Lavender and Blush Pink Newborn Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs

Welcome to the world, Edelyn! This sweet baby girl visited my Saratoga Springs studio for her first portraits (ever!) and I had the best time catching up with her moms and big brother, Everett. Back in 2021, I had the honor of photographing Everrett’s newborn portraits so it was even more exciting to capture his baby sister’s!

For Edelyn’s studio newborn portraits, her moms really wanted to use a hint of lavender and blush pink to bring some color into her setups. I think that the palette of soft, neutral tones with these pops of color came together beautifully for this sweet baby girl. During the session, we captured beautiful portraits of just Edelyn, as well as many of her moms and big brother, too. Have I said how special it was to watch this family welcome their newest member?! 

We even created a few portraits for Edelyn inspired by her big brother’s portraits, and their moms are going to hang them side by side in their home! I absolutely LOVE that idea and am always open to matching color palettes and poses whenever possible between your sessions with me. Similar posing is a really fun way to connect your special moments. Congratulations again to this sweet family - I’m so happy I got to see you again in my studio!

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Newborn Portraits with Blush Pink for Second Daughter

There’s nothing quite as special as watching one of my families grow. I photographed this sweet family and their first baby, Giuliana, in the studio when she was born. Now, Giuliana is a big sister to Gabriella. She and her family came back to my Saratoga Springs studio to capture newborn portraits for their second baby girl. It was so wonderful to see everyone again and celebrate their newest member! 

Throughout the session, we created a few nods back to Giuliana’s newborn portraits, include the portrait with her pink blanket and mom’s bracelet. It was really fun to create these images knowing that there was another set of them at home for Giuliana! Gabby was such a sweetheart for me throughout her whole session, too. She was happy to curl up and let her family snuggle her. 

Giuliana was AMAZING during her sister’s newborn session. She wanted to be involved in everything, and she kept coming close to me to “take pictures” with her wooden camera, check on her baby, and tuck her in with the blankets. Truly the sweetest! I am just so blessed that this is my job - and capturing those sweet moments is work for me. 

I can’t wait to see Gabby back in the studio in a few months for her milestone session! She’s going to be so big!! 

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My favorite textured knits for winter baby portraits

Like all baby photographers, I love prop shopping and adding to my studio's collection. I have many favorite pieces in the studio that I use for nearly every newborn session, and these go-to items photograph beautifully and are well-loved. I always opt for classic neutrals that will match with everything, and I keep my colors in line with my style and the style/color palette that most of my clients use in their homes, too.

As the I get the studio ready for all of the winter newborns that will be coming to the studio for their first portrait session, I’ve been shopping for new knits for the studio. During the winter, I’m all about creating soft and cozy layers for your baby. We have a huge variety of hand-knit props from talented artists all around the globe. Wraps, layers, bonnets, sleepy caps, blankets, rompers, overalls, and so much more. They add such beautiful texture to your portraits, creating visual interest - and help keep your little one warm and cozy, too!

Everything you need for your baby’s first portraits, all in one place.

One advantage of going to a photographer who provides everything for you is that they already know what fabrics and colors will photograph best, and you don't ever have to worry about choosing something that is cute in person but doesn't look quite right in the finished portraits. I have everything you need in the studio for your little one's portrait session. Choose from outfits, headbands, wraps and swaddles, bump blankets, bonnets and hats to make your baby’s look complete! 

During winter sessions, I try to mix chunky knits with softer, finer woven knits, pairing similar colors for a monochromatic look, or using mostly whites with a pop of color. My goal is to make it easy to focus on your baby in your portraits and showcase just how tiny and perfect they are!

Some of the most popular colors for newborn portraits in our studio are:

white
cream
slate blue or navy blue
mint green or sage green
lavender
blush pink
gray or greige

As you can see, choosing the perfect outfit for your baby’s portraits can be easy and fun! Make sure to talk with your newborn or baby photographer to find out what they have on hand this winter for the perfect, cozy look for your little one!

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Welcome, Ivy Joy: Newborn Portraits at Four Weeks Old

Welcome to the world, Ivy Joy! It’s so special getting to meet babies after I’ve photographed their mom’s maternity portraits, like Ivy Joy. I photographed her mama’s maternity session this summer while they were anxiously waiting for her arrival. I loved getting to know Heather and Lee better during their maternity session, and I love that we pulled elements of the colors Heather wore into Ivy Joy’s newborn portraits, too. I’m all about creating cohesive images that will pair well together in your albums or on your walls!

