Tips for a Successful Newborn Session

Grab these ideas for an easy, breezy newborn photo session

Ready to easily prepare for newborn pictures? It can feel like a daunting idea to get professional portraits taken right when a baby is born, but it truly is worth it. Professional newborn portraits mark this momentous time in your family’s life and will be treasured memories for decades.

Photography style

You deserve to love your photos. First, decide which newborn portrait style is right for you. Some families prefer studios with props. There, the focus is on the baby alone. My style is organic, natural, and relaxed. Sometimes referred to as lifestyle newborn portraits. This style has a very relaxed, documentary-style vibe. These images are less about getting the baby in a perfect pose, and more about capturing the baby in a more informal way, including family members.

Location of the session

I travel to my clients for the photo sessions at home. This allows parents to have baby supplies at the ready and not feel pressured. Babies need to be fed, changed, and soothed, so having a photoshoot at home is often ideal for this.

Ditch the idea of perfection

I adore capturing authenticity, not striving for perfection. Babies and families are messy and wonderful, so get rid of ideas of how the photos should look and embrace the chaos! Laughter, tears, and challenges are part of a family’s story, and just make photos even more interesting. 

Setting us up for success

Babies are happiest when they are full, so feed her before the session. A warm home makes them relaxed, as well. I am often asked how to calm a baby down for pictures. A simple feeding or change of scenery will often do the trick.

Preparing your home before the session

You certainly don’t need a big house for the newborn session. Babies are tiny and I don’t use too much room. The newborn season is a messy time so don’t worry about a sparse space. What I do need are rooms with lots of windows and natural light.  We will take a quick tour when I arrive but we usually settle in the nursery, living room, or master bedroom. And if they all have great light, then we may capture a few moments in each.

If you want to tidy up those rooms a little before our session that would be great but again not necessary. I do my best to remove distracting clutter if necessary for the particular moment but oftentimes I leave it too because it tells the story of your family.

How should I dress my baby for a photoshoot?

Please start the baby off in a simple onesie, short sleeves, and no legs. Subtle, neutral colors are great such as muted greens, creams, blues, and mauves. I do bring a few simple wraps for babies we can play with as well. Dressing a baby in simple clothing allows for me to focus on a family’s connections and expressions.

How should I dress for the session? 

Lighter hues look best, no blacks or bright colors. Jeans look cute also, with no shoes. Moms look fabulous in v-neck dresses and blouses. This style allows for beautiful images with babies ’ and moms’ skin close. Check out this fun interest link to check out some ideas HERE.

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When should newborn photos be taken?

The ideal time for newborn sessions is the first 14 days after their arrival. But certainly, babies are always cute and keep getting cuter! Because parents will be in the portraits, it’s also important that everyone feels up for the session. So don’t worry if you need to wait a few weeks, I want you to love the photos.

Thanks for reading this post on how to prepare for newborn pictures. If you are looking for a San Francisco Bay Area newborn photographer, I’d love to hear from you! I serve the entire East Bay: Oakland, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, San Ramon as well as the Peninsula, San Jose, and Marin.