Newborn portrait session with big sister

I absolutely adore Lauren and Tim. They’re our neighbors, and I’ve had the joy of photographing their maternity sessions for both daughters - and now the newborn sessions, too! It’s been so special to not only document their first portraits for each of the girls, but it’s also been a meaningful walk beside them as our children grow up together. Welcome to the world, Macey Jayne! I’m so happy I got to welcome you to the studio and the neighborhood. 

Macey’s big sister, Anna, was so excited to snuggle up with her new baby, and I was thoroughly impressed with how well she did during the session. At 22 months, she posed herself better than most toddlers that I work with, and it was all so natural and smooth for her. I am completely in love with the sibling portraits we created of these two sisters! They’re always some of my favorite moments in newborn sessions like this. But, they don’t always happen organically - it takes work and focus so the new big sisters and brothers feel special. Having a new baby can change the family dynamic - and this is a great chance to involve them in the process! 

A newborn session with a toddler isn’t always easy, but I try to make big siblings feel like a big part of the session!  I show them the toys in the studio, I let them pick out the snack they’re going to enjoy after they finish, show them my camera and the little toys that I use to help me take their pictures – monkey on my camera lens, a Cookie Monster puppet, squeaky toys. I give them options: “Do you want to start with just you and baby, or should we have everybody all together first?” This helps them feel in control, and they love having some say in what’s going to happen. I like to give them special jobs, and often they’ll take one of my wooden cameras and use it to take pictures of their parents when we’re going some photos of mom or dad with the baby. Even though these portraits are for the baby, we want your toddlers (or older siblings) feel like a big part of the process! 

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Flowers and Pearls - Pretty Little Accents for Newborn Portraits in our Saratoga Springs Newborn Photography Studio

Welcome to the world, Alexandra! I had the best time welcoming this beautiful little girl and her parents to my Saratoga Springs studio. She’s one of the newest members of our Collective Membership, so this is just the first of a few sessions I’ll be photographing for this family throughout Alexandra’s first year. It was wonderful to kick things off with her newborn session - featuring some of my favorite classically feminine details! 

Alexandra’s family wanted to include some of the studio's gorgeous headbands and wraps for their little girl. They dreamed of portraits with details like pearls, lace, and flowers - lucky for them, I have plenty of options in the studio! Truly, there’s so many pearl headbands for baby girls and I love that I have such a beautiful variety to offer my families. Everything we chose for Alexandra really worked within a gorgeous blush, ivory, and tan palette. 

Honestly, it was so fun when her parents came into the studio and began gushing about how much they love what I have on hand - and trust my style - to plan their newborn baby’s portraits. It means a lot to hear that confidence from the parents I work with, and Alexandra’s were no exception. I think we settled on some truly gorgeous setups for this sweet girl and I look forward to seeing her in the studio again for her next set of milestone portraits!

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Newborn portraits at 5 weeks old for a NICU warrior

Brooks Michael, I am so happy I had the chance to meet you and photograph your sweet newborn portraits in my Saratoga Springs studio! This darling little guy was born 7 weeks early and turned out to be a true fighter. He was out of the NICU within a matter of weeks! He was actually the second of two newborns who came to my studio who arrived 7 weeks early in the spring - and both were delivered on the SAME DAY in Albany! How wild, right?!  

Anyway… Back to Brooks! We waited for Brooks to settle in at home and made sure he was strong and healthy before his newborn session at the studio. Because of that, Brooks was 5 weeks old at the time of his session. As a newborn photographer, I care less about how many days or weeks old a baby is when they come into my studio. Instead, it’s more important that they (and their families) are ready for their session, particularly when they’ve had a NICU stay, like Brooks did! There’s never any rush to get them into my studio within that traditional 2-3 week window post birth. I am a photographer that loves older newborn sessions, and we have so many tricks to still get those sweet sleepy poses (plus plenty of awake interaction sometimes, too!) with those older babies. I’d rather everyone involved feel healthy, strong, and comfortable with our time together. 

Brooks was a champion, and we captured so many adorable poses of this sweet boy. His family photos are my favorite, and I love the dress mom chose to wear. We leaned into a simple palette of light blue and white for his studio portraits. I even got to pull out one of my favorite baskets for him to snuggle in!! Brooks was absolutely perfect. I’m so happy I had the chance to work with him. 