For Ivy Joy’s session, she came to my Saratoga Springs studio. She was 4 weeks old, but so sweet and mellow. While she was awake, she had the best eye contact - and that’s one of my favorite things about older newborns. They’re always so sweet!! Ivy Joy was easy to pose and I loved capturing some of her new expressions. Photographing older newborns can come with it’s challenges, but I also love the ways you can capture their personality because they’re a bit bigger now.

Heather and Lee requested the sage green and mustard yellow in her setups - which was a great way to tie into Heather’s maternity portraits. I’m also obsessed with the dark navy setup with the stars. Ivy Joy looked so sweet on it! Come take a look at some of my favorite moments from their beautiful studio session.

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Classic Studio Newborn Portraits for Baby Ea

Say hello to Baby Ea! Ea’s portrait session was my last newborn session before going on maternity leave to welcome my own baby girl! Ea was the sweetest girl, wide awake for our entire session… but perfectly calm. With that attitude, every single portrait was just adorable and I’m so happy she was so relaxed in the studio. 

For her session, Ea’s parents didn’t have too many requests. We wanted to keep the timeless and classic feeling for each of her setups. One of my favorites was the teddy bear setup because I caught the cutest little smile! Baby Ea is definitely already stealing hearts!! She’s seriously so sweet. Her parents did want to include fresh flowers in her setups, and I personally loved how the purple setup came out with them. 

After their session, we had their ordering session! All of these gorgeous portraits were turned into an heirloom album and circular wooden wall art. I hope that one day Baby Ea flips through her own album of portraits, like my son does, and that they can all look back on these early days of her life with fondness and happiness! 

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Studio Newborn Portraits for Baby Mihira

Meet Baby Mihira! This sweet little girl and her family came to my studio recently for her newborn session. Mihira was 3.5 weeks when she came for her portraits, so she was more awake than many of my newborns. Because of that, we got some truly gorgeous eye contact that comes from her being a little bit older – it was perfect!! 

When we began planning Mihira’s portraits, we discussed a simple color palette that focused on neutrals and a lot of ivory. This meant that we could bring in pops of colors through our props, like peach peonies and a beautiful purple wrap. I love being able to take a simple setup and add a bit of variety with simple wraps, props, or other pops of color because we kept everything else straightforward. Mihira looked so sweet in each setup, too! 

One of the most special parts about Mihira’s portraits is that her extended family came for portraits, too. I was able to capture her with her parents, cousin, and grandparents. I absolutely love when families come for newborn portraits – what a great reason to get the family together and update your portraits all at once! Enjoy a peek into sweet Mihira’s newborn portraits – she’s seriously perfect!! 

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Newborn Portraits with Teenage Siblings

Meet Baby Finnley and his big siblings Austin and Addie! I was so happy when Finn, Addie, and Austin’s parents reached out about scheduling a newborn session to capture their new arrival to the family. As they began to tell me about their family, I knew this was going to be a very special newborn session for all of us. Finn is lucky to be welcomed to the world by his incredible parents and his big twin siblings, who are just so in love with him. He’s one loved little boy, that’s for sure!

Posing Teenage Siblings with Newborn Babies

Photographing a newborn session with teenage siblings is unique, too. It was a lot of fun to work with Addie and Austin as we welcomed their brother to the world. These two are so sweet and it’s clear they love each other and their family very much!

While working with teenagers during a newborn session is much like working with an adult or a parent, there’s definitely a few differences. One thing I love is that we can do more of the poses I typically reserve for parents with a few adjustments. Not all big siblings are as comfortable holding or moving a baby as their parents are, so it’s easy to change things up so they’re comfortable. I always have my sessions follow the flow needed for the family - and tend to start with full family portraits so that the teens have a bit more time to warm up and be ready to hold the baby, though Austin and Addie didn’t seem to need that!

