A natural {unposed} approach to beautiful newborn photos guarantees a stress-free photo session
A natural {unposed} approach to beautiful newborn photos guarantees a stress-free photo sessionA few times per week, a mama-to-be will contact me to ask about my newborn photo sessions. She usually wants to know if I pose newborn babies, and my answer is always the same: I prefer a more natural approach!
When you’re a first-time mama looking into newborn photos, it can feel overwhelming to decide on the best option for your family. I remember feeling frustrated trying to decide on a photographer and type of session when I was pregnant with my first baby. We opted for a posed studio session with our first daughter; while I love the photos of her, I knew I didn’t want posed photos of my other babies.
This isn’t to say that style isn’t beautiful; there are lots of talented women who offer beautiful posed baby photography. But as a mama, and now as a newborn photographer, there are several reasons why I don’t pose tiny babies.
Scheduling inflexibility with posed sessions
While all photographers are a little different and might have varying timeline requirements for posed newborn photography, in general, these sessions are scheduled within the first two-ish weeks of birth. This is when babies sleep longer, deeper and are a little squishier – and easier to pose.
This is also when you and your spouse are at the very beginning of your parenting journey. You’re adjusting to very little sleep, healing from birth, learning to breastfeed or bottle feed and restrucuting everything about your day-to-day life to accomodate baby’s needs. Some moms sail through the initial weeks after birth, while others take a little longer to adjust.
But if you’re planning on a posed newborn session, you’re on a tight timeline to get your baby in a studio and photographed. This means getting yourself, your spouse and baby dressed and out the door for a photo session at a studio, when you’re running around around 4 hours of broken sleep per night. I know from experience that this is hard. It’s certainly not impossible, but in those initial weeks after baby arrives, it was a monumental task to get everyone dressed and out the door to go anywhere.
Plus, you almost have to get the session scheduled before baby arrives, unless you happen to find someone who has immediate availability after your baby is born. You have to find time and energy to sort through a contract, waiver, a pre-session questionnaire and pay an invoice, all while caring for a baby… in the first week or so after birth.
How in-home newborn sessions are different
We schedule when you’re ready. It’s as simple as that. For some parents, that’s during baby’s first week of life. For others, baby might be six, seven or even eight weeks old. My clients don’t have any timing or age restrictions for photos of their baby.
Plus, I’ll come to you! There is absolutely no need for you to go anywhere. I’ll even bring outfits for mama and baby, on top of all the props and accessories we need for lovely images. You don’t have to spend a frustrating morning trying to get yourself and baby ready to leave; instead, focus on your needs and baby’s, and we’ll begin the session when you are ready.
You can schedule before or after baby arrives. You can even wait until you’re getting a solid three hours of sleep per night if you want! There are no inflexible requirements as to when I photograph in-home newborn sessions.
Connection is more important than posing
One of my favorite things about in-home newborn sessions is how they allow me to focus on the connection new parents have with their brand new babies. I love to document how strong and protective new dads are, and how mamas are nurturing and loving. New parents always have the most gentle, natural smiles when they look at their babies.
I have a general plan for the photo session, but we move at baby’s pace and adjust as needed. I don’t have a specific time when we absolutely must capture parents with baby. In fact, I usually photograph parents individually with babies at multiple points during the session. This means you have a variety of moments and photos to choose from in your photo gallery.
The most important thing to me is capturing how much you adore your newborn. Every parent snuggles with their new baby a little differently, and I’d much rather capture how you hold your baby than tell you specifically where to put your hands and elbows for photos. No part of my sessions feels uncomfortable or unnatural, because I’m careful to photograph you as you really are.
Plus, I focus on capturing your newborn doing newborn things… like how she likes to sleep with her hands up next to her face, or how he can wiggle out of any swaddle. Unposed sessions document aspects of your baby’s personality or habits that you might have noticed in ultrasound images.
How posed studio sessions are different
For posed newborn sessions, you’ll likely sit to the side and watch as the photographer works with your new baby. It takes lots of slow, purposeful work to manipulate their tiny bodies into a variety of positions without waking them.
Somtimes parent poses with baby are included in a posed studio session, but not always. This means you have to specifically request photos of yourself with your baby. In my opinion, it’s crazy NOT to include photos of you with your baby, but the posing portion with newborns takes so long that studio photographers have to set aside the time to photograph baby with you.
Unlike some posed studio photographers, I don’t rely on a boring, stiff posing formula that is exactly the same for everyone. I follow your lead and encourage natural interactions between the couples I work with for photos that look and feel like you.
Families are actively involved in my sessions
Before your photo session, we’ll schedule a call to discuss which rooms you’d like to use during the session, or you’ll share that with me in a pre-session questionnaire. For most families, we photograph in the living room, the master bedroom and in baby’s nursery.
