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What to Expect-Lifestyle Studio Newborn Session

January 13, 2021

close up of newborn baby posed

Leading up to your studio lifestyle newborn session

Congratulations on your little one on the way! Since baby will be arriving soon, here is a little more information on how to best prepare for your in-studio lifestyle newborn photography session.

You and your photographer have most likely blocked out an estimated date for your session but your exact date and time will be confirmed once baby arrives. Once you have had some time to settle in with your new growing family, you can connect with your photographer to set up your session date. Since the ideal time to take lifestyle newborn photos is at 5-21 days, it is best to get in touch as soon as possible. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a session up to 1 month after baby arrives! My style is more focused on family and connection, so the time frame is a little more flexible 🙂 Your little one will just be more alert for their session, which can beautiful also!

The day of your in-studio newborn photography session:

Your newborn session will be start anywhere between 10am and 1pm. My sessions last about 1.5-2 hours in length. This allows for normal interruptions such as feeding and changes.

In order for your lifestyle studio newborn session to be as successful as possible, here are a few tips to follow. On day of your session, try to keep your newborn awake for 1-2 hours before the session. This is an important step in order to get those sleepy, individual images of your baby. If you have to travel to your session, one parent may want to sit and play with your little one on the drive over. This isn’t always possible.

To prepare your baby for the session, I suggest a little bit of play time, a bath, and then dressing your little one loosely in a onesie or a swaddle. If you live close by, try to feed them right before you leave. If you are traveling, you may want to wait and feed them in the studio when you arrive. A full baby is a happy (and hopefully sleepy) baby! This may also be a great time to do breastfeeding shots if you are up for them. The end of the session may also be a good time as you may be more comfortable with me and the camera by then.

What to wear for your session

One of the perks of a lifestyle studio newborn session is the wardrobe! I know that this is the last thing you want to think about with a newborn at home, so I provide a women’s client closet full of beautiful flowy dresses that are available for all clients to use. I also provide many neutral newborn items. This includes knitwear, cute onesies, and wraps, blankets, onesies, bonnets, and simple headbands for your newborn. If you have other children, I do have a collection of toddler clothing for ages 0-5 available for client use.

In order to have the best results possible, there are a few things I suggest for the day of the session. Firstly, wear loose fitting clothing and remove things such as elastic bands from your wrist to avoid lines. Secondly, undergarments are more important than you think. I suggest skin-toned undergarments so that they do not show through lighter coloured clothing. I also suggest strapless bras or bras that can have the straps tucked in order to avoid them showing up in your images. If you are drawn to lower cut dresses, no bra with nursing pads works well too. I always suggest clients bring nursing pads to avoid any milk leaks 🙂

If you choose to wear your own clothing, your outfits should be whatever you feel the most comfortable in. Whether you feel best in tights and a t-shirt, or a long flowy dress, choose what works for you. When planning your family’s outfits, I suggest that Mom chooses her outfit and then bases the other’s off of that. Your outfits should ‘go together’ but not ‘match’. For Dad, a basic white or other neutral t-shirt works great. I suggest lighter colours if possible as black can be a harsh contrast.

Colours and patterns

Neutrals and deeper tones photograph the best. I lean towards lighter neutrals as I feel that they allow the focus to be on baby and create a romantic, warm image. If you are drawn to warmer images, avoid colours such as blue and black as this creates a cool toned look to images. Don’t be afraid to mix in patterns and textures such as lace. It is best to avoid clothing with logos, large patterns, pictures, or sayings on them as they can be distracting.

What to bring to your newborn session

I really want this to be a positive experience for you and your family. Be sure to bring snacks and water for you and your family members to keep everyone comfortable and happy. You may also want to dress in layers as the studio will be kept quite warm for your little one. If you have other children, you may want to bring some toys for their entertainment. Other than that, just bring yourself and anything that is essential to care for your newborn such as wipes and diapers. If your little one uses a pacifier, please bring it as it can be very helpful in settling your baby for those sleepy images.

What to expect the day of your lifestyle studio newborn session

When you arrive, I will give you time to settle in. You can feed your little one and change into any client closet outfits that you wish to use. I allow your newborn to guide the session flow. If they are nice and sleepy when we begin, I will begin with individual and more posed photos. When toddlers are involved, I also try to get their photos done earlier in the session as they will lose interest as time goes on.

Although moms and dads are fully involved in the session, I will take on much of the baby wrapping and soothing. I generally follow baby’s lead and do what works best for them. My style of posing is baby-led and natural. If a pose is not working for your little one, we will move along. I never force poses. Expect to be at your session for about 1.5-2 hours.

If you need some inspiration, you can check out other newborn sessions in my portfolio!

Let’s get in touch!

 Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions, or want to learn a little more about lifestyle newborn photography!

You can email me at: info@angela-k-photography.ca

or you can contact me via my website here!

You can also check out more styling tips here!

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