My First Session of 2021 | Modern Studio Newborn Photography

The holidays have come and gone and, thankfully, so has 2020. Like most of you, I eagerly anticipated the arrival of 2021 and the positive changes it would bring about. I have been busy since the start of the year making some changes to my business. For example, I have been working with a graphic designer to redesign and revamp my website. I have been taking some professional development courses to improve my craft. I also have been busy making some aesthetic changes to my studio and adding some sets to the Spring lineup. However, the best thing to happen thus far is the arrival of my nephew, who was born on January 6th. I was thrilled to finally meet and photograph him in my studio last week.

I photographed my brother and his family one year ago for his daughter’s newborn session. Yes, that is right, these cuties are one year and ten days apart. When photographing families with children in this age range, I always make sure to work swiftly. So, this means I start my sessions with sibling photos and family photos. Of course, every child is different. For example, some children need some time to warm up, while others tend to be most cooperative in those first few minutes. I really base the session on the child’s needs and work accordingly. My niece happens to be a super happy and cooperative baby, so we were able to capture sibling photos, family photos and even a few solo photos of her with out a hitch.

I used my new Spring set as the backdrop for the family portion of the session. It has a subtle boho vibe with an ornate wood wall hanging and lots of lush greens and textured props to add dimension. It looks beautiful as a headboard and although I had intended to use it for my Spring mini sessions, it will be a new staple in my studio family newborn sessions.

Baby N was about two and a half weeks old at the time of this session. I know most people think this is too late to schedule a newborn session, but it is not. My studio sessions are focused on family interaction. This means that the baby can be awake for the majority of the session. Typically, by the time we are done with the family photos, the baby tends to fall asleep on his own, which is the perfect moment to take those posed portraits of the baby. Once we are done with all of the family photos, parents feed the baby and the baby tends to fall right to sleep. If the baby needs some coaxing, it is not a problem at all. I never want my clients to feel rushed or pressured to get baby to fall asleep and I always have some tricks up my sleep to help the baby to sleep. Scheduling a newborn session at the two to three week mark is a relief for most parents. Let’s face it…those first few days home with a new baby can be overwhelming and busy; most parents are exhausted. It is nice to know that it is not necessary to rush off to a photoshoot just a few days after welcoming baby.

Once baby N fell asleep, we moved on to the posed portion of the session. Because he was born so close to the holidays, I wanted to create a set that was a subtle nod to the holidays and winter themed. I opted to use an adorable knit snowman outfit, holiday greens and a snow backdrop for his photos. I just love how bright and festive the images look. Because he remained asleep during these photos, I was able to sneak in a second setup, which was my traditional dark wood plank set, with a neutral toned felt jumper. It is a classic and timeless look and one of my favorites.

Here are a few of my favorite images from the day.

If you are interested in a newborn session, contact me.