Is a Studio Newborn Session the Right Fit for You? - Studio Newborn Photographer

With so many options in the newborn photography world, how do you know which is the right fit for you?  Today we're talking all about studio newborn portrait sessions, and how to know if that's the right style for your family.

I offer three types of newborn sessions -- studio sessions, lifestyle sessions in your home, and Fresh 48 sessions at the hospital.  Each one tells a different story, and gives you a different style of images.  Some families choose to do just one session, others do a combination of two (typically Fresh 48 and then either lifestyle or studio), and still others do all three!

Fresh 48 sessions are natural, raw, and filled with emotion.  They are a peek into your first hours meeting your newborn baby, and they are filled with some of the most magical moments I ever have the pleasure of photographing.  Sure, the hospital decorating choices might leave a little to be desired, and you're going to be exhausted because you just delivered a baby the day before, but these are moments you will never get back and you will always cherish.  Check out our blog post about why you might want to consider hiring a Fresh 48 photographer.

Lifestyle sessions are a relaxed, intimate peek into your lives at home in the first few weeks of bringing home your baby.  They are unposed, and we capture you just as you are in your home.  We also take care to capture all of the details of the nursery that you carefully planned for 9 months, and give you portraits that you'll be able to show your child as they grow and tell them all about the house they came home to when they were born.  Check out our blog post about lifestyle sessions to see if this might be the best fit for you!

But today, it's all about the studio sessions!  How do you know if they are the right fit for you? I get asked this question all the time by expecting parents, and here are a few things to keep in mind.  If these facts resonate with you, then a studio session is probably the best fit for you!  

1.  You love those classic family portraits against a clean background, where everyone is looking at the camera.  

In the studio we capture shots with mom & dad, siblings, and everyone alone with the baby.  If you love the more "posed" style of family portraits, book your studio session!

2.  You can't get enough of those adorable little bowls, baskets, and crates that we pose babies in!

The studio is stocked with simple, classic props that won't detract from your baby's beauty.  All of my props are natural wood, driftwood, or painted white.  Wraps and other items are all natural materials that are perfectly soft against baby's delicate skin.  If you love those shots of baby wrapped and curled up in bowls and baskets, a studio session is the right fit for you!

3.  You love those newborn poses of babies on a blanket, with their head on their hands.

Newborn photographers are trained in newborn safety, and they know how to safely position your little one in those sweet little poses that melt every parent's heart.  We use a posing beanbag in the studio covered in blankets to give your baby a safe cushion, and we know just how to prop them up and support them to get them into those curly little positions.  If you adore clean & uncluttered backgrounds, this is perfect for you too since these poses are not something that can be achieved at home on your bed.

4.  Your heart skips a beat when you see those tiny little headbands and hand-knit newborn outfits, and you love a perfectly coordinated set.

We have headbands, bonnets, basket stuffers, and perfectly sized outfits that are 1,000,000 times cuter and more classic than anything you'll find at Target.  Trust me on this one: use the cute little accents that your photographer has in the studio because they are created to be photographed, and they will look so classic on your newborn baby.

5.  You have a prop that you'd like to use.

If you have a special item that is sentimental or a family heirloom, please bring that to your session!  We typically only have time to incorporate 1-2 additional items into your baby's setups, and it's nice to not let your little one be overpowered by too many props.  But if you have something small that is related to your family (your grandmother's quilt, a bracelet you wore as a baby, an item related to mom or dad's career or how you first met), let's incorporate it into your session!  It is always so much fun to breathe a little personality into your portraits, and they're guaranteed to be images that you love for years to come.

But what would I recommend not bringing?  

Well, you know those little crocheted outfits of animals sold on Etsy?  They're typically made with low-quality yarn and the baby's skin gets irritated when rubbing up against them, plus the baby almost always overheats in those hats and diaper covers.  A sweaty baby is an unhappy baby, and we won't be able to soothe them to get the shot.  

I also wouldn't recommend bringing a shot list from Pinterest -- discuss any inspiration with your photographer ahead of time, but remember that you hired them because you trust their style and their artistic vision.  

Leave the fluffy flower headbands from the baby store at home, as well as all of those cute little newborn onesies and shoes -- they're often too large on the baby anyways, so they're swimming in sleeves that don't fit and shoes that keep falling off.  (Baby toes are adorable -- let's showcase them!)  Plus when your baby is all curled up and sleepy you can't see the text/design on the onesies very well.  Save them for visits with family and cute cell phone pictures of them in their car seat.

6.  Finally, if you love those sleepy newborn shots of the baby perfectly posed or wrapped up to show how small they are, the studio is the perfect place to capture that!  

I have dozens of wraps, blankets, and faux furs in the studio to pose your baby on, and I love finding new combinations to keep every session fresh.  At the studio it's easier to get the baby to sleep because we keep it a toasty 80 degrees with white noise in the background, allowing us to pose your baby naked, or wrapped up snugly in a swaddle to get them to sleep.  If you love those sleepy shots, a studio session is for you!

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So, a studio newborn session feels like the right fit for you!  What's next?

Get in touch with your photographer while you're still pregnant to schedule your newborn session.  Most moms reach out during the second trimester.  Newborn sessions are penciled in on the calendar based on your due date, and photographers only accept a certain number of due dates each month to give each family the flexibility in scheduling that they deserve.  

Then as soon as your baby arrives, tell your photographer so that they can set a date for your session!  It's important that studio sessions take place (ideally) within the first two weeks of the baby's arrival, so don't delay!