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Beautiful newborn portrait session in Saratoga Springs

I’m so happy to be sharing Baby Sahana’s newborn session with you today on the blog! This winter, I captured maternity portraits for Shreya and I was anxiously waiting until their baby girl was born so we could plan her studio newborn session. Shreya and her family are part of our Collective Membership, where you can receive 4 sessions over the course of an 18th month period, so we’ve been able to document some special moments for them already. As a reminder, we’re currently  booking membership clients for 2024! This is perfect for your family if you’re planning to do 2 or more sessions over an 18 month period (not just for baby’s first year clients, either!).

For Baby Sahana’s portraits, Shreya wanted a soft and light color palette. She was excited to incorporate my Moses basket, as it was similar to the one Ariya was in when they did her newborn portraits in South Carolina. I was more than happy to include it - creating imagery that connects your sessions is important to me. 

The other great part about these portraits was that Sahana’s grandmother was present. It was really special to be able to capture all three generations in portraits of the women in the family. You can tell she’s enamored with her granddaughters - and I think the feeling is definitely mutual. I hope that she’ll be able to hold onto and treasure these portraits for years to come. Including other family members, like grandparents, is a wonderful way to create truly meaningful portraits to display in your home! 

I am SO happy I got to meet Baby Sahana now that she’s made her entrance in the world. Her session was really special to me, and I hope that her family loves it as much as I do!

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Best of 2023 newborn sessions in Saratoga Springs

Newborn sessions are special for me. I’m always so honored to be invited into such a beautiful time in my clients' lives to celebrate the arrival of their new baby. Whether their sessions are at home or in my studio, every one of them is as unique as the family I’m capturing. 

For the 2023 year, I was extra lucky with the families who visited me. So many of my newborn clients this year were coming back to see me with their second or third baby, and I’ve been lucky enough to document all of their children’s milestones. It felt beyond special to be in the studio with families I adore and to be capturing yet another milestone for their family. 

In addition to our studio sessions, I absolutely adore our lifestyle sessions. Lifestyle newborn sessions are perfect for a relaxed peek into your lives at home. You get to spend your session cuddled up in the living room or all cozy on the bed together, or getting to know your new baby in the nursery that you so lovingly put together before their arrival. It’s a really unique moment and there’s nothing more beautiful than documenting a family at home. 

If a more traditional look is your style, newborn studio sessions are always a great time! They’re wonderfully stress-free - which is one of the best perks, in my opinion. So many families this year told me how much they enjoyed sitting in the studio and how relaxed it made them feel. My favorite memorable compliment was from a dad (who happens to live in my neighborhood!) that had been in the studio for about an hour or so, and between the flowing conversation, the white noise, the cozy temperature, and his sleep exhaustion from his first few weeks with a newborn, he said “I love your studio! It feels like we’re in Las Vegas and I completely lose track of time in here! I mean, what day is it?!?! Where are we?!?!” It was hilarious but also really spoke to me about the atmosphere we create for my families. 

I can’t wait to watch these little babies grow and invite them back into the studio in 2024 for their birthday sessions! Thank you to every family who trusted me to capture these special moments as they welcomed their littlest loves to the world. 

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Celebrating baby sister’s arrival with family portraits - saratoga springs newborn photographer

Welcome to the world, Ava Margaret! This sweet baby girl’s arrival was much-anticipated! Her mama went two weeks past her due date, and everyone was so excited when Ava finally arrived. I couldn't wait to meet her at their studio newborn portraits in my Saratoga Springs studio. This family is absolutely the sweetest and I loved every moment working with them. 

Ava was welcomed to the world by her big siblings, Adam and Ellie. I loved watching her big brother and sister with her! They were so gentle and nurturing, and their interactions were adorable. Plus they loved being involved in the session and even wanted to pose for their own individual portraits, too! I call that a definite win in my book - both as a photographer and mom of two littles of my own. 

