There are two ways to do newborn family photos and capture that sweet new baby in your family. The main two are lifestyle and studio sessions. Like always, it depends on what you’re looking for and what’s going to work best for your family. But here’s how I would compare them, what the main differences are and what might be the best fit for you. I hope this helps you make your decision and as always let me know if you need any further assistance.
What is Lifestyle Newborn Family Photos and how does it work?
Newborn Lifestyle Photography is more focused on what candid life looks like with a newborn. Sessions tend to be 1.5 to 2 hours long. A posed studio session is normally 3-4 hours. A newborn lifestyle session is held in your home or in my lifestyle studio with a bed and couch. There is some posing, but it tends to be more natural-looking. For example, your baby curled up on your bed, sweet family snuggles on the couch, and big brother jumping up and down with excitement while mom holds baby sister. There are lots of snuggles and listening to baby and what they need at the moment, whether that’s being held, swaddled, or fed.
What do you get from Newborn Lifestyle Session vs. Newborn Studio Session?
With a Newborn Lifestyle Session, you’ll receive a full gallery showing what life looks like with a newborn. You’ll get to choose from family photos, photos with mom, photos with dad, photos with siblings, and photos of just baby. In the newborn family photos, there will be fewer formal photos of everyone looking at the camera and there will be more photos of everyone looking at that sweet baby and connecting with each other.
Newborn Studio Sessions are more posed and tend to be more limited in the number of images due to the intense editing that goes into them. You might choose to only have images of the baby or baby with siblings whereas a lifestyle session is very focused on all the family relationships and will definitely include everyone.
Who is Newborn Lifestyle Photography right for?
Newborn Lifestyle Sessions are perfect for moms who want to document what their day-to-day life looks like right now. They want to look back at their newborn family photos and remember exactly what it felt like to hold that tiny baby in their arms in their nursery, rocking chair, or favorite spot on the couch. They want images that tell the story of their growing family. They want to relax in their own home and know that everything they need is right there. They want a shorter photoshoot that will result in a robust gallery documenting their family and their lives with a newborn.
Who is Newborn Lifestyle Photography not right for?
If you prefer the look of posed newborn family photos, with all the props and layers, studio lighting, and perfectly posed babies, you should book a newborn studio session. This style is more work. The session lasts between 3 to 4 hours, not including the extended detail of editing in Photoshop. Since these sessions are more work, they deserve to be compensated. They also require additional training that (hopefully) those photographers have completed in order to keep newborns safe in various poses.
So tell me! Which type of newborn family photos do you prefer? If you’re local and would like referrals to some of my friends who do posed newborn photography, just let me know and I’ll send you their info!
Capture your precious moments with me! Book a photography session today and let’s laugh, play and capture the details of your unique story. Whether it’s a family session, engagement shoot, or newborn session, I’m dedicated to capturing the beauty and emotions that make your memories last a lifetime. Don’t wait, schedule your session now and let’s create magic together!
