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.

I had the pleasure of kicking off my Memorial Day weekend photographing this beautiful family, who recently welcomed baby number three into their family. Big brother and sister are active toddlers, both under the age of four, so mom wanted an in home session. The in home newborn session is perfect for any family; however, for families who have active young children, having baby photographed in the comfort of the client’s home will alleviate much of the pressure and stress of this type of session and will also help facilitate more natural and organic images.

Newborn sessions tend to take a long time to photograph, especially with larger families. Even though my studio is equipped to handle families with children, I find that when toddlers are in their own home, they tend to be more relaxed. When I photograph in the client’s home, I can give the children numerous breaks throughout the session. I do this in my studio too, but in a home, they can truly step away from the photographs, which provides them with the opportunity to recharge. Most of the time, they go to another room and either have a snack or play a game. When they return from their break, they are ready to smile for the camera.

I recently photographed a beautiful baby boy in my Long Beach studio for his newborn photos. This little man happens to share the same birth date as my eldest daughter. Now, I know some people fear that the holidays can overshadow December birthdays, but as a parent of a child born in this special month, I actually think it just enhances the festive spirit of the birthday celebrations. When mom booked the session, I knew I had to incorporate something to commemorate Christmas. I found an adorable handmade knit Santa suit to use and I just love the sweet images I captured of him seeping in the suit.

My approach to newborn photography is a bit different than other photographers. As opposed to photographing baby in an array of props and outfits, I center my sessions around the family and their interaction with baby. I do this because I know that years from now when baby is grown, you are going to want images that capture those first few moments with him. I know sometimes as moms, we don't feel our best right after delivery and would rather not be in photos, but years from now you will be so grateful to have photos that document those precious first moments with your baby.

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.    

I have been photographing more family newborn sessions in my studio lately.  I love that so many families are opting for the family session because I believe it is so important to get in the frame with your newborn. I know sometimes as moms we don't feel our best right after delivery and would rather not be in photos, but you will want photos that document those precious first moments with your baby because they are gone in the blink of an eye. Besides, new moms are always gorgeous and always seem to be glowing.  

Since launching the studio segment of my business last year, I have had the honor to work with many families and their newborn .  I always feel so privileged to be able to document those first moments for them. What many of my clients have told me about the studio is that they love that they were able to capture connected lifestyle inspired images with their baby as well as polished portraits.  I am thrilled that I can offer my clients such diversity in their galleries.

When I was pregnant with both of my girls, I had to find out the gender before they arrived. I am a planner by nature and the thought of waiting nine months to discover the gender of my baby always seemed daunting to me. In retrospect, I wish I had the patience to wait it out. Although I will not be having any more babies, I am able to share in the excitement of my clients, most of whom are patient and discover the sex of their baby at birth. 

It is always wonderful to see my maternity clients return for their newborn sessions.  What makes it even better is when those clients are local Long Beach residents. I know how busy new moms are and I am pleased to be able to offer the convenience of studio newborn sessions for them.  The session lasts 2-3 hours during which time I pose baby comfortably and gently into natural poses. 

I have been busy in March and April photographing expanding families and their newborns. It has been great getting to know each family and I am always honored to capture these moments for them.  I am so very happy that most of my clients are opting for family newborn sessions. I feel it is so important that in addition to portraits of your baby, you capture those sweet moments that encapsulate the first few days home with him.  

When potential clients contact me about newborn sessions, I always recommend scheduling a family newborn session. This type of session allows the client to get a blend of posed portraiture, as well as some lifestyle images of the family interacting with the baby.  Many clients want to schedule in home family newborn sessions, but fear their home is too dark or does not have the "look" they want for their baby's first photos. Other clients have told me that they prefer the "polished" look and brighter aesthetic that a studio session provides.  

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.  

I am always honored when clients hire me to photograph their newborns. There is no time in life that is quite as precious as those first few days home with a baby. It is even more of a privilege  when I am asked to photograph my clients in their own homes. Lifestyle newborn sessions are the best way to ensure that the photos of your baby are unique, personal, and authentic. There is something about the way families interact with one another in the comfort of their own home that allows me to capture the emotions of that special time.

My first newborn session of 2018 was with this sweet baby boy, who was born just a few days after the New Year and promptly on his due date.  Baby P was wide awake for most of his session, which is always fine with me. I love images in which baby is awake and alert. Because my approach to studio baby photography is a soft and natural look, it is not a problem if the infant is awake; in fact, I tend to prefer those alert images because they always seem more authentic to me. 

My last session of 2017 was a newborn session that took place right here in my Long Beach studio.  It was a brutally cold day on the day of Miss K's session, but thankfully my newly installed radiant heating system really helps to keep the newborns cozy and comfortable during the session.  It is so important that babies feel comfortable during a session and I use a variety of methods to ensure their comfort such as white noise, rocking, swaddling, and various other techniques.  The length of a studio session varies based on how well the baby falls asleep and how she transitions between poses.

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 

Clean Look for Classic Mom and Baby Portraits

Because my goal is to focus on the simple beauty of the newborn baby, as well as the love between family and child, it just makes sense to utilize a neutral color palette.  These colors utilized for the background of the newborn sessions' all me to place an emphasis on that beautiful simplicity of those first few moments with baby.  The scheme also enhances that gorgeous maternal glow that every new mom seems to radiate.  These recent images taken in the studio show exactly why I love the neutral palette so much. 

Introducing the Simple Family Newborn Session! This session is perfect for all of those moms who want the in home look of newborn photos, but prefer to schedule their session in a studio. The second type of studio session is the Simple Family Newborn Session.

So now, Mom can escape and relax in the comfort of my beautiful studio space while I photograph her and her family interacting with baby. 

There is nothing more perfect and beautiful than a newborn baby.  So, I like to keep things simple during my studio sessions and focus on that natural beauty of the newborn.  To accomplish a natural look, I photograph on neutral backgrounds and instead of forcing babies into awkward or unnatural poses, the baby is guided and positioned into poses that are natural, safe, comfortable and free of props.   If the baby does not want to be in a particular pose or position, I do not force the baby.  Ultimately, I want to create classic images of your child that will stand the test of time.