I have been a newborn, children’s and family photographer for ten years now. In that decade, I have had the honor of photographing countless families with their newborn babies. Although I have a beautiful studio located in Long Beach, NY, most of these newborn sessions have been scheduled right in the comfort of my client’s homes.

If you are reading this, you have likely just given birth to your baby and are considering a newborn session. Congrats to you and your family. This is such a special time in life and one that deserves to be properly documented. I wanted to take a moment to put together a prep guide for my clients and anyone else who is considering an in home newborn session.

There are a multitude of reasons why I am passionate about documenting newborns and their families in their homes here on Long Island. I know that I have spoken about this topic before on the blog, but I wanted to take a moment to shed some light on this topic for those of you who are unsure about whether or not an in home session is for you.

I have been photographing this family for five years now and it is always a joy to see them. I’m so excited that I got to capture their newest addition to the family. It truly is always an honor to document the growth of my clients’ families over the years. I love this session so much and I wanted to use it as an opportunity to blog about how to prepare for an in home newborn session.

A really common question I get asked is, “Can I have newborn photos taken if my baby is over two weeks?” With easy access to the Internet these days, it’s not hard to find recommendations that the “ideal” time for a newborn session is around 5-14 days after birth. While this is true to some extent, don’t feel like you missed the boat if you didn’t manage to schedule your baby’s first photos within that timeframe.

In home newborn lifestyle sessions are perfect for any family. These sessions allow a photographer the opportunity to capture a real and intimate look at your family during this precious time. Lifestyle photography captures those first snuggles, the itty bitty baby bits, and all the emotion and love of that special and fleeting time in your life. Having these images is priceless, as it will allow you to relive these special moments each and every time you look at the images.

I am sure you have heard many times that newborn sessions must be scheduled within 7-14 days of birth. This may be true for some, but not every baby has to be photographed in that rigid time frame. There are different types of newborn photography and they all have different guidelines. Today, I am going to break down some of those differences.

Most of the clients who book me for newborn photos are looking for images that are not heavily propped and focused on the family. I get a lot of inquiries from clients who are torn between an in home session and a studio session. Both of these are great options that allow me to capture family centered newborn images. The one to choose is really a personal choice and based on certain variables. I always do a pre session consult with my clients and during this consult I can help them to determine the session that is best suited for their family.

Although most people schedule a baby’s first photo session shortly after birth, this is not the only time one can schedule a newborn photo session. You can schedule a photo session of your new baby whenever you feel most comfortable doing so. If you are open to a more relaxed approach to newborn photos, you can schedule a session at any point within those first six months.

I had a jam packed Fall season with holiday sessions, family sessions and newborn sessions. It is hard to believe that it is December and we are approaching the end of 2021. The new year is a time for reflection and changes and I have decided to make a few minor changes to my business model. The first of which is with my newborn segment of my business. As of January 1st, I will no longer be offering studio newborn sessions and will focus only on in home sessions.

As a dog owner, I understand how important it is to have your fur baby participate in your newborn photos. While my studio isn’t conducive to sessions with pets, an in home newborn session is perfect for those families who want to make sure that their pet is included. You, your children and your pet can be photographed in the comfort of your own home and have beautiful and timeless images of this special moment in life.

Although I photograph families in my studio often and love the look of these sessions, I equally love when I photograph newborns in their own homes. I find that with families with young toddlers, this is the least stressful way to have photographs of your baby taken. This allows you to be I the comfort of your own home, provides ample opportunities to give the big brother/sister breaks and also allows you to feel at ease and relaxed during the session. Plus, there is nothing quite like being at home and having your own unique home decor serve as the backdrop for your photos.

We are now almost through the second week of the quarantine in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. While we all want to do our part to flatten the curve, this time can be stressful and anxiety producing. Like most of you, I have felt a wide array of feelings over the last two weeks, including fear, anxiety and anger. The first few days of this situation awakened anxiety in me that I have not felt in many years. Thankfully, a conversation with my seven year old daughter changed my entire viewpoint.

