Your little one has arrived and you’re settling in to life with a newborn.
And now it’s time to start preparing for a photo session. At home. After you’ve just given birth.
I can guess what you’re thinking: Whyyyyyy???
What will everyone wear? Where do we shove all of this baby stuff? What if the baby doesn’t sleep?
Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Here are 5 simple ways to rock your upcoming newborn session!
1. Decide what rooms to use
The living room, master bedroom, and nursery {if you have one} are often popular photo spots. These rooms are the natural gathering spaces for your family!
A few days before your session I’ll have you snap some pictures on your phone of the rooms you’re considering for your session, and text them to me. It’s OK if the rooms are messy for now! This just helps me gauge the layout, color scheme, and lighting around your home.
2. Choose outfits
This is probably something that is stressing you out the most, so here is some advice: Keep it simple.
Your connection as a family should be the focus of your photos, not the outfits. Solid colors photograph beautifully. If you want to add a pattern, just have one person in the pattern and make sure it is subtle.
MOM: Choose your outfit FIRST. As a mom you’re probably used to putting yourself last, but this time make an exception! Choose an outfit that you feel good in. A simple dress, sweater, or tank top + cardigan are excellent choices.
SPOUSE + KIDS: Again, solids are your best bet. Jeans or khakis paired with simple tees, Henley’s, or sweaters are perfect.
BABY: I will bring several one-piece outfits, swaddles, hats/headbands for baby to wear.
3. Tidy up
Now that you have narrowed down your rooms of choice, it’s time to tidy up. Trust me, the rooms DON’T have to be perfect!
LIVING ROOM: Clear off the couch except for any decorative pillows. Open all of the blinds/curtains and let some sunlight in. Clear off any coffee tables or end tables.
MASTER BEDROOM: Make the bed. Open the blinds/curtains. Clear off nightstands and remove clutter from the areas surrounding the bed.
NURSERY: Open blinds/curtains. Store baby gear, diaper boxes, and extra blankets during the session.
In all honesty, I will set aside whatever needs to be moved while I’m shooting, so don’t stress too much.
4. Feed baby 1 hour before
I recommend feeding baby about 1 hour before the session starts. A full tummy = a happy baby.
Note: Your baby does NOT have to be asleep when I arrive {or at any point during the session for that matter}. Some of the sweetest photos are the ones where baby is wide awake!
During the session I will follow baby’s lead. If he/she is fussy, we’ll take a break.
5. Let the siblings be themselves
As with any photo session, you want your kids to cooperate. I totally get it! I’m a mom too, after all. But kids can sense your stress… and they feed off of it. Some kids are super excited to show off their new baby brother or sister, and others are slow to warm up. I’ll come prepared with lots of tricks and prompts to encourage kiddos to engage.
The best advice I can give you is to relax, have patience, and embrace your kids’ unique personalities!
I hope these tips help ease your mind a bit as you prepare for your newborn session.
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