Top 5 Reasons to Take Newborn Photos at Home
A relaxed start to your session.
The sheer amount of baby gear needed for a single outing those first weeks is comical. Let’s not even talk about how much time and energy it takes getting everything ready and loaded into the car. Chances are, your baby will be sleeping right as you need to get them buckled into the car seat, or they’ll be ready to eat riiiiight as you’re stepping out the door. Don’t start your morning stressed trying to get somewhere on time! Most of the time when I arrive, parents are drinking coffee and finishing up getting dressed. No biggie, I’m ready when you are!
Your photos will be unique to you, no cookie cutter baby props or backdrops.
Trends in photography come and go, but photos made in your home will only get better with age. Have you looked back at photo albums of your grandparents? I love seeing how their homes were styled and what ‘technology’ looked like at that time. It’s so fun seeing the clothes and hairstyles that were in fashion. Imagine your grandchildren one day flipping through a photo album and seeing what life was like when their parents were born. So let’s photograph the nursery you put so many hours into decorating. Let’s capture your family in the living room where you actually spend your time living. Take photos with your baby in your arms, their happy place!
Older siblings (and partners) are more comfortable in their own home.
Siblings can take breaks and come and go as they please. I’ve found letting older siblings wander in to cuddle mama on their own time is what results in photos with true emotion. You’re also not sitting in a studio hoping the toddler won’t run around touching all the things while you’re focused on holding baby for photos. I’ve also found that sometimes grandparents are visiting and able to help, and even get in a few photos themselves (always welcome)! Another huge advantage? Fur babies can get in the photos too!
No waiting for your baby to fall asleep so they can be posed.
I’ll start by saying, my daughter has never been a good sleeper. I remember sitting on the couch at her posed newborn session (with an amazing photographer who has the patience of a saint) with my postpartum anxiety swirling, holding my breath hoping she would fall asleep. It felt like an hour before I even heard the camera click. We did capture beautiful images, but I was there over 3 hours and it was exhausting.
In home sessions, on average, take about an hour. Your baby may sleep or they may not, but as long as they’re cozy with you we’ll make many amazing photos. I get asked over and over again if I’ve ever had a baby who couldn’t settle and the answer is ‘no’. As long as your baby has you for comfort and we’re flexible- taking breaks to feed, pace the hall for a few minutes, or even a moment to step outside, I’m always able to capture calm and timeless photos.
A true snapshot in time.
Embrace the extra swaddles, pump parts, and water bottles on side tables. This is a chance to truly document a moment in time that changes all too quickly. Put on the shirt you lived in during those early newborn days so you can look back and remember how you felt. Let’s capture the newborn stage for what it really is… a little bit messy and a lotta bit wonderful.
