Let me start by saying I love a good DIY. There is a time and place for that; however, your newborn portraits are not that time! Your sweet newborn is only this small for such a short period of time. It’s a short window to capture these precious moments before they’re gone.
If you DIY or hire someone “with a camera” you will not end up with the images that you want. There’s so much more to taking a photo than the camera. It’s about the experience, style, technique, and passion that the photographer brings to her work.
I also believe every photographer needs her start, however, this isn’t the session to trust a newbie. Newborn photography is a specialization in the industry. Newborn photographers undergo special training so that they can safely capture your newborn portraits. Please allow me to share more about why you should work with a trained and experienced newborn photographer.
Newborn Photography Training
Newborn photography training is not one-and-done. There are new techniques being introduced all the time. Techniques that result in better, safer portraits that your family will be able to cherish forever. When hiring a newborn photographer you can ask about any specialized training to know that they are committed to newborn photography. Over the years, I have studied under some world-renowned newborn and birth photographers such as Kelly Brown, Monet Nicole, and most recently Danielle Hobbs. Danielle’s Simple & Pure Workshop in Florida this past fall was a game changer for me and I am excited to offer more baby-led posed sessions in my studio.
Why Trust a Newborn Photographer
There are three main reasons why you should trust a newborn photographer to capture your child’s first official portraits.
Safety
Number one is safety. As a newborn photographer, I never force your baby to pose or put the baby in an unsafe condition. We are very much baby-led during our newborn portrait sessions. We head into the session knowing that we’ll have to adapt to what baby is okay with. Trained newborn photographers know and love this as it results in beautiful portraits. In some cases, if mom has a certain pose in mind (such as older siblings holding your newborn), we can use PhotoShop magic to make it happen.
Experience
Again, every photographer needs her start, but you generally get one shot at newborn portraits, so this is when you need to work with an experienced photographer whose work you love. (Don’t worry about new photographers, they can gain experience as associates.) You want a newborn photographer with a portfolio of newborn images that you love and know you can trust.
Style
What newborn session style are you dreaming of? The two main newborn session styles are posed and lifestyle. You might want your newborn photos taken at home or in the studio. Knowing which one you want is important in finding the right photographer!
Hampton Newborn Photographer
My final piece of advice is to work with a trained newborn photographer that you like and can trust. You should feel comfortable asking any questions about the session and feel supported throughout the process. Being able to work with brand new babies is a gift that I truly treasure and never take for granted. Each newborn photography session is a special experience for me. If you’re interested in learning more or scheduling a session, let’s set up a time to chat here!
Finally, I also invite you to join my online community The Village for Seacoast Moms to get the resources, encouragement, and support that you need.
Photographing your precious newborn means the world to me. Your baby is your whole entire world and I get the honor of capturing those first sweet moments. Trust me when I say, it’s a privilege to be there with you during those first newborn days.
Addie’s lifestyle newborn photography was an absolute dream! Meeting this sweet girl and seeing her amazing parents was so so special! For this session, I went to the family’s home to capture newborn lifestyle poses. I think many newborn parents are nervous about having their home “ready” for me to come and take photos. There’s really nothing to worry about since I barely notice anything except your beautiful baby!
I’m thrilled to show you Addie’s gorgeous portraits!
Lifestyle Newborn Portraits
Your newborn portrait session allows you a moment to slow down and just enjoy your sweet baby! Lifestyle newborn portraits are just that – hitting pause and capturing your life at this very moment. Your baby is only a newborn once and it goes so quickly.
This family was so sweet and I could immediately feel the love as I entered their home. Baby Kayla was ready for her closeup, but then again, she’s just a beautiful baby! Capturing her portraits was a delight. She was perfect and snuggly for her portraits that mom and dad will look back on and treasure forever.
Are Lifestyle Newborn Portraits Right for Me?
If you’re an expecting parent, you might be wondering how to choose what type of newborn photos you want. First, you’ll want to think about how you want to display these portraits. Why start there? Because knowing where your photos are going to be displayed can help us decide the style we want for the session. Then, you’ll want to consider if you prefer a studio session or an in-home newborn session. The beauty is that we actually can take lifestyle or posed portraits in either location, however, deciding which location you prefer will help decide the style. After you choose which location, we figure out any wardrobe and prop needs. As a full-service newborn photographer, I’m happy to guide my clients through this entire process with ease!
Tewksbury, MA Newborn, and Family Photographer
My name is Jennie Bishop of White Wave Photography and I’m honored to capture Tewksbury, MA’s families, newborns, and high school senior portraits! I offer full-service photography to my families and you’ll soon learn why many return to work with me again and again! You see, I guide you through the entire portrait process and my job isn’t done until your beautiful photos are lovingly displayed in your home!
