(#3 might not be what you think!)

At Morning Light Photography, you’ll receive $100 off the total cost of your maternity and newborn sessions when you book them together. In this blog, we want to share how we’ve formed our newborn sessions to be flexible and accommodating to your needs with a new baby. 

By the end of this article, you’ll have our best tips, and feel excited to share this special experience with your baby and family! 

Read on to learn how to: 

1) Prepare 

2) Choose a location 

3) Choose a time for your newborn photography shoot. 

Thinking about newborn photos? Start here.

One of the first things you’ve been dreaming of doing with your baby is a newborn photoshoot. You’ve imagined placing precious family and baby photos on your walls, sharing them with your friends and family, and flipping through album pages for years to come. 

If you start to think about the logistics of a newborn photoshoot before your baby has arrived, it can feel overwhelming. But during those long-awaited days with your precious new baby, stress is the last thing you need. We get it, and we have a plan!

Photoshoots that prioritize comfort for you and your baby: 

We know that every couple’s journey to a newborn baby is unique (and that a baby’s “ETA” is anything but perfectly “on schedule”). We don’t want you to feel pressure to plan out the logistics of your photoshoot until you know exactly what your body and baby need at that time. That’s why we’ve formed our newborn family sessions to be flexible to your needs when your baby has arrived. We’ve developed our family sessions with you in mind, from the preparation, location, to the timing so you can look forward to them as a celebration, not stress out about them.

What you’ll get out of a newborn lifestyle shoot with Morning Light: 

We want to share a few of those details here with you so you can feel certain that:

• You will end up with the most stunning photos of you and your baby for your walls and albums
• You will feel comfortable and relaxed during the photoshoot
• You won’t have to stress out when planning the details leading up to the photoshoot
• You’ll share some beautiful moments with your growing family 

You just focus on the task ahead – welcoming your baby to the world. We’ll make sure your newborn photoshoot is a fun way of documenting this new chapter of your life.

But first, a quick note about newborn lifestyle photography:

Did you know that there are actually different types of newborn photo styles? While we are totally willing to capture whatever moments matter most to you during your maternity journey, our style is a light and airy form of lifestyle photography. This means that we like to emphasize the interactions between you, your baby and any siblings. We love to capture you all looking at each other, having fun together, and being present in each moment. Those natural moments are where the magic really is!

Take a look at our gallery to get an idea of the kind of photos we love to take for our clients!

If you have any questions about our style, or if you’ve collected inspo photos and want to run them by us, you can reach us here.

3 ways we make newborn photography sessions stress-free and fun

• Preparation: Setting the Mood for Your Photoshoot  

You’ve been planning your baby’s arrival for months now, if not years. As your bump slowly grows bigger, your maternity to-do list starts to get shorter. You’ve set up the crib, decorated the nursery, taken maternity photos and now, we think you should soak up these moments of anticipation. 

After all, waiting for something to arrive is part of the joy of finally receiving it! 

The main thing we want you to focus on is all the sweet moments you want to share with your baby during your photoshoot and daily life! What things are meaningful to you and your family? 

Things you could incorporate into your newborn photography shoot:

• Have you curated the perfect lullaby playlists? We can play it in the background!
• Is there a theme in your nursery that you’re excited to see in your family photos?
• Are there family keepsakes or traditions from your childhood that you’re planning to share with your child?
• Are there children’s books you’re excited to read to your baby? 
• What do you imagine yourself wearing when you’re snuggling with your baby?

We would love to help you incorporate these meaningful pieces into the props, posed and candid shots we take. 

Newborn Photography Props:

Our advice is always to go simple. Choose a couple of meaningful props but don’t go overboard. You don’t want to distract attention from the emotion of the moment. At the end of the day, these photos are about you and your new baby. Focusing on that relationship is what will mean the most to you both when you look at the photos years from now. What we love to incorporate are background vibes that help you feel relaxed, natural and totally, completely in love with your baby. (That one song that makes you smile when you rock your baby, that line in a Robert Munsch book that gets you every time… those are things we really want to capture in the moment!) 

If the only thing you plan is to have a couple of these “favourite things” present at your shoot, that is absolutely perfect! We can help you choose a wardrobe, curate the right textures and colours to incorporate in photos from around your home and get you into the perfect poses. No worries there.

A Couple Quick Tips When Preparing for Your Photography Shoot:  

After you’ve collected all the ideas and moments you’ve been imagining, we have a few quick and easy tips to follow to make your photoshoot fun and easy!

• Wardrobe: We always recommend wearing neutral colours and tones (whites, greys, beiges, blush pinks, dusty blues …) to our photoshoots because they will best compliment the light and airy style we create.
• Feeding: We’re always flexible to your schedules, but we recommend feeding your baby right before your photoshoot so they’re calm and sleepy for their pictures. 

• Location: Choosing the right place for your newborn photoshoot 

Let us just start by saying that at Morning Light Photography, we are always down for an adventure. If you’re feeling great and want to get a picture of your newborn baby in your favourite hiking spot, we’ll make it happen. On the other hand, we also find that clients planning a newborn photoshoot often opt to stay close to home or just stay at home! The choice is yours. 