For Ava’s portraits, we chose a beautiful neutral palette featuring ivory, tan, and some peach accents for her solo portraits at the end of the session. Most of our session was spent capturing this sweet girl with her parents and big siblings, but I loved being able to slowly transition down to her portraits. We focused on simple setups, with some cozy knit blankets and some of my favorite props to show off Ava’s adorable little features. 

Congratulations to this beautiful family! I’m so happy that your newest member has arrived and is so loved!!  

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Older Awake Newborn Photos With Lots of Smiles

I recently welcomed baby Kiran to my Saratoga Springs studio for his newborn portraits. This little guy was a month old when he and his parents came by, and we were able to enjoy lots of eye contact and adorable expressions during his session because he was a little bit bigger and more awake! I absolutely loved working with Kiran and his family to create their heirloom portraits celebrating his arrival to the world! 

For Kiran’s session, we incorporated lots of neutrals with white. I’m obsessed with their family portraits with everyone in white. They’re stunning! We included a few pops of soft sky blue and sage green, which coordinates nicely with his nursery and their decor at home. I always encourage families to think about where they want to display images when deciding on a theme or color palette. I know Kiran’s portraits are going to look perfect displayed at home! 

My favorite part of working with Kiran and his parents might be that we were able to create a special gallery wall in their home to feature their favorite portraits. I love knowing that they’re going to enjoy these images on their wall every single day as their little boy grows. That’s why I do what I do: I want you to remember these moments and be able to relieve them as time slips away. 

Kiran, thank you for being such a sweet boy for me in the studio! Your session brought me so many new favorite portraits and I hope you’ll always see how loved you truly are in these moments. 

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White & blue newborn portraits in our light and airy studio

One of the most special parts of my job as a newborn photographer is getting to welcome families’ brand new babies and seeing their first babies turn into big siblings. It’s always so magical to have those deja vu moments when looking at the new little siblings and seeing similarities to their big brother or sister’s portrait session from a few years earlier. That was definitely true with sweet Parker’s session. About 2.5 years ago, I did his big brother Ollie’s newborn portraits. I was definitely experiencing deja vu as I photographed Parker! 

For Parker’s newborn session, we chose a simple palette of white and blue to incorporate in his outfits and setups. I always aim to keep things simple and focused on the baby in our light and airy studio, so that your portraits always remain classic and timeless. Nothing crazy, always classic! Parker looked so sweet, all bundled up and was an angel - sleeping well for me throughout the session. Ollie especially loved when Parker was in my Moses basket and he could look at Parker and fawn over him. It was SO sweet to watch him be so excited for his little brother. I know these two are going to be great friends one day! 

While Parker did sleep for most of his session, we did get a few portraits near the end of him with his eyes open. As much as I love sleeping portraits, I always adore babies with their eyes wide open! They’re so precious. Congratulations to Ollie and his family for welcoming Baby Parker to the world. I can’t wait to watch him grow! 

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Classic newborn & family portraits in our saratoga springs portrait studio

Welcome to the neighborhood, Kiran! Another beautiful baby was born in our neighborhood this year. We’re now up to SIX babies born within the neighborhood in the last year. I love that these little ones are going to grow up together. This newborn session was also special to me because I photographed Kiran’s big brother’s newborn portraits in 2019, too.

I loved seeing Ravi as a big brother. He was soooo excited and 100% into cuddling up with Kiran and taking pictures of the two of them together. We got the cutest sibling portraits! Amy and Raj also loved watching their boys together. I had a wonderful time catching up and hearing how the adjustment from three to four has been going for this sweet family.

For Kiran’s newborn portraits, we chose a classic setup and color palette featuring white and ivory setups and blue accents. Kiran looked so sweet nestled into all of the blankets and wraps during our portraits. He’s so precious and I adored the chance to meet him in my studio! Congratulations to this sweet family. I can’t wait to watch Kiran (and Ravi!) grow up!

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Welcome Home, Alexander Pearce

Baby Alex’s newborn session at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio was extra special for quite a few reasons. This sweet boy is the newest member of our neighborhood, and our little baby crew of neighborhood babies born in the last 12 months is now up to SIX BABIES! But even more special was this sweet boy’s surprise arrival. His dads wished and waited for three long years before bringing their baby home, and when they finally got that magical phone call they hopped in the car and drove for hours to go meet their son for the first time. This perfect little baby is now part of the sweetest family and he is already so showered in love.

