What to expect for a Newborn in-home photo Session

Benefits of an in-home newborn photography session

There are many advantages to having baby photos at home with a professional photographer. The main reason is you get to be in the photos! I took so many baby photos of my kids and I wasn't in very many, which I regret now. Having a newborn baby is a time to celebrate this new life in your home. It's overwhelming with all the stress of taking care of a newborn but they are only tiny once. All too soon that baby will be sitting, crawling, walking, and talking. I'm a mom of 4 and my babies are now 16, 19, 21, and 22. You will want beautiful photos on your walls of your family with your new baby. Babies and kids change so much but a photography will freeze that moment for you to relive the memory.

When to schedule a newborn photo session

Most of the time moms will have their baby's photos taken 1 week to 3 weeks after their delivery. You can schedule your photo session for about 2 weeks after your due date. I have more openings during the day and am flexible with the exact timing if your baby comes early or late. But it's good to talk to me about your plans and we can pick a day for your photos.

You really can have baby pictures taken any time. Maybe you had a hard delivery and want to wait 2 months. That works too. The baby might be smiling. It's always a good time to have newborn photos taken.

The photographer comes to you

After having a baby I didn't want to go out anywhere, especially in the Utah cold winters. I had my first baby in January. RSV and colds were everywhere and the doctor said to keep him indoors a while. When I take newborn photos I wear a mask, wash my hands. Safety is the most important thing to me. I do natural posing for a baby and do not use extra props. I like to take photos of the baby in a diaper or onesie and swaddled. Remember to keep the room warm enough (75 degrees). Usually the baby has times she is awake and also asleep in the session, which is fine.

For your in-home newborn session I set up a time usually around 10 am when the light in the home is soft. You don't have to clean the house, just have a white sheet on the bed. Simple. I'm not there to take photos of your home.

Who is in the family newborn session?

When I take family newborn photos I include the whole family in the session. The pictures I like to take are:

whole family together

the siblings

mom and baby

dad and baby

parents and baby

baby alone.

Here are examples of a newborn gallery. I like to tell your story through a series of images. I want to show the love you have for each other in your photographs.

Where to have photos taken at home

I like to have the whole family on the master bed with a white sheet. It's a clean background and works well. Of course if you would rather use your bedspread that is a neutral color or another blanket that can work also. You can fit everyone on the bed and be sitting and lying down on the bed

Another place is standing by a large window. The natural light from a window is beautiful and you can have a white background and even a silhouette photo.

Sometimes the best light is in a living room on the couch and that can work too.

The baby can have photos in the crib or bassinet. Sleeping photos of a baby in the crib are beautiful and show how tiny she is.

You can show me your home when I come and we can talk about where the best lighting would be. I also have a flash to bounce light which can help.

Here are some more photos of a large family newborn session. Of course there is some chaos involved but I know how to work with it and they loved the images. Don't you?

Less Stress

Another bonus to having your shoot at your home is no travel time and forgotten snacks or drinks. Remember you don't have to clean your house for the session. We can clear off the bed or a couch for the shoot. I can help move some things around and I don't need a lot of room to take your photos. Photography is about what you leave out of the frame. No need to have the whole house cleaned for me. I have 4 kids, 2 cats, and it's a bit messy, but that's real life.

Michelle Deppe Photography | Salt Lake City Utah

If you are looking for a relaxed approach to family photography I'm your photographer. Let's make a memory of your newborn and family as you are right now. Let me tell your story through photographs. The photos we make now will become even more priceless as the years go by.