When I arrive at your home, I’ll request a quick tour so I can take a peek at the lighting in each room. From there, we’ll begin the session in whichever place you love the most. For most mamas, this is the nursery. After all, you’ve spent hours creating a peaceful, beautiful space especially for your little love. It’s often the perfect backdrop for these special photos.
For the duration of your photos, you’ll snuggle and cuddle your little love, You’ll swaddle them, unless you want met to, and you’ll change them into different outfits if you wish to do so. I’ll make sure everything is perfect for photos, but you’re very much in charge of everything that happens with your newborn.
How posed studio sessions are different
Most, if not all, of the work is done by the photographer. You’ll sit to the side and watch as she swaddles your baby, or changes their little outfits. Because a posed studio photographer is primarily concerned with baby staying asleep, she prefers to make all the adjustments throughout the session. If baby smells mama, he or she is more likely to want to nurse or snuggle, which makes posing impossible.
If parent poses are included, these are usually done in the final moments of the session. You’ll have a set amount of time to capture scripted moments with your baby.
Composite photographs
Composite photos are created from two or more images that are blended together for a final result. What a lot of first-time parents don’t realize is that posed newborn sessions can include a variety of composite images.
For example, when you see an image of a tiny newborn with her chin resting on her hands, elbows propped up, with her legs curled under her tiny bum, that’s actually a blend of multiple images. The heaviest part of a newborn is his head; his elbows and hands shouldn’t support his head without help.
Most studio photographers will have an assistant carefully hold baby’s head in place to keep the full weight off baby’s tiny hands and elbows; this way, if baby’s head moves slightly in either direction, you don’t risk injury or baby waking up. The assistant’s hands are carefully removed in the editing process so that you don’t see them afterward.
In another example, if you see a newborn snuggled in some kind of prop hanging in mid-air, baby is never actually photographed that way due to safety concerns. The photographer will likely photograph your newborn laying on a smooth, sturdy surface and then place them in the prop digitally.
The primary reason for using composite images is to keep baby safe. You should ensure that your photographer has taken infant posing safety courses if you intend to schedule a posed studio session for your peace of mind and baby’s safety.
How in-home newborn sessions are different
I don’t use composite images. During my sessions, we don’t attempt anything with baby that is even remotely unsafe. I don’t need to blend images when I edit because I don’t take risks with newborns. They’re swadded in your arms, cuddled safely with daddy, or supported fully and safely in a basket, prop or crib.
Home is where you’re most comfortable
I began offering in-home newborn sessions because I think it’s the easiest and least stressful option for new parents. You don’t have to pack up baby, load up the baby bag and drive to an unfamiliar spot just days after giving birth.
Instead, I’ll come to you with everything needed for lovely photos, including wardrobe for you and baby, swaddles, accessories and props.
If baby needs to nurse during our time together, you’re free to do that wherever you’re most comfortable. If you or baby want to change clothes halfway through the session to change up your photos (or in case of spit up!), you’ve got everything you need.
But it’s not just about comfort. I love in-home newborn sessions because the environment captures so much of what daily life is like for you now. You probably spend most days snuggling baby on the couch, binging Netflix while nursing (again). It makes sense to photograph your little family in the nursery that you spent months designing for your baby. One of my favorite things is to position mamas or couples near their wedding photos so we can capture a multiple milestones all in one image!
Polished, beautiful images are absolutely part of in-home newborn sessions
I think some mamas-to-be assume that in-home sessions don’t have the polished look of studio photos. Nothing could be further from the truth, though.
Newborn babies are perfect all on their own. Swaddles, headbands, bonnets and tiny flower crowns just accent their natural cuteness! I incorporate props like baskets, bowls and wooden crates too; babies look beautiful inside these items swaddled or even just curled up in a cute outfit.
If I had to pick one word that makes in-home newborn photo sessions different from studio sessions, it’s the authenticity of an in-home session. The sessions I offer are all about capturing babies and families in their homes, doing what they do every day.
It is important, however, to note that if you have your heart set on posed photos of your newborn, you likely won’t feel content with an at-home newborn session. I think every mama is attracted to one kind of session over another; although your opinion of what you like might change as you add to your family (like mine did), you probably know which style of photography fits best right now.
In fact, while I primarily shoot at-home newborn photography sessions, I’ve also worked with families who like the look of a studio session, but they want a relaxed experience. That’s why I offer studio sessions that follow the exact same approach: authenticity and unposed newborns in a studio setting.
The three images above were taken at an all-white studio in The Woodlands. This particular family was in a rental house while building their forever home; they didn’t have any sentimental attachment to the rental. So, we scheduled time at a studio and structured the entire session like at-home photos.
Magical memories with your new baby
No matter which option is best for your family, don’t miss out on making these memories! The newborn stage is so fleeting; those six weeks fly by so quicky; before you know it, you have a toddler running through your home. If you’d like to learn more about my in-home newborn photography sessions, just enter your info on my contact form and I’ll send you the information!
