First of all, every lifestyle session is probably NOT going to go as planned and that’s OKAY! Whether it’s your first child or your second/third/fourth/fifth, etc., your newborn won’t follow the plan and your toddlers or older children will certainly have a mind of their own. So, with those expectations cleared up, I also want you to know that you can RELAX knowing I am here to spend 1-2 hours in your environment and will capture you and your family in all your natural, day-to-day and beautiful glory!

A couple things to keep in mind when preparing and during your lifestyle newborn session are as follows:

1. This is your home and I am simply coming inside it to document your family. I will provide direction on posing and ways to interact (like when to snuggle in and where to put your hand to draw a connection), but mostly I want to follow your lead. Dads, DON’T look at me unless I ask you to 😉 When you look away from what holds your attention, you break that spell. But I will also be sure to capture some “looking at the camera” shots. This is all about your family. And mom’s, you can relax. You can trust me!
2. Have your space generously heated (if we’re undressing your newborn or taking any shots without their clothes on, they are sure to become chilled and therefore awaken and become cranky a lot more quicker). Even if you need to set up a space heater.
3. Decide what rooms you would like me to shoot in and get back to me on the direction of the windows and sunlight in the morning vs. the afternoon. I am a natural light photographer so I don’t use any artificial light or reflectors – majorly window light.
4. Declutter. You can either do it the night before after your little ones have been put to sleep or the morning of, and I may even feel the need to tuck some things away. I just want you to be aware and okay with the fact that we don’t want all the brightly-lit toys crowded around the couch in the living room, or the remotes on the end tables, or the diapers and wipes sitting out in the nursery (especially the diaper genie!) and even excess cords coming out from all directions behind furniture. Close doors to rooms where you may stash away these items and especially the door to the washroom 😉 I also want to warn you we may be moving furniture around to take advantage of great light or some unique set up – but I promise I will help tidy up!
5. Let the older siblings take breaks. I will plan to shoot them with the family, baby, mom and dad individually first in case naptime or snack time is coming up – but that doesn’t mean we can’t come back to them too. 6. And last but not least, feed your newborn whenever you feel the need. I don’t need him/her sleeping the entire time (I can swaddle them so it’s easier to keep those flailing arms and legs from scaring off big brother or sister) and we also know they tend to have their own schedule in the beginning. WE WILL GO WITH THE FLOW. At this time, I would like to clarify if mom would like any nursing photos of her and baby. These are very intimate and I always ask permission before I share on social media, so it’s completely up to you. This is often a great time to capture close-ups of the baby – the details like the eyelashes, fingers clasped around moms or little toes curled up tightly. You can invite dad and siblings back in, but often this is a special time just between mom and new baby.

If you have any questions or to respond to these points, please fill out the form below and I will be in touch!