Lifestyle Newborn Session Checklist

Lifestyle newborn sessions are my favorite. If you’re a sentimental sucker like me, photos of your favorite people in your own home are a sure way to tug on your heartstrings. I also find that kids are sometimes more excited about photos when they get to take them on their turf! At my most recent newborn session, the kids showed me ALL the things, and were SO cooperative because they got to run away to play legos or Uno, and then come back again. Of course they would do anything for some baby brother snuggles. 🙂 If you’ve got a little one on the way, here are some things to keep in mind when prepping for your in-home session: keep scrolling for a lifestyle newborn checklist, and also a peek at a recent session!

Feed and change baby right before your session is set to start. This sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s really helpful! The more comfortable and happy baby is, the more likely he/she is to sleep throughout our time together… or, at least be content. Baby B in this recent session had too much FOMO to sleep, but we got some great photos of his precious wide eyes.
Open all the blinds and turn off overhead lights. It might sound counterintuitive to turn off the lights, but your photographer isn’t looking for just ANY light… we are looking for the BEST light, and we want to have control of it all. When I arrive at a client’s home, I want to use one light source. This allows for highlights + contrast in your photos, and a consistency of light + temperature. If there isn’t a lot of natural light in your house, I always bring a flash to supplement! Good lighting is top priority for great photos.
Declutter the rooms with the best light, AND the rooms you most want photographed. Please, for the love of all that is holy, do NOT deep clean your house. You are exhausted and overstimulated, possibly recovering from childbirth, and the last thing you need to worry about is making the house look great for your photographer. DON’T DO IT. Your photos will not show the hair on the floor or the dust on the baseboards. Leave it. The one thing I suggest is that you declutter. Throw all the crap on the nightstand into the drawer or closet.
Dress the baby in simple, comfortable clothing. For lifestyle photos, I recommend keeping the outfit changes to a minimum. A simple onesie or sleeper, and a swaddle will do the trick. All the fluffy outfits are super cute, but they don’t always match the aesthetic of in-home photos. Plus, we really want baby to be comfortable and happy! This also makes outfit planning easier on you. 🙂
RELAX! One of the benefits of taking photos in your own home is that it is so much more comfortable for you and your family. Turn on some music, let the kids set the playlist. There’s nothing stuffy about being in your living room, listening to their favorite songs and soaking up baby snuggles. One of the benefits of lifestyle newborn photos is how relaxed and authentic the experience is. Soak it up!

I hope this lifestyle newborn checklist helps you prepare for your upcoming newborn session! If you want to chat about working together to photograph YOUR family at YOUR home, please reach out! I’d love to meet you!

See another lifestyle newborn session here!