Newborn sessions are such a beautiful time where we are able to freeze time and capture baby in their first few days gathered by family. I offer newborn sessions in-home for my clients, and let me tell you why:

  • No need to travel. Especially in baby’s first few days, things can be stressful and traveling may just add to it. 
  • You’ll have anything you may need. If baby isn’t feeling photos, you’ll have anything you may need for photos to help out such as a bottle, pacifier, change to temperature in house, etc. 
  • More cozy for everyone involved! Especially if you’re working with other kids, keeping everyone at home makes it so much more comfortable for them and everyone else. You don’t need to worry about them running around a new area, and they’ll be happy to show off their space! 
  • More authentic and personal. I think newborn sessions are so much more special at home when you’re able to take photos in the space you are always at. Home is where you go on long days, where you relax and where you make memories with family. So why not do them in your own space?

With in home newborn sessions, I always give clients a list of things to consider when taking photos in their space. It’s important to make sure the space is prepared so it looks good for photos and it’s functional to work with for easy flow. Here’s what you can do to make the space prepared for your upcoming newborn session:

  • Have a game plan. Figure out where you want to have that photos taken. Most families opt for having photos taken in the living room, the parents room, or baby’s room. We can do all spots depending with the time we’re working with, or stick to one. Regardless, think of where you want photos ahead of time and make sure it will be functional. Is there space to move around? Are there cozy spots? If you want to do standing photos? will there be room to stand without having anything in the way?
  • Make sure you tidy the areas you may want to visit. Trust me, nobody wants to clean especially if you’re about to welcome a baby or already had baby. But trust me, you won’t want to look back at your photos and notice if there’s stacks of papers, laundry, exercise equipment, etc. in the background. Per contract, I really do not offer retouching or photoshop - with newborn sessions, I will touch up some baby acne if there is any that you may want cleared away, but I will not be photoshopping things out of the background since it is very time consuming and not something I personally offer. With that being said, it’s so important to tidy the area because while you may think I can easily snap it out of the back, it’s a bit more complex than that. 
  • Consider having everything you may need in one central spot. This includes spare bottles, pacifiers, bows, etc. - anything you think you may need. This will make the process run a bit smoother knowing you’ll have whatever you need right there!
  • Consider using a white noise machine for baby to help settle them down. This one is a great idea to consider! If you don’t have a white noise machine, even pulling up a YouTube video can work great. I notice that during individual photos of baby they’re often a bit more fussy, so white noise is a great way to soothe them down for photos. 
  • Heat the space up. Babies often are used to warm spaces, and this is the same when it comes to their newborn session. Similar to the previous point, heating the space up is another great way to soothe baby for their photos. 

With all points in mind, it’s a good idea to make sure you properly prepare for your newborn session.

If you have any questions that I haven’t addressed, send me an email to jennakardaszphotos@gmail.com and I’d love to get them answered for you! I look forward to being able to capture baby’s first few moments and to photograph new beginnings for you and your family.