As an Ann Arbor Portrait Photographer, lifestyle newborn photos are some of my favorites to capture. There is something about a new baby and the fresh dynamics of the family that pulls my heartstrings every time. I still remember the first days and weeks after bringing my children home as newborns. From the sleepless nights to the little peach fuzz on the back of their ears, and the tiny dimples on their knuckles…
The newborn phase goes by so slowly when you are IN IT, but when you look back you realize that it all flew by. That’s why these sessions are so near and dear to me. If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’re probably already aware of how I get all mushy and sentimental about photos. My children’s lifestyle newborn photos are some of my most cherished things to look back on, and I love freezing these special moments in time for the families who entrust that responsibility to me.
I get a lot of new moms and dads who reach out to me about their upcoming due date, and they have so many questions regarding lifestyle newborn sessions. How do they work? How do I know what day I will do the session? What rooms should they clean? Where can they find cute baby outfits? What should they wear? I figured that it would be a great idea to compile one large blog post with all of these answers and more, as a resource to anyone who is expecting a baby and planning to have a lifestyle newborn session in their home!
I hope that this is helpful to you as you plan and prepare for your lifestyle newborn photos! If you are already on my calendar, I can’t wait to see you! If you are a family in the Ann Arbor area, expecting a baby soon, and would like to see about getting on my calendar, please send me a note – I’d be so excited to be your newborn photographer! I love documenting this special time for families, and I would love to chat with you! I accept a limited number of newborn due dates per month, so reach out as soon as possible!
Now, without further ado…
Here are some of my favorite tips/faqs to prepare for your Ann Arbor newborn photography session. These will ensure that we capture beautiful lifestyle newborn photos that you will cherish forever!
- How do we decide on a date to do the photoshoot?
Scheduling is a little bit different when it comes to newborn sessions. Since we don’t know when the little one will make their arrival, I reserve your due date in my calendar. After you deliver, and once you are home and settled, you will send me an email letting me know that baby has arrived. At that point, we will get a firm date scheduled (preferably within 2-3 weeks of birth)!
- When do you do newborn sessions?
Newborn sessions are scheduled on weekday mornings, usually at 10am. The light tends to be better at this time of day, and while I am always prepared to shoot on a dark or rainy day with lighting equipment, I prefer not to if I can get away with it! This also seems to be the best time for baby. In my experience, newborns tend to be a little crankier at night!
- What is the typical flow of a lifestyle newborn session?
A big reason why a lot of my families love having me as their Ann Arbor newborn photographer is because of my knack for ensuring photo sessions are relaxed. My biggest goal is to have this be a fun, memorable, and comfortable experience for everyone. When I first get there I will walk around your home to get our plan for the day. Plan on me being there for 1-2 hours. I usually start by taking detail photos of the nursery, followed by some family shots. After that, I follow the baby’s cues for when we can work in some sibling and solo shots!
Babies of course need to eat. If you CAN, try to feed the baby right before I arrive. When they need to eat again you can do that while I am there and I can get some cool shots of nursing or bottle feeding (if you wish) as well as some fun detail shots, etc.
- Will you bring any wraps/props/backdrops?
I prefer to keep my newborn sessions pretty organic, and true to life. Therefore, I do not do a lot of newborn posing and have phased out the use of “props” such as headbands, bonnets, and wraps. I find that a white or pastel onesie or a snug newborn outfit looks the most true-to-life and “homey”. OR you could do a sweet knotted gown. If you had your heart set on a white wrap, let me know – I can always throw one in my camera bag!
Fun fact: the photo below was taken on a nursery rug! Sometimes we can find the cutest “backdrop” in the most unlikely of places! Think outside the box for some cute items to photograph baby on, from an accent rug in your home, to a cute blanket, or even your crib sheets – there are always so many options that you would have never thought we could use!
- What rooms will you use in our home?
The room where we will be spending most of our time is the nursery! I love getting shots of everyone in and around the nursery glider and in front of the crib. I do shoot a lot in parent’s bedrooms as well, so just be mindful of that before I arrive. One of my favorite things about these sessions is that they are REAL LIFE! So if our shoot takes us to the kitchen, where you both need a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine!) – then I will capture it. I even included a couple of kitchen photos below, I love unexpected and out-of-the-box ideas like this!
- What should we wear???
FOR MOM
Neutral colors. Anything white, grey, beige, pastel, etc photographs beautifully against your baby’s skin. When you wear very bright colors (such as hot pink, yellow, or red) they can reflect onto the baby’s skin and make it look strange in photos. If you need help deciding, feel free to pull a few things out of your closet for me to peek at. Chiffon is beautiful and my absolute favorite for newborn sessions! Maxi or midi dresses work great. The most important thing is that you feel good about what you are wearing. I love it when moms dress it up, it looks incredibly beautiful in photos! Try to avoid tight clothing and jeans.
Bonus tip: Be sure to steam your dress ahead of time, these small details really stand out in photos!
FOR DAD
Jeans or khakis and t-shirts or plain sweaters – as well as button-downs (no small patterns). Make sure to be able to roll the sleeves and leave them untucked. V-neck sweaters look great over button-ups as well in the wintertime. Be yourself!
FOR SIBLINGS
The same rules apply for siblings as for Mom and Dad! Neutrals always look nice: a pretty white dress for girls with bare feet is adorable. Jeans with a button-up or a v-neck are so cute for little boys! These are NOT hard and fast rules by any means. If you want to insert a little extra pizzazz and personality into your newborn portraits with a fun outfit for the new big bro or sis, feel free to do so!
Check out some more of my favorite photos below. If you feel like I’d be a great newborn photographer for your family, and you’re local to Ann Arbor and surrounding areas, please reach out!