Tim and Jeremiah are so full of love for their little boy. I was overwhelmed, in the best way possible, while they were in the studio. Every newborn session is special, but when parents wait as long as Tim and Jeremiah have to meet their newest family member, I can’t help but get a little teary and feel grateful. I feel extra grateful to have met Alexander because I’ll get to see him grow up in our neighborhood, too. 

For Alex’s session, we chose to use neutral ivories and whites as well as some blue accents in his setups. Tim and Jerremiah wore blue to bring their family portraits all together, too. Looking back through these portraits with them was so fun because I could already see how these portraits would be displayed and loved in their home for years to come. 

Welcome to the neighborhood, Alex. I can’t wait to get to know you and watch you grow! Congratulations, Tim and Jeremiah. I am so, so happy for you and your beautiful family!! 

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Newborn Portraits with Blush Pink for Second Daughter

There’s nothing quite as special as watching one of my families grow. I photographed this sweet family and their first baby, Giuliana, in the studio when she was born. Now, Giuliana is a big sister to Gabriella. She and her family came back to my Saratoga Springs studio to capture newborn portraits for their second baby girl. It was so wonderful to see everyone again and celebrate their newest member! 

Throughout the session, we created a few nods back to Giuliana’s newborn portraits, include the portrait with her pink blanket and mom’s bracelet. It was really fun to create these images knowing that there was another set of them at home for Giuliana! Gabby was such a sweetheart for me throughout her whole session, too. She was happy to curl up and let her family snuggle her. 

Giuliana was AMAZING during her sister’s newborn session. She wanted to be involved in everything, and she kept coming close to me to “take pictures” with her wooden camera, check on her baby, and tuck her in with the blankets. Truly the sweetest! I am just so blessed that this is my job - and capturing those sweet moments is work for me. 

I can’t wait to see Gabby back in the studio in a few months for her milestone session! She’s going to be so big!! 

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Cozy winter newborn portraits for Anna Marie

Welcome to the world (and to the neighborhood!), Anna Marie! I’ve been waiting for this sweet girl to make her appearance since her mom’s maternity portraits. Lauren and Tim welcomed their first baby girl this winter (on their 20 year dating anniversary!!!) and I had the honor of capturing both Lauren’s maternity portraits and their cozy winter newborn portraits after she arrived. If you read their first blog, you know that Lauren and Tim are special to us because they’re our neighbors and moved from Boston last year. We’re so excited to be raising little girls together and I can’t wait to watch Anna Marie grow alongside Adelaide and Grayson!

For Anna Marie’s newborn portraits, we knew we wanted to showcase the winter season. With lots of cozy laters and knits, we were able to help bring the season into her portraits. It was so special watching Lauren and Tim curl up with their little girl in my home studio. Every newborn portrait session is special, but this one meant a little extra! We also wanted to incorporate Lauren’s gorgeous yoga pillow into their newborn portraits, too. I loved being able to photograph this vibrant pillow again - now with Anna Marie nestled in the middle. It was a wonderful way to connect the two sessions and bring everything full circle.

‌Lauren and Tim, welcome to parenthood! I’m so thankful to know you both and now, to know your little girl. We can’t wait to see what this next chapter brings for you three!

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Best of 2022 Newborn Sessions

What a year! 2022 marked my tenth year in business, and I am so incredibly grateful to every single family that trusts me to capture their most special moments and milestones for them. My son is in his second year of preschool, and one of the things that his teacher has told us parents multiple times is “Thank you for sharing your children with us.” I absolutely love the sentiment, and I feel the exact same way toward each of the families that I work with. SO, THANK YOU. Thank you for sharing your children with me, and thank you for allowing me the privilege of creating artwork that showcases your family’s story. This truly is a dream job, and it is such a joy working with so many lovely families and their babies.

Newborn sessions have always held a special place in my heart, and those tiny little babies with their sleepy yawns and soft, round cheeks are what drew me to become a portrait photographer in the first place.

