What does a newborn session look like you might ask? Here are 5 goals that I have when I am doing a lifestyle newborn session.

1. Make sure everyone is dressed & ready for the session. I will give mom any dresses she wants to try on or wear as well as any other items for older siblings.

2. I will then take a little tour of the house to begin determining which room we will do your photos in. I will already have an idea since I typically ask families to send me photos of potential rooms that we can use for the shoot.

3. Begin tidying up or moving anything I don’t want in the frame so that our photos can be as clean and timeless as possible. If we are using the master bedroom I will check to see what color blanket is on the bed and if needed put down my own white blanket. If families prefer to use their own comforter thats totally fine with me! I just try to use a white blanket as white will help reflect light onto your faces, and I think it works really well for newborn sessions. I will also assess the pillows, add pillows if needed, change pillow cases to a solid light color if needed.

4. I will start with photos of the family especially the photos with everyone looking and smiling since that is one of the photos that families usually really want. If there are older siblings, its also really important for me to capture this photo ASAP in case they have a meltdown or if they get tired. After that, I proceed however I feel is best for the baby and family.

5. During the shoot I will usually ask if everyone is doing ok if we havent taken a break yet…if anyone needs a break we will always take a break! Babies need to eat, moms need to take a rest, babies need their nappies changed, spit ups happen, etc. On average a newborn session will take about 2 hours and that includes everything from step 1 and on, so we are not shooting the entire 2 hours straight most of the time. Although I will often capture in-between moments during our “break”.

Interested in learning more about a newborn session? Email marissa.hbphoto@gmail.com, or click here for more information.