Once the teens are more comfortable and ready to hold their new sibling, we’ll get started with some of my favorite poses. I always check in with the kids to make sure they’re still comfortable holding the baby or moving them around. Sometimes, I’ll be more hands on if needed, but usually by just adjusting the poses to be seated, the teenagers often find much more confidence holding their new siblings! Having them seated just allows everyone to feel more confident and sure about holding the baby! The baby's safety is always the top priority in any newborn session, no matter who is holding them.

With some patience and guidance, we’ll easily capture some incredible memories for you and your family - including your teenage children holding their new sibling! Thank you to this sweet family for trusting me with this special memory!!

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The Best Age for Newborn Portraits

As new parents begin to plan for their newborn portraits, one of the questions I’m most often asked is when they should book their newborn session. Today, I wanted to talk about how old your baby should be for our portraits, why I always say “yes” to older babies, and when in your pregnancy we should book your session to make sure you’re on the calendar.

What age is best for newborn portraits?

Most of my newborns are photographed in the first 2-3 weeks of their life. I prefer to wait until they are at least 7 days old to schedule their portrait session. By then their tummies are bigger and they can hold more milk, which means they are more easily settled for longer periods of time (and easier to pose!). This also gives parents a little time to adjust to their new (sleepless) routine and feel a tiny bit less like zombies by the time they get to the studio.

Older Newborn Portraits

Unlike other photographers, I'll never turn away an "older newborn," and I actually love working with babies in the studio that are 3, 4, 5+ weeks old. I've even captured newborn portraits for babies that are 2.5 and 3 months old, still swaddling them up and capturing those sweet baby details from the early stages of their life. Older newborns may not settle as easily into certain poses as they become less flexible and their bones start to harden, but we can still safely wrap and pose them for their portrait session.

When should you book your newborn portraits?

The most important thing is to reserve your newborn session IN THE SECOND TRIMESTER to ensure that your photographer has room on their schedule for your family. I mark each family's due date and save a certain amount of flexibility in the weeks surrounding the due date so that we can schedule the session once the baby arrives. I take on a limited number of newborn clients each month to give each family the attention and flexibility they deserve with their little one's arrival.

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Gianna's Studio Newborn Portraits with Blush and Lavender

Welcome to the world, Gianna! This sweet girl came to the studio at 2.5 weeks old for her newborn session, along with her mom and dad. I loved getting to see them all and finally getting to meet Gianna! I had been waiting impatiently since Jillian’s maternity session at the stable.

For Gianna’s newborn portraits, we kept things classic and simple with a blush and lavender color scheme. She got to use some of my favorite headbands from Polkadotpoppy and she looked absolutely adorable in every single one!! After the classic setups were done, we used some of the fun props her parents brought along. We did her mom’s maternity portraits at her stable and with her horse, Zita, so it was fitting that she brought one of her saddles. Her dad has been dabbling in homemade pasta, so they brought some of it with them. Gianna makes the cutest little chef! It was a fun nod to her Italian heritage, too. :o)

I absolutely love her sweet newborn portraits and I hope you will, too! I’m so happy I got to meet you, Gianna. You are so loved!

LEARN MORE ABOUT STUDIO NEWBORN PORTRAITS!

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH NEWBORN SESSIONS

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Baby Girl Newborn Portraits with Cream and Mauve Accents

I love when I get to work with families as they grow. When Kavita reached out to share that she was expecting Baby #2, I was so excited! I had the chance to work with her and her sweet family when her first son, Kaylen, was born. Now, he’s a big brother to Baby Karina and it was SO great to see everyone again in the studio for her newborn portraits. She came in at about 4 weeks old, but she was still super cuddly and cooperative!

Kaylen is the best big brother. He’s so sweet with Karina and I loved photographing the two of them together in the studio. For Karina’s portraits, her mother requested cream and mauve accents - including my mauve floral wreath. It was the perfect way to bring all of the colors together. Her mom also wanted to use her red and gold veil from their wedding day. I always love when families bring in special items like that!

I am so glad I got to work with this beautiful family again and I can’t wait for you to see their newborn portraits!

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Studio Newborn portraits with our new Moses basket prop

This fall, I welcomed sweet baby Mitzi and her big brother Ezra to the studio for her newborn session. We planned a classic and simple session for Mitzi that featured our newest prop in the studio: a Moses basket! It wound up being the perfect prop to use in their session because Ezra was all about being around his baby sister. She was able to lay quietly in her basket while he smiled and loved on her. It was absolutely adorable how into her he was! You never know how big siblings will be feeling the day of your session, but Ezra was definitely a cutie!

