If you’re searching for a Jacksonville newborn photographer and hoping to include your dog or family pet in your newborn photos, an in-home lifestyle session is often the perfect fit. Pets are such an important part of the family long before a new baby arrives, and for many couples, bringing home their first child also means watching their dog step into a completely new role alongside them.

The first few weeks after bringing home a new baby can feel beautiful, emotional, exhausting, and overwhelming all at once. Between recovery, feeding schedules, sleepless nights, and adjusting to a completely new rhythm as a family, the thought of packing everyone up and leaving the house for photos can sometimes feel like more stress than excitement.

One of the biggest worries families have before an in-home newborn session is whether their home is “photo ready” enough. Parents often apologize for unfinished nurseries, smaller rooms, cluttered countertops, or homes that simply feel lived in during those early newborn weeks. The truth is, your home does not need to look perfect for beautiful newborn photos to happen.

When most people think about scheduling family photos, they immediately picture the beach, a park, or another popular outdoor location. While those places can absolutely be beautiful, there is something incredibly meaningful about photographing your family right at home.

Preparing for an in home newborn session is very different from planning outfits for a traditional portrait session. Your goal is not trying to match perfectly or dress up for a formal photo; but rather, the goal is to create images that feel like your real life during these first weeks at home.

Welcoming a new baby into your home is one of life’s most beautiful moments — and capturing it shouldn’t feel staged.

That’s why I offer prop-free, in-home newborn sessions that focus on real connection, natural light, and the tender little details that make this season so fleeting and special.

Those first few weeks home with your new baby can be stressful and overwhelming. Although you are on cloud nine, there is a lot for new moms to think about and worry about. A newborn photo session should not be one of those things. It is possible to have a relaxed and stress free baby photo session. The way to do so is by scheduling the session in the comfort of your own home.

If you’re expecting a baby and searching for a more relaxed approach to newborn photos in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, or St. Augustine, an in-home newborn session may be exactly what you’re looking for. The early days of bringing home a new baby can feel beautiful, exhausting, emotional, and overwhelming all at once, and the thought of packing everyone up for a photo session often feels like one more thing to manage.

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.

Bringing home a new baby is already a huge adjustment for the entire family, especially for older siblings who are still learning what this new season of life looks like. One of the biggest concerns parents often have before a newborn session is how their toddler or older child will behave during the photos. The truth is, newborn sessions with siblings are rarely perfectly quiet or perfectly posed — and they are not meant to be.

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.

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.

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.