6 Ways to Prepare for Your in Home Newborn Portraits

In home newborn portraits -Newborn Family bed by claire binks photography

I absolutely doing in home newborn portraits. I know how hard it can be to leave the house in the early days.  I hope that by coming to your home, I can take some of the stress away!  Because I take more natural posed images, I find using a clients home to be the best space to attain those intimate special moments.  Here are some of the ways, I like to tell my clients to prepare for our photo session.  This ensures the session can run smoothly and everyone is feeling like their best self!

1. Feed the baby!

Before I arrive, make sure baby is fed. A fed baby is a content baby. It doesn’t matter to me if baby is asleep or awake.  We will go with the flow. If your little ones needs a top up while we are taking our images, we will pause and let baby eat.  These can also make for some special photo opportunities. 

2. Warm your house!

If you’d like images of baby in just a diaper or diaper shirt then please crank your heat or turn down your ac.  A warm baby is a happy baby! We may feel hot but baby will be nice and toasty.  

3. Choose simple, timeless clothes for the baby

If you have an outfit you’d like baby to wear, please make sure it fits them!  When clothes are too big, the photos look awkward and baby looks like they are being swallowed up.  Try to have a plain diaper shirt on hand without logos.  White tends to be more timeless but if you have a colour scheme in mind then go with that! My advice is keep it simple.  We want to focus on your newborn and not their outfit. 

4. Choose simple clothing for yourselves

Parents dress so you feel comfortable and relaxed.  You don’t need to be matching but try to stay in the same tonal family.  Here is a link to some outfit ideas. I’m also happy to help you choose your outfits before the session.  Just send me some snaps and I’ll give you my feedback!

5. Keep the swaddles simple!

Have some neutral swaddle blankets on hand too.  If baby is fussy, I like to swaddle them so they feel secure and warm!  I also have a small selection of wraps, I am happy to bring with me to our session. We can discuss these details when you book your session.

6. Declutter areas near your big light sources

I generally shoot in the main bedroom, nursery and living room.  This all depends on the lighting situation.  Please try and remove any clutter, you would not like photographed. For example, take all the items off your night stands like phone chargers, glasses of water, books etc.   You don’t need a spotless house, just a few tidy areas where we can work. I will help you move small items when I am there. 

 

Hooray, you’ve made it through my list of top tips to prepare for your in home newborn portraits!  I hope this list was helpful.

 

While you are here, please check out some of my in home newborn portraits!  I would love the opportunity to photograph your growing family!

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