I’m so excited to offer this brand new prop in the studio. It’s just great for sibling portraits and I can’t wait to use it for family, newborn, and milestone sessions soon. Having access to these fun props is definitely one perk of having a studio newborn session. Our client wardrobes are another great perk. Samantha chose a few sweet floral headbands for Mitzi to wear during her portraits too, and I think everything came together so beautifully for this baby girl!

Wondering if a studio or lifestyle session is best for you and your new baby? Use the button below to read up on what makes newborn sessions in the studio unique! And then keep scrolling to see Mitzi’s precious newborn portraits!!

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Newborn Portrait Ideas - Sentimental Props to Bring to Your Newborn Session

What should I bring to my baby’s newborn session?

I get asked this question all the time, and while the easy answer is “Not a thing! Don’t worry, I have everything here that you need!”, the more complicated answer is, “Well, what’s important to your family? Is there anything special you want to incorporate in your baby’s first portraits?”

(By the way, if you’re wondering what to expect in your newborn session, check out this post with all the details here!)

My portrait style tends to lean towards simple, clean, classic images where the baby is the focus without too many props or distractions taking away from this perfect little being that you just welcomed into your family. However, I understand wanting to make your little one’s newborn portraits your own and I encourage finding beautiful and creative ways to incorporate something meaningful into their portraits. Here are a few of my favorite ideas!

Bring a favorite swaddle from home.

These custom name swaddles are very popular right now, and there are literally hundreds of beautiful designs on lightweight muslin swaddles. I’m sure you were gifted a dozen of them for your baby shower! If you have one with colors that you love or colors that match the nursery or your home decor, bring it! I always love incorporating swaddles into our newborn portraits, and we usually do them as a backdrop or layering blanket to be able to see the full design. Plus, every time you use that swaddle in the coming months you’ll think back to your favorite portrait of your little baby!

Here are a few of my favorite images using swaddles that parents brought from home.

Grandma’s handmade blanket, or another family heirloom.

The beige blanket in the floor of the image below was passed down from the baby’s great grandfather. So was the bonnet! How special that we got to use it in this sweet girl’s first portraits?!

If you have a blanket that has been passed down in the family, or one that a family member knit or crocheted for you and you would like to incorporate it into your session, just let me know!

Jewelry.

There are so many beautiful ways to incorporate a little sparkle into your little one’s portraits! I’ve had families arrive with pearls that were a first Mother’s Day present for mom and baby. Other families with bracelets that mom wore as a baby and now they fit baby. Families with prayer beads that they used during their journey to get pregnant. Families with necklaces passed down from Grandma to the baby, who was given that same grandmother’s name. Whatever meaningful piece that you have, don’t hesitate to incorporate it into your photographs!

A special prop to honor your family’s journey up to this moment.

Rainbow babies. Miracle babies. IVF babies. We’re so lucky to welcome every single baby into the studio for their portraits, and I know that no two journeys to parenthood are the same. Whatever led you here, feel free to honor that story in a special setup for your little one. From ultrasound pictures and photos of embryos, to pineapples to represent their IVF journey, to rainbow hearts and stuffed animals with their angel brother or sister’s heartbeat inside. Your portraits tell your story. Whatever is meaningful to your family should make its way into your portraits.

A nod to a parent’s career, heritage, or hobbies.

This part is so much fun! Think if there is something special that defines your family or that one or both partners like to do. If you’d like to incorporate it into your little one’s photographs, we can! Stethoscopes for doctors during Covid, wedding saris, hiking boots, a hat or badge from a police officer, wooden shoes for a Dutch family, hot air balloons for the family that met at the hot air balloon festival.

There are all things that I have loved incorporating into photographs, and I know there are so many more creative ideas, too! I can’t wait to see what you come up with to make your portraits your own!

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Welcome Baby Nathan! Newborn Portraits with Big Brother

This blog post comes with a story about your favorite photographer, too many boxes arriving in the mail, and the big reveal of this family’s heirloom album. ;o)

This sweet family ordered an album with all of their favorite newborn portraits, and I placed the order the day before I left for a week and a half on the Cape. For me, a week and a half by the sea is like hitting the reset button, so when I came home I could barely remember what I had done before leaving for the Cape.

