Preparing yourself, your family and your home
for a lifestyle newborn session.
Why a lifestyle newborn shoot is for you:
Lifestyle baby photos are all about you, your family, your baby, your bond.
It focuses on the connection between you and your baby. Photographs are taken in your home and your baby’s new surroundings. This includes candid interactions with the baby including close details.
How to Prepare: A Timeline
2-9 months before birth:
Contact CMP with your due date and vision for your photos.
Discuss packages and options to suit your needs.
Book session. Sign contract. Put down retainer.
Begin thinking about two important topics:
- What to wear.
- Where in your house to plan for the photographs.
For Mom:
Colors
Neutral colors like white, cream, beige, and gray are flattering and timeless. They also help keep the focus on the baby. Pastels can also work well and can coordinate with the nursery.
Avoid bright colors, which can cause color casts on the baby's skin.
Comfort
Wear something that makes you feel beautiful and comfortable. You can try a flowy dress, a top and pants, or a tank top with a sweater over it and leggings.
Fabric
Flowy and textured fabrics can add a feminine touch.
For Dad:
Coordination
You can coordinate with your partner or other family members by choosing a color scheme. Pick one or two colors to base your outfits on.
Facial Hair
Shave the morning of. Haircut 1-2 weeks prior.
For Siblings:
Comfort
Comfort is key for younger siblings. Barefoot, socks or slippers are great alternatives to shoes. Choose clothes that make them feel relaxed and comfortable. Having a new baby can be a big shock to their systems. Making them FEEL comfortable is critical to feeling relaxed.
Coordination
Siblings should dress in neutral colors too. Again, this is the time for the focus to be on baby. Grey, white, cream, navy are all great for newborn sessions. Patterns are okay as long a they are simple and not distracting.
For Baby:
Choices
Choose 2-3 outfits (including blankets and accessories) that you love for your newborn session. This allows us to get some variety in your images, it gives us a back-up outfit in case of stains during the session, and it prevents us from losing too much precious session time for wardrobe changes. Also keep in mind that we can use individual elements (like a headband, hat, diaper cover, or blanket) of each of the outfits you’ve selected for additional variety.
Color
Dress baby in neutrals as they photograph best with fresh baby’s skin.
Whites, creams, and grays work really well for baby. No matter your baby’s skin tone, these neutrals will allow baby to stand out.
Newborn skin can be a little red or yellow and other colors can only leave color casts (meaning, the light that bounces off the outfit reflects onto their skin leaving their skin looking the color of their outfit….think of pink or red or green skin, not ideal, right?!)
Neutrals also remain classic and timeless, helping your photos to age well, and again leaving the focus on baby and your family with baby.
Hats & Bows
A hat or bow is a lovely accessory in newborn photos, however you want hat/bow to be well-fitting and neutral. Too big, and any movement pulls the hat off, or moves the hat into his or her face.
Bows should be soft and tiny and not too large or too tight. Large bows can take over your daughter’s head.
Dresses and Fancy Clothes
I do ask that you avoid fancy outfits. New babies tend to get “lost” in a fancy little outfit or dress and it can make them uncomfortable.
Blankets
You can also pick out a couple of your favorite blankies for me to wrap baby in.
The key here is to be comfortable. I want to tell your unique and beautiful family story so ultimately, it doesn’t matter what you are wearing as long as you feel good in it.
WHere to take the photos
Nursery
The most popular choice for photos. We can move effortless into multiple places. The rocker where you're feeding or cuddling baby, the crib for baby to lie in alone, highlighting how tiny she is, the room with all the details. Please consider the natural light coming in from the windows. I prefer photos to look naturally bright and well lit. Please make sure to let me know any darker colors in the nursery or if you've got dark walls. I will bring a lighting kit but I do try to use as much natural light as I can.
Master Bedroom
My favorite shot in the master is the family on the bed, holding the baby. There's something so special about this photo, showing such an intense bond in a sacred place. Please consider colors in the room. Remove clutter if you can but don't go crazy. I can always move things when I'm there as well setting up the shots.
Other Rooms
Other locations include the family room, guest bedroom, front porch or kitchen. If other rooms are significant to you or you like the way the room looks, just let me know that's your preferred shooting location and we'll go there. Family and living rooms are great for family shots too.
***I would suggest planning for 2 rooms for a 1 hour lifestyle newborn shoot.
1 month before birth:
Return questionnaire to CMP outlining your vision including choice of rooms.
Order outfits for photoshoot. Have siblings try their clothes on. Steam or iron anything that has wrinkles.
Keep CMP posted of any significant and important information that may impact our photoshoot, ie, scheduled C-section date.
Assemble any heirlooms that you may want photographed.
Birthday and the days following:
Let CMP know when you deliver.
When you receive your discharge date, please contact CMP with the best day for you to do the photos. Photos are preferable at 5-10 days old, however, every situation is unique and you will cherish the photos when you take them even if they are later than that. I've done newborn photos at one month, two months, three months. It's okay if you cannot do it sooner, just keep me posted of any delays.
Newborn photos are typically done Monday-Friday at noon. Noon is the preferable time for photos as the light in the home is the brightest.
The day of the photos:
Mom, this day is about you. What this means is that YOU need to feel your best. Shower, do your hair and makeup if you want, eat something healthy and nourishing, and try to relax as much as you can. Your house doesn't need to be perfect. I don't want you cleaning or stressed out. I can often just move things out of the frame for photos and then I will return them to where they were when we're done. Chaos is expected when you come home from the hospital. I will make anything be picture ready.
Please turn the heat up in the house warmer than normal. A warm house is a cozy house and we want the baby to be very sleepy and cozy.
If you're able to, one hour before the photoshoot, take baby and bond while Dad gets himself and the other children ready. Feed him, change him, snuggle him and enjoy your newborn. Feeding one hour prior
to the session usually allows us to get started without having to feed him again immediately but it's okay if that's not that case!
I will start with family photos and Dad's photos with baby. If Dad has other things to do, you can tell him you only need him for 30 minutes. If there are siblings, you can tell him he'll be in charge of them after about 30 minutes. If he would like to be part of the session from start to finish, that is perfectly fine.
The second half of the session will focus on Mom with baby. If you would like to feed or nurse the baby this is a great time to do it.
What to expect during the session:
Expect imperfection. The baby will poop, cry and fuss. You will probably have to feed her. You may have a ruined outfit. No worries! This is how it goes.
Expect very slow moments. Holding, rocking, looking at Baby, not rushing from pose to pose.
Expect very subtle directions at times.
Expect an experience very different than other photoshoots you might have done in the past.
The photoshoot will take an hour. It might take more. It could take a little less.
The memories you have captured will be forever.