We welcomed our second baby into our family this year, a baby girl named Adelaide. And as we introduced her to long-time family friends, it occurred to me that for some of them, it had been DECADES since they had last held a baby that small. It is not lost on me how special this job is that I get to do this every day for my job. It really is an honor to be able to hold these brand new babies week after week, curling them up into the sweetest poses and watching magic unfold when they are snuggling in their parents' arms.

Every January, I love sharing a roundup post of some of my favorite portraits from newborn sessions over the past year. I hope you enjoy these sweet little babies as much as I do! This year they will all be coming up on their first birthday, and I look forward to seeing them back in the studio for their first birthday cake smash!

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My favorite textured knits for winter baby portraits

Like all baby photographers, I love prop shopping and adding to my studio's collection. I have many favorite pieces in the studio that I use for nearly every newborn session, and these go-to items photograph beautifully and are well-loved. I always opt for classic neutrals that will match with everything, and I keep my colors in line with my style and the style/color palette that most of my clients use in their homes, too.

As the I get the studio ready for all of the winter newborns that will be coming to the studio for their first portrait session, I’ve been shopping for new knits for the studio. During the winter, I’m all about creating soft and cozy layers for your baby. We have a huge variety of hand-knit props from talented artists all around the globe. Wraps, layers, bonnets, sleepy caps, blankets, rompers, overalls, and so much more. They add such beautiful texture to your portraits, creating visual interest - and help keep your little one warm and cozy, too!

Everything you need for your baby’s first portraits, all in one place.

One advantage of going to a photographer who provides everything for you is that they already know what fabrics and colors will photograph best, and you don't ever have to worry about choosing something that is cute in person but doesn't look quite right in the finished portraits. I have everything you need in the studio for your little one's portrait session. Choose from outfits, headbands, wraps and swaddles, bump blankets, bonnets and hats to make your baby’s look complete! 

During winter sessions, I try to mix chunky knits with softer, finer woven knits, pairing similar colors for a monochromatic look, or using mostly whites with a pop of color. My goal is to make it easy to focus on your baby in your portraits and showcase just how tiny and perfect they are!

Some of the most popular colors for newborn portraits in our studio are:

white
cream
slate blue or navy blue
mint green or sage green
lavender
blush pink
gray or greige

As you can see, choosing the perfect outfit for your baby’s portraits can be easy and fun! Make sure to talk with your newborn or baby photographer to find out what they have on hand this winter for the perfect, cozy look for your little one!

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Welcome, Ivy Joy: Newborn Portraits at Four Weeks Old

Welcome to the world, Ivy Joy! It’s so special getting to meet babies after I’ve photographed their mom’s maternity portraits, like Ivy Joy. I photographed her mama’s maternity session this summer while they were anxiously waiting for her arrival. I loved getting to know Heather and Lee better during their maternity session, and I love that we pulled elements of the colors Heather wore into Ivy Joy’s newborn portraits, too. I’m all about creating cohesive images that will pair well together in your albums or on your walls!

For Ivy Joy’s session, she came to my Saratoga Springs studio. She was 4 weeks old, but so sweet and mellow. While she was awake, she had the best eye contact - and that’s one of my favorite things about older newborns. They’re always so sweet!! Ivy Joy was easy to pose and I loved capturing some of her new expressions. Photographing older newborns can come with it’s challenges, but I also love the ways you can capture their personality because they’re a bit bigger now.

Heather and Lee requested the sage green and mustard yellow in her setups - which was a great way to tie into Heather’s maternity portraits. I’m also obsessed with the dark navy setup with the stars. Ivy Joy looked so sweet on it! Come take a look at some of my favorite moments from their beautiful studio session.

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Classic Studio Newborn Portraits for Baby Ea

Say hello to Baby Ea! Ea’s portrait session was my last newborn session before going on maternity leave to welcome my own baby girl! Ea was the sweetest girl, wide awake for our entire session… but perfectly calm. With that attitude, every single portrait was just adorable and I’m so happy she was so relaxed in the studio. 

For her session, Ea’s parents didn’t have too many requests. We wanted to keep the timeless and classic feeling for each of her setups. One of my favorites was the teddy bear setup because I caught the cutest little smile! Baby Ea is definitely already stealing hearts!! She’s seriously so sweet. Her parents did want to include fresh flowers in her setups, and I personally loved how the purple setup came out with them. 

