ready so I can incorporate them into the photos.
About halfway through our lifestyle newborn photoshoot we can swaddle the baby in a cute swaddle (I can bring some if you want, just let me know it).
If you follow these tips we will have a great lifestyle newborn photoshoot! And when in doubt, ask me! I’ve been photographing babes for well over 10 years and I can absolutely help guide you with any questions you have in regards to what to expect at your newborn session, what to wear, etc… I am always happy to help my wonderful clients!
