5 Reasons to Love In-home Newborn Sessions || Lancaster Lifestyle Photographer

Maybe you are thinking about booking a newborn session soon and with so many photographers, styles or deciding between doing an in-home or studio session it can be overwhelming to decide what will be the best fit for you and your family’s needs. Maybe you would find it stressful to have to leave the house to go to a studio so soon after having a baby,  feeling overwhelmed at having a stranger in your home with your new baby or maybe you might be worried about what to wear or how your home will look. All these concerns are totally valid. Bringing home a newborn can be stressful and overwhelming but there are definitely some misconceptions about how in-home newborn sessions should be. I am super exited to be offering in-home newborn sessions as a new option for my clients this coming year so today I am going to share with you 5 reasons to love them! I promise you won’t be disappointed by having a photographer come to your home to photograph your lovely family. Below you will find 5 reasons to love in-home newborn sessions.

1) You can be in the comfort of your own home

Being photographed can be very intimidating for some people. I know this first hand because I feel awkward when I have to be in front of the camera. This is quite ironic since some of what I do during a session is actually help people feel comfortable and relaxed in front of a camera so they can be themselves! I have been told though that one of the best things clients have loved about their time with me was how relaxed they felt during the session.

Some people may be anxious to have their photos taken or feel that they wont perform well but a perk of being photographed in your home is you get to be in the comfort of a very familiar space and this often takes some of that stress out. There is nothing more enjoyable than being in your safe haven, your home, THE space that you can freely kick your shoes off, cuddle up in your favorite chair and be yourself. There is no need to put on your best outfits or feel nervous about having to pose when you are in a space that you are comfortable in.

Maybe lets whip up a fresh pot of coffee, listen to your favorite tunes and have some fun. Do what feels most comfortable and relaxing to you. Lets capture life as it happens, even if you think it feels stressful and messy. You’ll never be able to go back to those moments again so lets document them. There is no need to worry if the house isn’t perfectly picked up or you really want to wear your pajamas because that is real life and that is beautiful.

2) You don’t have to do a thing, besides feed and cuddle your kids (and maybe change a few diapers!)

You might have high hopes and expectations of taking photos yourself once you get home with your little bundle of joy, print off your favorites, hang a beautiful wall collage or design and print a cute photo album but lets face it, there is a good chance you won’t have time for any of that, not with all the cuddling you’ll be doing those first few weeks home. Why not cut yourself a break and hire someone to do it for you? Take the pressure off yourself and just enjoy being home with your new little family. Don’t be afraid to let someone come in to document and print your life moments for you so you can actually have your beautiful memories hanging in your home. Plus think about it, if you let someone come to you then you don’t even have to think about leaving the house at all. You literally do not need to do a thing except feed, cuddle and change a few diapers for that cute little baby of yours.

One piece of advice for those who do like to have a super clean and picked up home for photos is to hire someone to come in and clean your home before your scheduled photo session. This will take the pressure off you to do is so you can focus on that precious little bundle of joy. Check out Three Strands for more information. They offer cleaning service along with some amazing doula and postpartum services as well. Look at this as part of your self care. You are worth it.

3) Flexibility

You’ll notice a lot of my newborn portfolio on my website comprises of adorable little naked babies perfectly posed with a cute headband or hat in some sort of prop or on a textured backdrop. While this type of session is defiantly beautiful in its own way, it does usually require having a session done within the first 5-12 days or so of birth due to age specifics in order to do certain poses and set-ups. Some new mamas find that venturing out with their new baby only a few days after being home from the hospital can feel very overwhelming plus these sessions can sometimes last up to 4 hours with all the feedings, settling and posing that is required. If you feel totally up for having a photographer come at 8 days after birth that is awesome, but if you need a bit more time to adjust we can totally wait a few weeks until you feel more settled and in a better routine (if that is even possible with a newborn?)

The other great thing about in-home sessions are that they are more go with the flow and we are able to take the time we need without feeling rushed. If baby needs to be fed or settled we can do that (and those times often lead to capturing some great moments as well!) and again you we get to do that in the comfort of your familiar and cozy space.

Another perk of doing sessions in-home is that it allows for any siblings to have the time and space to adapt and adjust, in their own space, to having their new little brother or sister around. So pretty much in-home sessions bring so much flexibility for everyone in the family.

4) Your home is part of your life story

The family photos hanging in the hallway, the perfect little details of the nursery, the gentle flickering candle and a favorite book on your coffee table, the blanket you love to cuddle up with on a Saturday morning with a big cup of coffee or the kids messy playroom where you can hear giggling and laughter echoing down the hall. These little things are all a part of your beautiful story.

Or maybe you’re renting an apartment and your current space won’t be your forever home. It is non the less still part of the season you are in and totally worth documenting because your current space IS a perfect part of your story now. I have fond memories of our first apartment after we got married and I wish I would have documented more moments while we lived in that space but at that time I was so fixated on not having a perfect Pinterest home that I lost sight of the beauty we were actually living in. I hold some cherished memories from that time in our lives. It wasn’t a perfect space, nor was it big but it was ours at the time and without that little space we wouldn’t be where we are today. Let your space speak to the season that you are currently in because it is absolutely beautiful.

All you need is your favorite humans, some of your favorite things or activities and you have some beautiful memories that will be forever cherished.

5) You can easily include fur babies if you have any!

I often get asked if pets are allowed in my studio for newborn sessions and I sadly say no due to the nature of my work having tiny little newborns in there. Some photographers gladly welcome pets but It is something I have chosen not to allow so I can provide the safest and cleanest space for my tiny little clients.

Those who have fur babies know how much of an important part of our families they are. My life certainly would not be the same without my kitty cat! Pets bring us a joy and energy that can only come from soft wet noses or calming kitty purrs. We often refer to them our our ‘first child’ and we seriously cannot live without them am I right? I can understand why it is so important for some to include their pets in their photo session experiences. Doing an in-home session is perfect for this opportunity as it allows the pet to be a part of your family photos. Your pet will be in their familiar space which often leads to better cooperation and calmness once they get the curiosity bug out of them at the new stranger in the house. So lets get on some newborn AND puppy snuggle images shall we? I mean who wouldn’t love a photo of their fur baby giving a lil kiss to their new little baby brother or sister? I’m dying to photograph as newborn session with a big ole furry brother or sister.

 

You can see that there are many reasons to love doing an in-home newborn photo session. From not having to leave the comfort of your own home to including all your family members, you can be assured that this part of your beautiful life story will be preserved in a super special way. Let me know if you think of any more reasons to add to the list. Leave me a comment below and tell me about your in-home session experience and what you loved most about it!