After their session, we had their ordering session! All of these gorgeous portraits were turned into an heirloom album and circular wooden wall art. I hope that one day Baby Ea flips through her own album of portraits, like my son does, and that they can all look back on these early days of her life with fondness and happiness! 

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Studio Newborn Portraits for Baby Mihira

Meet Baby Mihira! This sweet little girl and her family came to my studio recently for her newborn session. Mihira was 3.5 weeks when she came for her portraits, so she was more awake than many of my newborns. Because of that, we got some truly gorgeous eye contact that comes from her being a little bit older – it was perfect!! 

When we began planning Mihira’s portraits, we discussed a simple color palette that focused on neutrals and a lot of ivory. This meant that we could bring in pops of colors through our props, like peach peonies and a beautiful purple wrap. I love being able to take a simple setup and add a bit of variety with simple wraps, props, or other pops of color because we kept everything else straightforward. Mihira looked so sweet in each setup, too! 

One of the most special parts about Mihira’s portraits is that her extended family came for portraits, too. I was able to capture her with her parents, cousin, and grandparents. I absolutely love when families come for newborn portraits – what a great reason to get the family together and update your portraits all at once! Enjoy a peek into sweet Mihira’s newborn portraits – she’s seriously perfect!! 

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Why Most Newborn Portraits are of Sleeping Babies

Have you ever wondered why most newborn portraits are of sleeping babies? It's not just because photographers are pros at getting babies to sleep. There's actually a whole science and reasoning behind it!

When they babies are sleepy, they are:

-more relaxed

-easier to pose

-safer to pose

Sleeping babies make our job easier and safer. As you know, a baby’s safety is always my priority in the studio or at home, so any time we can allow baby to sleep during our portraits, everyone feels a bit better! (Of course, it’s okay if your little one doesn’t sleep, too!!).

Newborn babies tend to sleep more than they’re awake.

All babies are different, but most newborn babies are asleep more than they are awake -- even though sometimes it doesn't seem that way to new parents! Most often in those first few weeks, the only times they are awake are when they are eating or getting changed, and it's rare to have many moments when they are awake and relaxed at the same time. This means that in order to find those moments of peace for our session, we want baby will be asleep and therefore relaxed during our session!

Some poses just aren’t safe to do if baby isn’t sleeping.

The first priority in every newborn session is the baby's safety, and some poses are just not safe to do with a newborn while they are awake. For example, tummy poses are not safe for an awake baby because they can kick their legs and wiggle off the posing bed or prop. In other poses, the babies have their heads carefully balanced on their arms or hands, and even though this is done in a very safe manner to distribute their weight evenly and keep their bodies balanced, an awake baby is too wiggly to attempt this safely.

We work to create a relaxing atmosphere for your baby!

Since we want your baby to sleep (so they’re relaxed and even safer), newborn photographers work hard to get babies to relax during their session. That is why we crank up the heat in the studio, swaddle and rock the babies, use white noise, and use gentle repetitive motions such as patting and stroking to soothe them. Our goal is to get babies as relaxed as possible so that they will fall asleep and be easy and safe to pose for their portraits. Plus we are able to capture the most variety in images and poses while they are sleeping, too!

But what happens when a baby just won't sleep?

Honestly, this happens fairly often, so if your baby is one of those ones that just won't settle, don't stress! Usually it's a digestive issue. Some babies have upset tummies and they're trying to work out some gas or a BM. Others are affected by caffeine in breastmilk, or maybe a new formula just doesn't sit well in their tummies. Some had a stellar night's sleep last night and they're just not tired right now (but you know the second you leave they're going to drift off to dreamland!).

Newborn portraits are about photographing your baby!

No matter what happens (or doesn’t), we'll figure it out and work around it to capture beautiful portraits while you're in the studio. Typically newborn sessions last 2-3 hours, and most babies would struggle to stay awake for such a long period of time in those early weeks. We keep their tummies full and use all of the tricks to help them relax and stay happy. While they're awake, we swaddle them up and capture those big bright eyes and funny little expressions. I looooove photographing awake babies because they are so expressive, and those wide-eyed shots always make it onto the front of their birth announcement cards. Eventually they all fall asleep and they give in to the heat and the white noise, but some babies just take a little longer than others.

