I am not here to tell you that one type of session is better than the other. Shoot 2 years ago I was a posed newborn artist. Both types of sessions are beautiful and have a ton of benefits. Lifestyle session aren’t as popular as the posed newborn but here is why you should consider doing one!! 

Let’s look at the benefits of a newborn lifestyle session

Ok, so the first and most obvious benefit, my personal favorite… would be that you don’t have to pack up the whole family and rush out the door to the studio! You’re sore. You’re breast are engorged and leaking all sorts of fluids. You have to pack an extra bag with your squeeze bottle and extra pads. Your toddler isn’t cooperating. Neither is dad and he could care less about getting photos done, he’s over it! Not to mention, you’re trying to establish a routine. One that is definitely going to be thrown off by the cluster feeding situation at the studio to keep your baby nice and sleepy. 

Next up… my second favorite, might as well go in order of the good stuff! Have you ever taken your toddler to get photos done and the entire time you are stressing because you can’t get them to smile at the camera? Or when they do its that super exaggerated fake smile or they are picking their nose because thats what is funny to them in this age? No worries, you’re not alone… coming from a background of studio and portrait work everyones kids do it! Doing a session within your home totally eliminates this stress because your child is in their own element. There isn’t any bribery happening. They didn’t get a smile for the camera lecture all morning, they have no reason to have performance anxiety. In fact it is the opposite. They want to show me their bedroom, their toys, they want to share their world with your photographer. Best of all, their smiles are real and you really get to capture their personality. 

Let go of the pressure

There is no pressure to photograph baby in the first 2 weeks as with most traditional posed sessions. If baby is awake, that’s ok! If baby needs to eat, or be changed, that is ok and a part of their newborn story. 

The lifestyle sessions capture the setting for your growing family! Your home- no matter how you feel about it, is part of your family’s story. Your children will remember what life felt like in those walls. My favorite pictures from when I was a baby are ones that tell a story about where we lived, what kind of clothes my parents wore, and what my siblings were up to. It’s part of our life story. I’ve traded props and princess crowns for first teddy bears, lovies, or that quilt that grandma Betty made. 

“Capturing connection is the key and the main goal”

Newborn lifestyle sessions are definitely not just about the baby. Capturing connection is the key and the main goal. Getting the good stuff and capturing the sibling interaction in a real authentic way. I even like to capture visitors, Grandma and Grandpa helping out in those first couple of weeks, cousins, aunties and uncles, best friends. It doesn’t matter who is there, it is all a part of your story! 

We still make sure to get those fleeting details, their tiny little feet and hands, their little button nose, pouty lips, big eyes, eyelashes and sweet yawns. They are also super important. 

So as your shopping around for your photographer definitely don’t rule out a lifestyle session, it can be very rewarding! You can check out the video from this lifestyle session below! Ready to book a session? Let’s chat!