I get a lot of questions about what a newborn session with me is like. “What do I need to do to prepare my home?” “What should we wear?” “How long will it take?” “What kind of pictures can I expect to see in my gallery?” “Will I still get posed shots of the baby?” Today, I’m going to answer all of the most common questions I receive, and give you a sneak peek into a few of my favorite lifestyle newborn sessions I’ve done.

What do I need to do to prepare my home?

That’s one of the most common questions that my clients ask me. The answer is NOTHING! Isn’t that amazing? I will come to your house and I will scope out the rooms with the best light. I may move a few things around to ensure I get the best shot possible, but that is nothing that my clients need to worry about. Your home is perfect just as it is. Just let me in, and allow me capture these sweet, once-in-a-lifetime memories.

What should I wear?

I always suggest that Mom picks her outfit first, and then finds complementing choices for the remainder of the family. It is so important that Mom feels good about herself and the outfit she's chosen. During lifestyle sessions, I mostly keep the baby in a swaddle blanket, so having those on hand is a good idea. (I always bring some as well.) Regarding color, I suggest selecting mainly neutral colors for in-home newborn sessions. Think cream, beige, off-white and grey.

mom kissing her newborn baby boy during lifestyle newborn photography session

How long will the session take?

I don't set a time limit to my lifestyle newborn sessions; however, they generally take around two and a half hours. Newborn babies need breaks for eating, diaper changes, etc., and I factor that into my schedule. If I am taking photos of a newborn, it will be the only session on my calendar for the entire day. That way, no one will feel rushed and we will take all the time we need to ensure I get enough photographs to deliver a beautiful and diverse gallery.

baby boy yawning in crib | Costa Rica Lifestyle Newborn Photographer

What types of images can I expect to see in my gallery?

There are many reasons why I love lifestyle photography, but one of my favorite things about this approach with newborns is that the final galleries tend to be extremely full and diverse! Every session is different; however, here are a few of the types of shots that are frequently delivered.

Lifestyle galleries always include shots of mom and the newborn, dad and the baby, newborn with parents and of course the new baby alone.

mom holding newborn baby girl over her shoulder during in home lifestyle newborn photography

If there is a big brother and/or big sister in the family, of course we will capture the siblings together as well.

Oh, and if you have a fur child, I'm always happy to incorporate them too!

I will document the baby's nursery that parents always work so hard on! I'm also going to document all the details that won't last long but want to forget -- like how their small hands fit perfectly around your finger and their flaky newborn baby skin.

cute little boy's nursery and baby boy holding dad's hand

A common theme with a lifestyle approach is that the images are not posed. I will guide my clients in beautiful light and simply capture connections as they are happening.

Will I still get posed shots of the baby?

I do not bring props to any of my sessions; however, I always take shots of the new baby alone in his/her natural atmosphere. So while you will not receive any images of your baby in a bucket, you will receive plenty of frame-worthy images of your newborn looking like the sweet newborn he/she is.