Newborn Lifestyle Photography vs Traditional Newborn Photos
You just got to meet your little bundle of joy and are soaking up every little second. Holding onto every tiny sneeze or almost smile and hoping it never ends. Those first few weeks after your baby is born are magical. It's so fun to get to know your sweet babe and something you never want to forget. This is why newborn photos are so meaningful and why I love doing newborn lifestyle photography. We get to hold onto those moments for years to come.
The thing about traditional newborn photos is that we often times prop them up and pose them in those little positions. Don’t get me wrong, they're cute! But it's not natural. It just isn’t a real representation of how your baby is, the way they move, how they are comfortable, all those little things that we’re obsessed with in the first few weeks, we pose it away. That’s why I’m a huge fan of newborn lifestyle photography.
What is newborn lifestyle photography?
It’s capturing the most natural state of your new baby. Those sweet moments that you didn’t run to grab your phone for a picture because you didn't want to miss it- we capture that moment in time so you can relive the memory forever and ever. We allow your baby to be natural and do what is enjoyable for them, and document that. This could look like letting your baby sleep comfortably, and show you and your partner admiring them in the bassinet. Or it could mean you get to play your favorite game to get them to smile and look back at that joy you all felt in that moment years later when they start their first day of school.
Benefits of Newborn Lifestyle Photography
Newborn lifestyle photography allows you and your family to live naturally and enjoy moments together as you normally would. Instead of looking back at photos that were posed and positioned in random ways, you get to relieve a real moment in time of how it actually happened. That means you get to remember how it really feels to bond with your newborn in those first few weeks. How beautiful is that!?
When you get traditional newborn photos at a mall or in a studio, they position your baby in unnatural ways. They twist and prop them up up to look like cute frogs or bundled into a little ball. You have probably seen the photos I'm talking about and if that's the look you’re going for, there is, nothing wrong with that! They are super cute and make my mom-heart gush. It's just not a real representation of your baby’s personality or a depiction of those little bonding moments you get to share with them. I personally love being able to look back at my kids’ newborn photos and remember the little faces they made or how my husband and I bonded over getting to know our baby in daily routines.
How I discovered this
Upon the birth of my daughter in 2019, I was keen to capture some endearing photos of her. Initially, I attempted the conventional method by watching numerous educational videos on how to swaddle and pose a newborn, and spent hours wrapping her up meticulously without causing any discomfort. Unfortunately, this approach proved to be futile. My daughter struggled to break free from the swaddle, and was visibly unhappy with my constant adjustments. The resulting photos lacked authenticity and emotional depth, as my daughter yearned for my loving embrace. She cried out with tears streaming down her face, and I too shed tears, realizing the distress I was causing her for the sake of a photograph that did not truly represent her. This was an emotional moment for both of us.
As I reflected on my daughter's behavior, I came to the realization that like anyone else, she desired comfort and freedom. It was unreasonable to expect her to endure being maneuvered in different positions without her consent. This epiphany prompted me to shift my approach to newborn photography, eschewing unnatural poses in favor of capturing genuine moments where my daughter felt secure and connected with me. It only made sense that she would want to feel at ease in her own home.
My daughter wanted to be comfortable. She wanted to feel close to her mom and safe in her home. Can you blame her?! Sometimes we think that newborns are just babies and we can set them up “just for the picture!” and it’ll be no big deal. But they are so smart and so much more intuitive than we give them credit for. And this is why I started doing newborn lifestyle photography. I started with my own daughter and got to see how transformative it was for both of us. She was happier and easier to work with. I was actually enjoying the moment and able to appreciate capturing her photos. I was able to save little moments where she smiled or stared into my or my husband's eyes. It was truly a game-changer.
How to book a newborn lifestyle photoshoot
If you have had a similar experience with a newborn photoshoot (or have been convinced through my own experience) and want in on this beautiful newborn lifestyle photography thing, here are three tips for booking your own session.
Decide how you want your photos to make you feel
Do you want to see all the family moments with smiles and laughter in your very own living room? Or maybe you want to document your intimate journey in motherhood with pictures of you nursing. When you know what feelings and vibe you want the photos to hold, you’ll know what you’re looking for in a photographer.
Be very open and communicative with your photographer
Whenever you decide on and book with your photographer, communicate all your expectations and the entire vision for the shoot. Even if you love their photos already, you still need to be very clear with what you expect to see and feel in the following years. Yes, communication is key even in this relationship!
Allow yourself to be in the moment.
As much as lifestyle photos are supposed to show a day in your life and be very natural, it can be challenging when you have a camera in your home. This is why I love getting to know my clients before our session so it's at least a little bit more comfortable when I come into your home. But either way, it helps to come into it with an open mind and relaxed energy. This is the best way for me to capture your natural beauty as a mother and a family. Click here to read more ways to bond with your newborn
Book your newborn photo session
We get newborn photos done to document those very first moments with a new member of our family. You want to be able to look back and remember how sweet your babe looked, the silly things they did, and how your bond grew over time. That’s just not something you can get from a traditional, propped-up, and posed photo. That's why newborn lifestyle photography is my favorite way of capturing newborn photos for my clients. Click below to book your session.
