The Woodlands studio newborn photography

This all-white studio newborn session celebrates the arrival of Harper Maxwell

Whether I’m photographing tiny baby boys or girls, I love a sleeping, swaddled little love. There’s something so precious and perfect about a brand new baby, snoozing away in my Moses basket with proud parents near by.

This all-white studio session celebrating Harper Maxwell was a gray, overcast morning. Her mama was overjoyed to spend the time smiling down at her daughter in several tiny flower crowns and little hats. Life has changed a lot since Diane and Cody welcomed their daughter, and they made the transition to parenthood look effortless!

Mama in a mocha gown

I met Diane and Cody just a few months ago for a beautiful summer maternity session in The Woodlands. They were excited and a little anxious to meet their daughter; like most first-time parents, Diane and Cody didn’t know what to expect about the big life change that was coming up!

This sweet sneak peek video celebrates baby Harper and her mama received the day after her session!

Although I typically photograph newborns and their families at home, Diane and Cody requested a slightly different option. They’re currently building a house, and didn’t have any particularly sentimental feelings about their rental. Diane asked if we could schedule their newborn photos at another location, and I had the perfect place in mind: The Oak Atelier in Conroe.

This is a gorgeous studio tucked back in the trees. I’ve been dying to shoot here forever, but I hadn’t had a client interested in a studio session until Cody and Diane booked with me. We scheduled time in an all-white room, bathed completely in natural light, with a white bed and various chairs.

I brought several flowy lace gowns for Diane, secretly hoping she’d go with the floor-length mocha dress; I knew it would look gorgeous with her skin and dark hair. As luck would have it, Diane selected that dress without a single prompt from me!

I love this gown for so many reasons: the mocha shade is a little unexpected for a newborn session – most mamas go with ivory or cream. It’s lined, which means we don’t have to worry about undergarments peeking through, and it flows beautifully over postpartum curves that make some mamas self-conscious. Diane loved it so much that she asked where I bought it!

A brand new family of three

Harper was snoozing away when Diane and Cody arrived. I love when babies are fast asleep as a session begins because it usually helps mama relax a bit more. When Cody told me she’d probably sleep for the next three hours, I knew we were headed for a perfect, gorgeous session! I got their tiny daughter swaddled snugly in my oatmeal wrap and Diane and I played with flower crowns for a bit!

Next, we took some family photos on the beautiful white bed. This was an add-on for the session, which I knew would not only make for pretty photos, but it was also a great place to swaddle Harper.

I’ve shared before that one of my favorite parts of photographing first-time parents is the automatic smile that magically appears every time they look at their babies. Diane and Cody are absolutely captivated by Harper, and it shows in every single photo!

Daddy-daughter time

It’s no secret that new parents don’t get much sleep at first; newborns wake up every 1-3 hours the first few weeks because their tiny tummies don’t stay full very long. We gave Diane a much-needed little break to relax on the bed while I photographed Cody and Harper in front of the big, beautiful windows at The Oak Atelier.

The studio provided a stool that is the perfect height for new dads cuddling a sleeping baby. With all of the natural light flowing in through the bay windows, we didn’t even need the simple off-camera lighting I had just in case it was necessary.

Cody brought two shirts for this photo session, and we started with him in a soft gray. This shade is such a great choice for new dads; most guys have a gray polo or two already, and it looks lovely against delicate baby skin.

A mama and her daughter

Diane certainly doesn’t look like a new mama who is short on sleep! Her soft, romantic makeup and dark, beautifully braided hair went so perfectly with my mocha gown, thanks to the talented team at Samantha’s Artistry. Samantha and her team of six ladies are my favorite hairstylists and makeup artists to recommend because they work hard to make you feel incredible!

It’s such a treat to see the transformation in clients from pregnancy to new parenthood. What amazed me about Diane and Cody was how seamless the transition seemed to be; they didn’t have the usual new parent nervousness or anxiety. I walked them though everything I was doing with Harper as I swaddled her or swapped out a flower crown headband; I showed Diane the easiest way to slip a headband on a new baby, and also shared a few swaddling tips for when they went home.

Advantages of a studio newborn session

I definitely felt a little anxious scheduling a newborn session at a studio; after having three kids of my own, I know how hard it is to get ready for a photo session with a tiny baby, and then loading them up in the car. I reminded Diane several times that I was totally happy to come to their rental house, but she was excited about the studio for her session!

Once Diane and Cody arrived, I relaxed because they didn’t seem overly stressed about their morning! In fact, I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest this studio as a great option for other new parents for several reasons:

the studio is perfectly clean; there is no clutter to clear out of the way or items to pick up
the natural light is so flattering for the entire family, with plenty of space to move around
The Oak Atelier provided a few seating options for the room we rented, and we were able to add on a queen-sized bed
access to bathrooms is super easy for quick outfit changes
had Diane needed to nurse Harper, we were in a space that would have provided total privacy

The all-white walls allowed Diane and her family to shine every photo; the simplicity of the room is part of what makes her session timeless and beautiful. There are no distractions from this sweet family.

I brought my Moses basket for baby-only photos, and we also used it for family photos on the bed for a change; for this series, Diane and Cody smiled down at their daughter in the basket instead of holding her. I would have photographed a similar set of photos had we been in their home, with Harper in the crib.

Up next: Harper Maxwell turns one!

I know that Diane and Cody can hardly envision a year from now, when their daughter is a grinning, crawling one-year-old! That’s the next time I’ll see this family to celebrate their sweet girl! So many families have fallen in love with my three session option that includes maternity, in-home or studio newborn, and a flexible family mini session that can be used any time during baby’s first year. I can’t wait to see this sweet girl in the fall of 2021 as she celebrates one wonderful year!