When should you schedule newborn portraits?

For the traditional posed newborn session, we usually schedule those for between 7-15 days old. The ideal time to reserve your newborn session is before the baby is born to ensure a spot on the calendar. After the two week mark babies are often much more alert and wiggly.

I love photographing older newborns, too, but the type of images we create in those sessions is more about interactions and expressions while they are relaxed and awake. Older newborn sessions are less posed and they are usually done with babies 4-8 weeks old.

Ready to get your session on the calendar?

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A Checklist of What to Bring to Your Newborn Session

Preparing for your newborn session shouldn’t be a stressful experience! One of the reasons I love offering in-studio newborn portraits at my Saratoga Springs studio is that I’m able to take care of so much for my families. I want their newborn session to be something joyful, low stress, and enjoyable. So today, I’ve put together a quick checklist of what you should bring to your newborn sessions! You might be surprised that it’s just a few items…

Here’s what to bring to your newborn session:

A zip-up sleeper. Dress your little one in a zip-up sleeper (no snaps) so that it is easy to undress them when you arrive.

Pacifiers… Avoid a wub-a-nub or any pacifier with a stuffed animal attached to it, and just bring a plain pacifier. I like the Soothies brand, the green ones that the hospital uses because they’re easy to use and won’t leave any marks around baby’s face as they’re using them!

Milk! Be prepared to nurse or feed a bottle during the session, and bring whatever you need to be comfortable.

Comfy clothes for mom & dad to change into after we finish family portraits. I recommend light layers because we keep the studio toasty for the baby, who is used to a constant 98 degrees inside of you!

Diapers. Most babies go through 2-3 diapers during their portrait session. Sometimes less, sometimes more. I keep newborn diapers in the studio that you are welcome to use, but it doesn't hurt to keep your diaper bag is well-stocked, too.

Patience. We work around the baby's mood and if they need breaks to eat, get changed, and be soothed, we take our sweet time and keep your little one comfortable. Some babies calm more easily than others, and some babies need a little extra time and attention to settle into the poses. Eventually all babies give in to the white noise, the shushing, the heat, and the power of a good swaddle, and I guarantee you that we will capture the most beautiful portraits of your little one even if they need a little longer to feel comfortable. Be patient and just remember that your baby is in good hands!

That’s it - that’s all you need to bring to your newborn session. I have everything else on site that you might need including both a baby and mama wardrobe, carefully chosen props and setup pieces, and even spaces for families to rest during our portraits. Being a new parent can be hard, but having a successful newborn session is easy!

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The Best Age for Newborn Portraits

As new parents begin to plan for their newborn portraits, one of the questions I’m most often asked is when they should book their newborn session. Today, I wanted to talk about how old your baby should be for our portraits, why I always say “yes” to older babies, and when in your pregnancy we should book your session to make sure you’re on the calendar.

What age is best for newborn portraits?

Most of my newborns are photographed in the first 2-3 weeks of their life. I prefer to wait until they are at least 7 days old to schedule their portrait session. By then their tummies are bigger and they can hold more milk, which means they are more easily settled for longer periods of time (and easier to pose!). This also gives parents a little time to adjust to their new (sleepless) routine and feel a tiny bit less like zombies by the time they get to the studio.

Older Newborn Portraits

Unlike other photographers, I'll never turn away an "older newborn," and I actually love working with babies in the studio that are 3, 4, 5+ weeks old. I've even captured newborn portraits for babies that are 2.5 and 3 months old, still swaddling them up and capturing those sweet baby details from the early stages of their life. Older newborns may not settle as easily into certain poses as they become less flexible and their bones start to harden, but we can still safely wrap and pose them for their portrait session.

When should you book your newborn portraits?

The most important thing is to reserve your newborn session IN THE SECOND TRIMESTER to ensure that your photographer has room on their schedule for your family. I mark each family's due date and save a certain amount of flexibility in the weeks surrounding the due date so that we can schedule the session once the baby arrives. I take on a limited number of newborn clients each month to give each family the attention and flexibility they deserve with their little one's arrival.

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