If you’re interested in booking a session with me, please reach out and contact me here. Not ready to book? No problem at all! I would love to have you on my email list to stay up-to-date with what’s going on at the studio. Finally, if you’re looking for a community, please join my Facebook Group “The Village for Seacoast Moms” to be part of our tribe!
Throughout your pregnancy journey, you dream of the day you meet your new baby. The newborn stage is such a precious and short time. When you look back, this time feels like a beautiful blur of adjusting to your new family dynamic and getting to know your little one.
Reflecting on the newborn period for my kids feels like a distant memory, with certain moments standing out more than others. Capturing your newborn portraits helps you treasure this time for the rest of your life. You’ll always be able to look back at these photos and remember this time while also watching how much your child has grown!
Knowing how important photographing your newborn is and how much of a blur those first few weeks are, I created a stress-free newborn portrait experience for you and your family. Part of this is offering your newborn session at home or in the studio.
Today, I walk through the different newborn photography options of taking them at the studio or in your home to help you see which one you may prefer! The end goal is to capture photos for you to love on and display in your home. Let’s dig in!
Newborn Photography Experience in the Studio
There are a lot of reasons why you might prefer taking your newborn’s photos at the studio. The studio offers the perfect, all-white, simple, and pure space ready to capture dreamy newborn portraits. Studio newborn sessions are neutral and baby-focused and I will supply wraps, hats, and coordinating blankets for your session.
If you’re looking for a simple baby-led posed newborn session, the studio is a great option because everything we need is readily available at the studio and within reach. Lifestyle newborn portraits are still an option that we can do in the studio.
This will be an opportunity to get out of the house, Mama! A day out might be just what you need to get out and about with your family. Your other kiddos are welcome to come too. I love having little helpers!
Newborn Photography Experience at Home
Some clients prefer to have their newborn’s photo taken at home. They might prefer to stay home because this is where they feel the most comfortable having them done. Home tends to be a popular choice because of this reason which is totally fine.
Home is great for lifestyle newborn photography as we can set up anywhere in your home with your family. We can still take adorable simple baby portraits at home; I just need to bring everything I need to you.
Finding Your Newborn Photographer
Finding the right newborn photographer for your family is so important! You need to find someone you trust and who has the experience to capture your precious new baby perfectly no matter where your session takes place. I would love to see if we’re a good fit by having a quick chat!
As a newborn photographer, lots of people think that means I’m good with babies… and it’s true! Hey, I’m not a super expert or anything, I’m just a mom of three who loves photographing babies and kids. With all that experience, I have some tricks up my sleeve to soothe a newborn baby.
If you’re reading this and worried about keeping your newborn baby happy during her session, please don’t stress! A newborn portrait session is baby-led. We’ll work together to choose an optimal time of the day for your baby, and during the session, we follow her lead. I make sure to block off extra time if we need it to work around a feed or a snuggle. I’ve seen it all!
5 Tips for Soothing Your Newborn During Your Session (and Beyond)
These tips will help baby calm down and feel safe. You can use these during your newborn session or anytime!
Check Her Needs – Babies cry to communicate. Is she hungry, need a diaper, gassy, or just tired? Offer the breast or bottle, check her diaper, try patting her on the back, or offer a nap. It might not be any of these things, so don’t worry! She may just need some soothing or may be cold. HEAT is key to getting a baby nice and sleepy for our sessions.
Swaddle – Your newborn will LOVE being swaddled. Use a blanket to wrap her up like a precious burrito and help her feel secure. My kiddos were little escape artists so I LOVED the sleep sacks by HALO to get them nice and snug.
Walk – Take her in your arms and walk around or put her in the stroller. The change in motion and environment might be what she needs to calm down and relax. If the baby is really fussy or possibly overtired, a car ride would be an option to try.
Sound Machine – Recreate the whooshing sounds of the womb with a sound machine or by shushing! I highly recommend a portable sound machine for the diaper bag or having an app on your phone to have handy. Shushing works too. In the studio, we use the “Baby Shusher” and it works wonders on getting little ones to sleep.
Pacify – This does depend on the baby! Some babies love a pacifier and some don’t. If your baby doesn’t like the pacifier or you are breastfeeding and haven’t introduced one yet, then you can try your finger or your breast. The suckling actually releases a hormone that relaxes your baby!
Loving on Newborns
I hope these tips are helpful for you! Photographing newborns is probably my favorite. I just love meeting this tiny new person and capturing this special time in photos for you. I would love to be part of your story by documenting your baby’s first few days. If you’re interested in booking, let’s chat! Otherwise, please join my VIP email list to connect that way for upcoming spring specials.
HELLO
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