When I came back to my studio I had a mountain of boxes waiting for me from my different portrait labs, and opening them felt a bit like Christmas morning because I couldn’t remember what was inside of them. Blame it on the mom brain, or blame it on the salt air.

But then I got to this one box. When I opened it up I saw the gray album box inside, and I remember lifting the cover and thinking, “Who’s album is this one?” Then I saw the sky blue linen and the soft colors in Nathan’s newborn portraits, and honestly I gasped when seeing how beautiful it all was together. This family wound up choosing the most perfect linen to complement their portraits, and the finished product was truly breathtaking. That was my favorite package I opened this summer, and I definitely enjoyed watching the family unwrap it a few days later to enjoy it for themselves!

Big brother Aiden was soooooo excited about his new role as big brother, and he gave us all the smiles! We captured so many sweet portraits of these two brothers together and I love all of the family ones, too. I’ve loved watching this family grow over the past couple of years, and it’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago they were brand new parents bringing their son to my old studio for his portrait session! Check out big brother’s newborn session from almost 3 years ago here!

We used some of the same colors and layers in Nathan’s newborn portraits as we did in his big brother’s a few years ago. I’m a huge fan of blues, grays, creams, and whites in newborn portraits, and I love how seamlessly they all go together!

Nathan’s mama gave me the biggest compliment when she was sitting in the studio during their session. She looked around and told me that the studio was so relaxing to be in, and that nearly three years ago as a new mom she had felt the same way. Despite all of the crazy unknowns of motherhood and the countless things that all of us mamas have to figure out in those first few weeks with a new baby, somehow I helped her feel more comfortable at least during those couple of hours she was here for her session. That made my heart so happy to hear.

Because yes, I want to give you beautiful portraits and artwork that you’re going to enjoy for generations. But more importantly I want you to embark on this journey of motherhood (or the next chapter of it if you’re welcoming baby #2 or #3!) and feel a little more confident, a little more understood, a little more prepared to take on the crazy unknowns. I’m a mom, too. I’ve literally gone through this exact same journey, and whatever it is you’re feeling, you’re not alone. That’s why I try so hard to connect with all of the families that I work with to see how they’re doing and offer any little tidbits that might make those first few weeks at home a little easier with the new baby.

Because your newborn session is not just about the photographs. It’s also about taking your baby out of the house for maybe the first time besides the pediatrician appointment, and connecting with another mama who has been in your shoes who can help you feel a little less lost and a little less alone.

Wondering what to expect in your newborn session? I’ve done this hundreds of times and my job is to make it as easy and stress-free as possible for you as a new parent! Check out this blog post for what to expect!

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Classic Newborn Portraits with Family Heirloom Knits

Ten little fingers and ten little toes. The most adorable little baby girl came to the studio, and we captured so many adorable portraits of her!

Wynn was wide awake when we started her session, and I loved capturing her curious eyes and wide-eyed stare in portraits. However, all newborns fall asleep eventually and Wynn did, too! We were able to capture some really adorable sleepy portraits of this sweet girl, and I love how beautifully they turned out with all of the neutral layers and headbands!

This one is my favorite. The bonnet and beige blanket were handmade family heirlooms passed down for generations. It was so special getting to incorporate them into her photographs! I love it when families bring sentimental items like these ones!

Of course, we couldn’t pass up the chance to do some pumpkin portraits for this fall baby! Blush pink and cream kept it fresh and girly.

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Lavender and Sage Newborn Portraits with Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Sweet little Rohen is finally here, and she was the smiliest newborn I’ve had in the studio in awhile! This adorable baby girl’s arrival was much anticipated, and I loved celebrating with her family with some beautiful portraits. We turned all of their favorites into an heirloom album, and I know they’re going to turn those pages hundreds of times with their daughter to relive these days as she grows.

We chose cream, sage green, and lavender to match the nursery decor. This was my first time using these new eucalyptus branches in newborn portraits, and I’m in love with how it turned out!

I mean, can we talk about that SMILE?!?!?!?! Melts your heart, doesn’t it?!

Mom and dad rocked the outfit selection, thanks to these tips on what to wear to your newborn session!