At bedtime this past weekend, I asked my oldest how she was feeling in response to the stay in. She happily exclaimed, “I love it!” That night, I reflected on how our past week was going. My daughter is prone to explosive tantrums and meltdowns and in the last two weeks, she has experienced barely any. She is happy and does nothing but laugh and sing all day. When I asked her why she was so happy, she said simply, “because I am home with mommy.” It is that simple for a child and the moment truly put things in perspective for me.

When my client first contacted me she said she was looking for a newborn session with a focus on mostly natural images. Because she already had a toddler, she wanted to schedule the session in the comfort of her own home. I knew right away that she was the right client for me because the goal of my newborn sessions is to always capture phots that appear natural and organic. I was thrilled when she decided to book the in home session.

On the day of the session, when I first arrived to her beautiful home, I was thrilled to see the abundance of natural light she had available. This allowed me to capture images in numerous locations of her home. I like to do this because it makes each session unique and personal. I especially love to photograph families in the baby’s nursery, living room, and master bedroom. All of these locations are areas in which you spend the most time as a family, so it is important to document them. Although most of what I focus on during this type of session is the family interacting with baby, I do make sure to capture some polished portraits of baby during my newborn sessions, whether it be in the studio or in the home. These are perfect for hanging on walls, gifting to family members and using for birth announcements.

I absolutely love in home lifestyle newborn sessions. These sessions are the most natural and organic way to capture those first moments with your baby. I capture you and your family interacting with baby, but I also make sure I get a few polished portraits of baby for you to use for birth announcements and to hang on your walls. I have found that most families really appreciate and value those images of them with baby so much more than the posed mages I provide.

I often get asked by clients, what can I do to prepare for this session and what can I expect? So, I decided to write a blog post in which I will answer those questions.

Did you know that you schedule a session for family portraits right in your own home? My style of photography is not really about the location, but rather, centered on capturing you having fun with your children. Your home is the perfect location because your children will feel at ease, you don’t have to waste time traveling and it allows me to capture your family authentically.

I was elated when this mom contacted me and said she wanted to schedule a lifestyle session in her Garden City home. The goal of her session was to capture her family playing in the yard in which they spend much of their time. These types of moments are exactly what I like to capture for families.

When my client first contacted me a few months ago, she was uncertain as to whether she wanted to book a studio session or an in home session. Last minute, she decided to go with the in home session and, of course, I was thrilled to be able to document her first moments home with her baby in the comfort of her gorgeous Babylon home.

The in home session is the most natural of all of the newborn sessions I offer. It is the perfect session for new moms because I come to you and it alleviates the stress of getting out of the house with a newborn. Furthermore, most clients feel more like themselves and at ease in the comfort of their own home, thus allowing me to capture the most natural images possible.

Many times when clients first contact me about photographing their new baby, they are uncertain whether they want to book a studio session or an in home session. I offer both options and I love both types of sessions for different reasons.  

The in home session is the most natural of all of the newborn sessions I offer.  It takes place in your home and because every client's home is unique, the images will encapsulate their individual style and personality. When lighting allows, I try to incorporate the master bedroom, living room, and even the nursery for the photos of your baby. As moms, we work hard to create a beautiful home for our family and homes make the most unique and beautiful backdrops for newborn images.    

The morning after the recent nor'easter snow storm that dumped 8 inches of snow in areas across Long Island, was warm and mild. I woke up early that day in anticipation of an arduous journey through snow covered streets to capture a beautiful family who recently welcomed a baby boy into their home. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped outside to see that most of the mounds of snow had already begun to melt and the day felt more like Spring than Winter. In fact, it was the absolute perfect day to travel to this Massapequa home for a cozy and connected family newborn session.  

When I launched the newborn segment of my business two years ago, I gravitated towards the lifestyle genre of photography. I wanted to make the process of newborn images stress free for my clients.  My goal was to capture images for them that preserve all of those emotions that come along with bringing a baby home.   

5 Reasons why you should book an in home newborn session