Why You Don’t Want a Newborn Photography Studio Session

As a first-time mom, from the moment that stick shows two lines, your changes forever. With so many decisions to make for your baby, one important choice is how to document their arrival. One choice to make is how to will you document your baby’s arrival. Will you opt for a lifestyle photo session or will you have a newborn photography studio session?

Having your baby’s newborn portraits taken should be a time of joy and not stress. So I’m sharing the top reasons you don’t want a newborn photography studio session.

The first reason is that leaving your home after giving birth sucks.

Take it from me (I’ve had 6 babies), and after giving birth, all I wanted to do was snuggle up with my baby on the couch. There are so many doctor appointments those first couple of weeks, the last thing you want to do is make another trip out for a newborn photography session in a studio.

There is packing up diapers, wipes, change of clothes, burp cloths, and pacifiers for baby. Then there are all the postpartum and nursing items for you, mama. It’s a process.

Why add the extra stress, when you could have a lifestyle newborn photographer come to your home?

Speaking of adding stress…

Newborn photography studio sessions can be stressful for mom and baby.

Often the poses photography studios will put your newborn baby in are not natural. They require babies to be alone on a bean bag in awkward shapes and poses. While they may seem cute on film, it was not natural for your baby. It can take a long time for a photographer to get your baby calm and asleep enough to be in those poses. If your baby isn’t sleeping or is upset, they will be unable to get those posed photos. Not to mention, the only place your baby wants to be is in your arms.

With an in-home newborn photo session, your baby does not have to leave your arms or be in uncomfortable poses. There is no stress if your baby is awake during your session. Plus, if you have a NICU baby you won’t be “too late” for photos when your baby is home.

Another reason photography studio sessions are not ideal is they are not easy to include siblings and pets in your newborn photos.

Toddlers and young kids are busy! That’s okay. They are supposed to be. However, being in a small space like a photography studio is tricky for newborn photos. As your child needs to take a break, or while the photographer focuses on just baby, there is little space for your toddler to be. However, newborn photos in your home allow your children to come and go during your session. They can take breaks, grab a snack, and even go play in their rooms with dad while we focus on the newborn baby.

Could you imagine bringing your pets (the fur babies of the home) to a photography studio for newborn photos? Many studios do not allow pets. Plus, go back up to point one….leaving the house after giving birth, with a dog and newborn in tow? Again, another point for in-home newborn photo sessions.

You cannot include details like your nursery in studio sessions.

You put the work into your baby’s nursery. It should be included in your newborn photos. However, it is impossible to have your newborn baby captured in the nursery at a photography studio.

A nursery is something you put love and thought into. You designed it as you dreamed of your baby enjoying the space. Don’t let it get lost forever once the “big kid” room comes along.

Other details and spaces that are captured during lifestyle in-home photography sessions are the master bedroom and/or your living room. These spaces are where you brought your baby home. They are where you spent time rocking them, holding them, and watching them breathe on your chest. Photographs of your newborn like this can’t be captured at a photography studio.

Finally, do you really want your newborns’ first photos to be overly curated and Photoshopped photos from a photography studio?

Babies in baskets with skin as smooth as a doll is not for me. Your baby is perfect as they are. They do not need to be photographed looking like a frog to be cute. They are beautiful with the skin they have. Your newborn does not need to be Photoshopped so that their skin looks overly smooth and plastic.

What message are we sending our children if these are the first photos they have? What message are we sending other mothers who see their babies with peeling skin or texture in their skin, and they worry that their baby is “wrong.”

Your newborn baby is beautiful how they are. You don’t want a newborn photography studio session. You simply want beautiful photos of your baby that are laid back and about your baby, your love for your baby, and all of those details that make up this special time for your family.

Ready for a better newborn photo session experience? Contact me to get your session booked and your due date on my calendar.

Want to learn more about lifestyle newborn photography? Head to the session info page and portfolio pages. Plus, subscribe to my newsletter for regular tips to have a more relaxed photo session.