Welcoming a new baby is a huge adjustment. It’s beautiful, exciting, exhausting, wonderful—and sometimes all of those things at the exact same time.
So when you’re thinking about newborn photos, the last thing I want you to feel is like you have to prepare yourself, your baby or your home to perform for the camera.
You don’t.
My newborn sessions are very similar to the way I photograph families: I let your baby lead.
Of course, I have ideas in mind for the photographs we can create, but I don’t force the timing. Babies have their own schedules, and our session has room for that.
How long does a newborn photography session take?
My newborn sessions generally take about 1.5 hours.
That might sound like a long time for taking photographs, but we’re not photographing for 90 minutes straight.
Newborns need things.
They need to eat. They need diaper changes. They need to be held. They might need to be comforted. They might fall asleep and wake up again. They might decide they are completely done with whatever we were doing.
I expect all of this.
We will take breaks throughout the session as your baby needs them.
There is no need to apologize or feel like we’re “losing time” when your baby needs you. Those breaks are part of the session.
When should you schedule newborn photos?
Newborn photos can technically be done anytime.
The “best” time really depends on what you want your photographs to look and feel like.
If you want those super-fresh, sleepy newborn photographs, the first two weeks are generally a great time to schedule your session. Babies change incredibly quickly, and this is often when they are sleepier.
But maybe you don’t want that.
Maybe you’d rather photograph your baby when they’re a little more alert and awake, starting to look around and interact with you.
That’s completely okay, too.
So instead of worrying about finding the one perfect date, ask yourself:
Do I want a sleepy, super-fresh newborn, or would I rather have a more alert and awake baby?
That answer can help guide your timing.
How many outfits should you pick out?
Please don’t feel like you need to buy an entire collection of adorable newborn outfits for your session.
I recommend choosing one to three outfits, with three being plenty.
And honestly? Your baby may have other plans.
Most babies aren’t particularly interested in having their clothes changed over and over again, and I don’t want you stressing yourself out trying to get every outfit you picked into the photographs.
If changing outfits is making your baby unhappy, we’ll move on.
Your baby’s comfort matters more than checking every outfit off your list.
What should mom wear for newborn photos?
Wear something you feel comfortable and good in.
I know this can be a hard one.
After having a baby, you may not feel quite like yourself yet. Your body has changed. You’re tired. You might not love the idea of being photographed right now.
I remember feeling that way myself.
But I also know how much these photographs can mean years later.
So don’t worry about finding the “perfect” outfit.
Choose something that feels like you and that you can comfortably move in and cuddle your baby.
A robe, a simple dress, coordinating or matching pajamas can all be beautiful.
You don’t have to dress up for your newborn photos to be meaningful.
What if I'm not sure which room to use?
What if we have older children?
This is one of the biggest things I want parents to know:
Come in with no expectations.
You don’t need to tell your older child that they have to smile, sit still, or hold their new sibling perfectly.
Welcoming a new baby into the family is a huge adjustment.
Of course it’s an amazing and exciting one, but that doesn’t mean every feeling an older sibling has about it will be happy and enthusiastic.
They might be completely in love with their new sibling.
They might be curious.
They might want to be involved in everything.
They might want absolutely nothing to do with the baby.
They might feel all of those things in the same afternoon.
That’s okay. And it’s expected.
I don’t want your older children to feel like they have to perform their excitement for photographs.
We’ll give them space to be themselves, and we’ll work with whatever the day brings.
Your baby doesn't have to cooperate
This might be the most important thing I want you to know before your newborn session.
Your baby doesn’t have to cooperate perfectly.
They don’t have to sleep the whole time.
They don’t have to stay in one position.
They don’t have to make it through every outfit.
They don’t have to be happy every second.
They just need to be your baby.
I will bring ideas and experience to the session, but I won’t force a moment that your baby isn’t ready for.
We’ll feed when they need to eat.
We’ll change them when they need changing.
We’ll stop for cuddles.
We’ll take a break when they need one.
And then we’ll keep going when they’re ready.
Your newborn session doesn't have to be perfect
There is already so much pressure surrounding those first few weeks with a new baby.
I don’t want newborn photographs to add to that.
I want your session to feel like a pause in the middle of those early days—a chance to slow down and remember your baby exactly as they were in this season of your life.
Tiny fingers.
Sleepy stretches.
The way they fit against your chest.
Their little expressions.
The way an older sibling looks at them.
The cuddles, the chaos, the feeding breaks, and all the little things that make those first weeks uniquely yours.
You don’t have to make the session perfect.
You just have to show up with your baby.
I’ll take care of the rest.