The Benefits of Outdoor Photos for Your Newborn Session:

Whether there’s a location you have in mind, or you need some ideas, we always have a special place in our heart for outdoor photos. Nature gives us the perfect backdrop to capture your growing family tree. Doing some of your photos outside can be great because: 

• It gives you some new ideas for poses (ie. picnics, picking flowers, blowing bubbles, going for walks holding hands)
• Natural lighting is always incredible for the light and airy style (especially that morning and evening golden light!) 
• It gives extra depth to the photos with open spaces and so many natural colours and textures
• It’s a great way to entertain your baby’s siblings and give them the space to run around freely
• You don’t have to worry about what your house looks like during this chaotic time

Benefits of At-Home Photos for Your Newborn Session:

While some clients feel most at home in the great outdoors, others love being at home. If you find your home is the most natural environment and comforting space for you, especially when adjusting to postpartum life, we’re glad to do your photos there too.

Taking newborn photos at your home can be great because: 

• We can take photos in the nursery you’ve spent so much time designing
• You’ll have all your creature comforts around you and don’t need to worry about forgetting anything
• Instead of spending time packing a bag and driving, you can have a few extra minutes for self-care or a nap
• You’ll know where everything is and can easily do wardrobe changes in between shots
• We can also use your backyard, front porch, or nearby outdoor spaces if you have those options available 

Quick Tips for At-Home Photos:

First of all, don’t stress about cleaning. It’s always such an honour to be in your home with your new family, we are not going to judge any messes! You’re adjusting to newborn life after all – a picture-perfect home is not your priority. We’ll help you narrow down the spots in your house where we can take the photos so all we have to do is clear off that area. It won’t matter what’s outside of that frame. 

Now, if you want to prepare any areas ahead of time, a couple of places in the home we love to shoot are: 

• The nursery (of course!)
• A living room couch
• A bed with a puffy duvet and lots of throw pillows

When we’re looking for great spaces to shoot in, we’re looking for rooms with the most natural light and neutral tones. We’ll help you scout out those spots when we get there if you’d like help! 

• Timing: Respecting your Family’s Routines   

This part of the photoshoot is so important to us, but not for the reason you may think! If you Google search “ best time to get newborn photography” you will get a lot of advice about the best times to schedule your shoot. Here is what we think is missing from all of this advice, however – baby’s are always cute and beautiful no matter how many weeks old they are! The fear of missing out on a certain type or stage of newborn photos shouldn’t be the driving motivation for a photoshoot, especially if it’s at the expense of your own wellness. You will know when your mind, body and baby are ready to enjoy a photoshoot, and we don’t want you to feel pressure to do it any earlier. 

So, here is what we typically recommend for booking: 

1. Book your newborn photography shoot when you book your maternity shoot. That way we have an estimated date in the calendar (and you can take advantage of our discount offer!)
2. Bring your baby home and get into your unique rhythm. 
3. The first earliest day you are feeling good and ready to be photographed, give us a call and we’ll find our first available day!

Picking a Day: 

These are just guidelines, but we find our clients often like to wait until at least three-days old to book because it gives them a chance to develop a feeding and nap routine. We want to respect whatever rhythm you’ve developed with your family. Our newborn photoshoots tend to happen on weekdays, and we’ll book around your nap times and feeding schedules. However, we also know that babies are unpredictable! Don’t feel awkward at all if you need to step out for a diaper change, or another feeding, we are totally flexible and willing to accommodate. It’s an honour for us to be there with you in all the baby real-ness.

The 14-Day “Rule”:

You will find a lot of advice online about when to schedule your newborn family shoot, especially around booking it before 14 days post-birth. Here are a few reasons why our clients may choose to book their shoot within two weeks of bringing their baby home: 

• Usually, their partner is still off of work during that fourteen-day time, so it’s a little easier to have both of you available for the pictures
• Since many babies experience acne after the 14-day mark, parents will often try to sneak in photos before any baby blemishes develop
• Babies are still able to curl up into the tight “in the womb” pose before 14 days 

Newborn Photography after 14-days old:  

But let’s pause here and remind ourselves again that if you are not feeling up to a photoshoot before two weeks, you have definitely not missed out! There are also many great reasons to wait a little longer than 14 days to schedule your photoshoot: 

• It allows your body extra recovery time if needed 
• You might need a little longer than two weeks to develop a feeding and sleeping rhythm, and that is totally normal and okay
• If your baby does experience a wave of acne, our light and airy editing style covers it up well, so if you’re feeling concerned about that, no need to stress!
• Even if you miss the chance for the “in the womb” curled-up poses, there are still many other poses we can use (plus, that adorable baby chub tends to come in after 14 days, and that is absolutely gold in newborn photos!)

So, the moral of the story here is that your baby is beautiful and perfect in every single stage, so it really comes down to when you are feeling up to a photoshoot as a family.

How long are the sessions?

We book 1-hour newborn sessions because that is usually the best length of time to get all the poses you want, without it feeling too strenuous on your family during this time of transition. We’ll work with you on that day to keep a good balance between getting the perfect shots and keeping you feeling comfortable. 

(And yes, morning times work for us… we don’t call ourselves “Morning Light” for nothing! *wink*) 

Conclusion:

Shooting newborn family photos is one of the many privileges of our work. Every single photoshoot is memorable and unique to us. We are so excited to laugh with you, swoon over your precious bundle of joy and document the start of your new journey together. 

We love helping you document the major milestones of you and your family’s life! 

Need newborn photography ideas and inspiration? Check out our gallery of clients we’ve worked with to get ideas for outfits, props and poses. Or take a look at our Pinterest board for newborn photography inspiration. 

Want to save $100 on your newborn photography shoot with us? Contact us here to ask about our maternity-newborn photo package.