Having a baby is such an exciting time in new parent’s lives. Whether it’s your first child or your 5th, ushering in a newborn baby, a new little person into your family is joyous, and often entails a lot of planning. We have all heard the phrase, long days and short years. There really isn’t a more true statement when raising little humans. I always found it fun to create my list of names, to decorate the nursery, to have a baby shower, and get all the things. The day to day was a little harder, what do I do to get this little one to sleep, will I be able to breast feed, what will I do in terms of planning child care? Yes, there are stresses that come with having a little one, and they are amplified due to lack of sleep. But there is so much goodness, and so much bonding. That is why you hear so many mamas say “slow down little one. Don’t ever grow up.” Even in the thick of it, it can go by quickly.
If you decide on getting a newborn photography session, you may have a lot of questions. Should I do a lifestyle newborn session, or a studio portrait session? What is the difference? My first advice, is photograph your baby. Regardless of what option you choose, you will want to have photographs of your newborn.
Most likely there are many newborn photographers in your area. The great majority of newborn photographers, at least in the Annapolis area, are lifestyle photographers. This means, that your sessions are baby led, and mostly show beautiful moments of you and your family interacting and holding your little one. Most newborn lifestyle photography sessions are done either in your new nursery, in your living room, or on your bed. Some photographers may bring wraps, while others will use the items you have in your nursery. These sessions usually last between an hour to an hour and a half.
The other type of newborn photographer is a portrait newborn photographer. These photos are often done in a studio. Other times, the photographer may bring a truck load of props, beds, baskets, and such with them to your home. These photos include posed baby photos, where the photographer takes the utmost care in positioning your baby into beautiful comfortable poses, while providing the utmost in patience. Family photos can be added or included in a package. They may be posed studio as well, or perhaps have a lifestyle family session approach. These sessions on average last about 3 hours to include newborn and family photos.
Every newborn photographer has their own preferences when photographing your little one. But the general consensus is to photograph newborn babies 7 to 14 days after birth. If you are doing a lifestyle session, you have more flexibility in timing. Babies often need to be sleeping in order to pose well, but this is not as important if family is snuggling them. It is possible to get beautifully posed photos of your little one awake for posed photos. But you have to remember, they are little people, with their own agendas. And as we all know, they make their voice heard when they are awake.
If you are wondering when to schedule a newborn session, keep in mind, most newborn photographers will do a limited amount of newborn photos sessions a month. Photographers also need to leave enough room in their schedule for flexibility. You may be thinking your baby is due next week, but they may have other ideas. With that being said, I would highly suggest reaching out to your favorite photographer about 3 to 4 months before your due date. If you are interested in maternity photos as well, I suggest contacting them even sooner.
Lastly, if you love the idea of having a lifestyle newborn session, but the idea of having your photography session in your home stresses you out, you can look for a photographer that has a lifestyle area in their studio. Maybe you don’t have a nursery, or you just moved with boxes everywhere. Maybe the lighting or décor in your home doesn’t match your vision. Reach out to a photography studio in your area, and see if they have a lifestyle area for newborn photos. This option will help ensure your photos are exactly how you envision them. If you are in the Annapolis Maryland area, you can reach out to our photography studio located in Historic Stevensville, Maryland. We would love to book a newborn session with you.