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An Older Newborn Session for a Sweet Baby Girl

Tess was born in the spring when everything was closed due to covid, so we did an older newborn session for this sweet girl and I absolutely fell in love with photographing older newborns. Traditionally, newborn photographers try and do their newborn sessions in the first 2-3 weeks after the baby is born because that is when they are tiny and new, sleepy and easy to pose. But after seeing so many older babies in the studio this summer, I am excited about welcoming older babies into the studio who missed that window in the first two weeks. Because seriously, photos like this don’t happen with a 10 day old baby! Just look at that eye contact!

Tess’s mama wore a beautiful mauve gown from our studio’s Mama Wardrobe, and it perfectly complemented the mauve colors we chose for Tess’s portraits.

We also chose lavender and sage green to coordinate with the colors in the baby’s nursery. These are going to look so amazing on the walls!

A newborn baby’s body at 10 days old is so different from an infant’s body at 3 months old. The way they can hold their heads, how flexible they are, how much you can help them curl up into those cute little poses. It all changes as they start to grow, put on weight, gain muscles, and solidify their bone structure. That is why it is sooooo important to hire a newborn photographer who is comfortable posing babies and is trained in newborn safety to take good care of your little one. Read more about newborn safety in your portrait session here on the blog.

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Pretty Mauve Flowers for a Studio Newborn Session

Little Anaís is our newest Baby Plan member, and I loved welcoming her family into our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for her newborn session! We incorporated mauve florals and soft greenery to coordinate with her nursery, and I just love how it all came together for this sweet baby girl. Plus, this new mauve headband from my favorite boutique coordinated perfectly!

I always love wrapping the babies up so that we can see their tiny arms and legs, and Anaís looked so beautiful in this peach wrap against our white blanket. All of these headbands are also from Polka Dot Poppy, which is where I’ve been buying our studio headbands for years! They are all handmade, and I love how the designer incorporates such dainty details and beautiful colors into each one!

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How I Got Started with Newborn & Baby Photography | Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

One of the questions that I get asked all the time is how I got started with newborn photography.  My son is only 2 years old, so my story is not like so many photographers’ stories who fell in love with newborn photography while photographing their own little one.  In fact, I started capturing those tiny newborn details as a single twenty-something!  So, how did I get started?

I used to be a first grade teacher.  A few years into teaching, I knew that I needed a creative outlet so I decided to learn how to take better portraits with my DSLR camera.  Before then, I primarily did travel photography and I took big international trips almost every summer.  I loved wandering around new cities with my camera in hand to document all of the stories around me, but as a teacher I needed a creative outlet that would take me through the school year and fuel my creative spirit.  I knew that one day I would want to be able to take beautiful pictures of my own children, so I started practicing early on all of my friends’ children!

In the beginning, I photographed everything.  Families.  High school seniors.  My friends.  My students.  Babies.  Big kids.  Little kids.  Everything was new and exciting, and I carried my camera with me everywhere I went.

My first newborn sessions were in May of 2012.  Two sweet baby girls who happened to be born on the same day — one was my best friend’s daughter, and one was a coworker’s daughter.  At that point, I had done some online courses in newborn posing and I bought every basket I could find at HomeGoods with the idea of “I could put a baby in that!”

Back then, I was traveling to clients’ home with all of my props in the back of my car.  I carried a huge newborn posing pillow, a bulky backdrop stand, boxes filled with props and wraps, baskets, and my camera bag.  It was so much work lugging all of that in and out of their houses, and I definitely don’t miss those days of filling my car to the brim, unpacking it, carrying it up flights of stairs, and packing it all back up! 

In January 2015 I took an in-person workshop with another baby photographer, and I was so inspired that I came home and decided to convert our living room in our tiny Boston apartment into a studio.  Thankfully, my husband (then fiancé) was on board.  Actually, I think it was his suggestion!  So I created a studio, set up all of my props and backdrops, and finally stopped lugging everything into clients’ homes for their newborn sessions.  I started welcoming clients into the studio that spring, and by summer I left my teaching job to pursue my photography business full time!  

Five years later, and I am out of that tiny Boston apartment with a home studio in Saratoga Springs.  I’ve refined my style, found my focus (pun intended!), and learned so much in the world of baby photography and small business ownership.  I’ve taught other photographers how to get their businesses off the ground, and I’ve placed hundreds upon hundreds of print orders at my photo labs.  

