8 advantages of having basic Newborn Photos at home : What to Expect

First up, what is the difference between  lifestyle newborn photos at home and a more conventional posed newborn photoshoot? Well with lifestyle newborn photos at home it is way more relaxed and less posed. Here are the main differences :

Lifestyle newborn photoshoot

1. normally done at your home
2. less posing and more documentary style, a day in the life of, or the relationship with your little one.
3. focuses more on the new relationship between baby and parents

Posed Newborn photoshoot

1. normally done in studio but can be done at your home as well
2. very posed, uses a lot of props and wraps etc for baby
3. A lot of time is spent trying to get baby asleep to get them in the perfect pose for the elaborate setup with the props etc.

Both of these options are great ways to celebrate the birth of your newest family member, but today we want to focus on the lifestyle newborn photos at home and why we think this is a really great idea.

There are several reasons to consider having lifestyle newborn photos at home. Her are a few we have lined out for you.

reasons to have newborn photos at home

1. This can be a little later than a photoshoot with wraps etc, which needs to be done within the first ten days. This is because to get baby to sleep and be in wraps etc, after two weeks they generally move around too much and are a lot more aware of their surroundings.  instead you can wait 2 weeks to a month if you prefer to with a lifestyle newborn photoshoot at home.
2. You can choose the outfits you want for your baby – you can have something that is more personal to you and your family, as baby does not need to be wrapped up in specific wraps etc.
3. This generally requires a lot less time than a newborn photoshoot with props and wraps, as there is less posing and waiting , and less setup.
4. This also means it is a cheaper option as it requires less of the photographers time, and there is no need to hire expensive props or wraps.
5. It is a more natural way to have photos of your baby – you can go about your daily routine in the home with your baby and the photographer can follow you around , and you can pick a spot with natural light somewhere in the home to do more posed photos, or if you have the space we can set up a mobile studio background to do a few more posed options like the ones above with baby Darius.
6. You can make the photoshoot more personal to you as it incorporates your home, babys room and settings.
7. Overall this is a less stressful option both for you and your newborn. It has a more natural feel to it.
8. Baby is generally more comfortable in their own environment that they are already used to , which also makes the photoshoot go more smoothly.

That said, preparation is still key if you want to have a successful newborn photoshoot. So here are some tips to make sure you get some really great shots of your newborn baby.

Preparing for your newborn photos at home

1. Make sure the house is clean and tidy . i know this can be difficult with the chaos of a newborn around, but especially if you want to have more natural photos in the home then this is a must. Remove all clutter that does not need to be there, especially anything with bright colours. Try to keep the backgrounds as natural as possible.
2. Check if you have a space of about 4×4 metres. If you do then we can easily set up a studio background for some more classic posed shots if you prefer, or if the house is too cluttered or dark, then this is also a great option
3. check lighting- is there enough natural light in your home? Big windows? The more light the better in this instance, and if there are light coloured curtains in front this is really great as it will help to diffuse the light as well.
4. Think about where you want to to take your newborn photos at home. which rooms do you want to use. Take some photos of these spaces and send them to the photographer so they can also assess what is best
5. even better is if the photographer can do a site visit beforehand and assess if its possible to do the newborn photos at your home or if an alternative is better.
6. consider outdoor photos as well. As your baby is a little older and can be dressed warmly, this can also make really fantastic photos as well.
7. Also because they are a little older they may be slightly more predictable, so check when they normally nap or are hungry so you can plan the photoshoot around that.
8. Prepare a few things you may need to be close at hand – neutral coloured towels, nappies, bottles, expressed milk if you are breast feeding, water, and any outfits you want to use.
9. Prepare for the photoshoot to take about two hours. Although this is shorter than a posed newborn photoshoot, it does still require some patience as babys really do things on their own time.
10. Have a means to keep the house at a fairly warm comfortable temperature – they do prefer to be a little warmer generally.
11. consider outfits for the whole family – as you will all be in the photoshoot. Wear complimentary colours , and also bear in mind the colour scheme in your home as you don’t want this to clash too much either.