I photograph around 100 families a year, and my first little babies that I photographed are so big now.  I look at these new babies that come into the studio, and I know that we’re going to blink and another eight years will go by just like that.  That is why it is so important to me to beautifully document this stage.  To create timeless portraits for families that they can enjoy forever to remember just how tiny and fresh their baby was when they welcomed them home.  

I’m truly grateful for every family that has trusted me to capture these memories with their babies, and I look forward to welcoming many more little ones into the studio!

Welcome Miles! A newborn session with baby and big sister

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Why You Should Hire a Newborn Photographer that Focuses on Newborn Safety

Hiring a newborn photographer can sometimes feel like a daunting task.  You are looking for someone who is going to hold and handle your brand new baby in the first few weeks of their life.  Someone who will spend a few hours with your family as you navigate new territory with your first baby (or second! or third! or fourth!).  Someone who will treat your family with care, walk you through the portrait experience with ease, and deliver heirlooms that you will treasure for decades.  

One of the most important things to consider when hiring a newborn photographer is the photographer’s training and experience photographing and posing newborns.  Whether you are considering a Fresh 48, lifestyle, or studio portrait session, safety is such a huge consideration.

Why is this so important? 

• Newborns cannot hold their head up on their own, and they must be posed with care to not put any stress on their joints, their circulation, or their airways.

• Newborns are not able to tell you when they are uncomfortable, so an expert in posing will gently guide the baby into comfortable positions, including baby-led posing options that keep the baby’s comfort and mood as the #1 priority.

• Newborns cannot regulate their body temperature, so an experienced photographer will know just how warm to keep the room and how to keep the baby cozy and comfortable while posing them.

• Newborns have fragile immune systems, and a photographer that puts safety first will have systems in place to protect the health of all of their littlest clients.

There are many poses that you see online that are actually composites, which means the photographer brings 2-3 images together in Photoshop to create one final image.  This is because some of those cute little poses are not safe for baby to do on their own (for example, the popular “froggy” pose where baby rests their head on their hands while laying on their belly).  Other poses require a parent to support the baby’s head to prevent it from leaning uncomfortably to the side, and their fingers are edited out in Photoshop later on.  

Another huge aspect of newborn safety to consider is posing the baby with siblings. Children are unpredictable, which can put many parents on high alert around the baby as they worry that an impulsive action might hurt their new baby. An experienced newborn photographer will only pose siblings with baby in a way that is developmentally appropriate for the siblings — whether that is laying down on a soft blanket, sitting on a bed, or in mom & dad’s lap where they can lean in to baby while being fully supported by mom and dad. Parents are always nearby spotting the baby, and the photographer will keep the siblings engaged in a fun and interactive way while also letting them know how to be safe around the baby.

Often in our studio we pose the siblings laying down on a rug like this. I lay down first with big brother or sister to show them what to expect, and then I place a pillow in their arms and have them pretend to hug it like they will hug the baby. We make up a safe word together that will be the magic word to mean “all done” — usually it’s something silly like “hot dog” or “unicorn”, and we remind them that they cannot move or get up until we say the magic word. Finally, we lay a sleepy baby in their arms after all of those safety steps have been taken. Usually it takes just a few seconds to capture the perfect sibling portrait, and that’s because we spent a few minutes first prepping for it!

Another favorite sibling portrait is actually a composite (remember, that’s where 2 images are stitched together in Photoshop). Sometimes toddlers are hesitant to get too close to the baby, and we will pose baby all by herself first in a crate or a basket. Then we will take baby out and mom or dad can hold her, while the toddler poses with the same crate or basket. Then the two images are brought together to create one beautiful sibling portraits! We don’t always need to use this technique, and sometimes the toddler will snuggle up with baby in the basket, but it’s a nice little trick to have on hand in case we need it!

Please, please, please. Whatever you do in your search for the perfect newborn photographer, please be sure to communicate your expectations and your concerns to your photographer. Ask they about their experience and training in safety, and make sure you are 100% comfortable putting your baby in their care during your portrait session. Your baby is your most precious gift, and you want to be sure to find a photographer who will take care of your little one like they would their own baby.

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