Natural Newborn Baby Photography | Collegeville Newborn Session
Natural Newborn Baby Photography will always have my heart! Welcome to the world, sweet Owen! I’m so excited to share some of my favorite moments from Owen’s in home newborn photoshoot.
Newborn Photography Scheduling
Many people wonder how to go about choosing a specific date for a newborn photography session. This can be tricky since when there’s no way of predicting exactly when the baby will arrive.
Some newborn photographers select a date for the session during the booking process. But I find this method often leads to rescheduling since only about 5% of babies are born on their actual due date. That’s why I choose to wait until after the baby is born to choose a specific date for newborn sessions. When an expecting mom books a newborn session, I add the due date to my calendar for planning purposes. And then when they reach out to share the joyful news of the baby’s arrival, we choose a specific session date at that time. I only reserve a certain number of newborn sessions each month to ensure scheduling flexibility whenever the baby arrives.
Luckily, mom knew how important it was to her to have beautiful baby photos as a new family of three! She reached out to me in August to book her newborn photos. And this was perfect timing for Owen’s Nov. 30th due date because I typically book up months in advance during the busy fall season. Certain times of year I’m able to schedule a newborn session on short notice. So while it’s best to book a newborn session during the second trimester, it’s never too late to reach out and check my availability.
What is the Best Age for Newborn Photos?
This was one of the first questions mom asked me when we chatted on the phone before Owen was born. Some newborn photographers will insist that you have to take newborn pictures within the first two weeks after the baby is born. But this simply isn’t true in my experience doing newborn baby photography. My natural style of newborn photography works just as well if the baby is awake or asleep. So this gives us much more flexibility when it comes to the age of the baby.
Babies generally sleep for longer stretches in the first two weeks after birth. So anytime a mom tells me she has heart set on capturing her baby in that tiniest sleepy newborn stage, we plan to schedule the newborn photos soon after birth. Or if the family would love some more bright-eyed, expressive newborn pictures, I recommend that we schedule their newborn photos when the baby is around 2-4 weeks old.
By educating my clients during the planning process, they understand that they have options. My natural style of newborn photography gives families the flexibility to choose what works best for them so they end up with newborn photos that they LOVE.
Preparing for Owen’s Natural Newborn Baby Photoshoot
Mom gave these options some thought and told me she was hoping for a mix of sleeping and bright-eyed expressive photos, so we planned to schedule our newborn baby photography session about 2-3 weeks after Owen was born. Our session happened just as planned when Owen was 2.5 weeks old. And boy oh boy! Owen rewarded us with his bright eyes and so many beautiful expressions as he explored his new world with wonder. Newborn photos of sleeping babies are beautiful, don’t get me wrong. But seeing that sparkle in sweet little Owen’s eyes (photographer’s call those catch lights), it’s enough to melt a mom’s heart!
I loved incorporating mom and dad’s hands in some of Owen’s individual newborn photos as well. There’s something about having a baby cradled in his parents’ hands that just feels right to me.
I’m captivated by natural newborn movements and expressions, and Owen put on quite a show for us! Every moment was a new expression, and I was there with my fast shutter speed to capture them all.
What to Wear for Newborn Photos
I love this photo of mom and dad standing in front of the crib cradling Owen in their arms! Mom told me she’d love to do some pictures in the nursery if the light was good. Plenty of soft indirect light is ideal for indoor natural light photos. And luckily there were large windows letting beautiful light into the nursery. I think I need to update my Style Guide with some examples from Owen’s newborn photoshoot because mom’s outfit choices were on point! She selected a beautiful mix of light neutral colors that paired so well together. With mom in a beautiful, subtle pattern and dad in a medium solid-colored sweater, Owen really pops out in the images in his white romper.
Crib Photos
After doing a few photos with mom and dad in front of the crib, we laid Owen down in his crib. This is one of the ways I love to capture individual newborn baby pictures. When you lay them flat on their back in the crib, babies will often stretch and move their arms & legs. Or sometimes they’ll look up at their parents or look back toward the light coming in through the window. The pop of color and beautiful pattern of the crib sheet next to Owen’s white romper look amazing in both color and black & white, too!
Family Newborn Photography with Pets
One of the benefits of doing an in home newborn photoshoot is being able to include the whole family in the photos, including pets. So of course we had to include Lucy the pup for a full family photo downstairs in the family room. I absolutely LOVE this shot of Lucy in focus in the foreground with the family falling out of focus in the background. You can tell she’s taking her new role as big sister very seriously! I can’t get over the way she crossed her paws!
I like getting the whole family involved and even having some of mom and dad’s wedding photos hanging on the wall above. It brings all the love and joy of this next chapter in their growing family’s story together.
Natural Newborn Baby Photography with Dad
Next Owen spent some time snuggling with Daddy. He loved snuggling up against dad’s chest…
He snuggled in close for some hugs…
And he soaked in daddy’s kisses!
In the years to come, you’ll look back at these photos and marvel over how small Owen looked in Daddy’s big hands!
Owen’s Sleepy Finale
Right before we hit the home stretch of our photoshoot, Owen fell asleep and we got some of those peaceful sleeping pictures to round out Owen’s newborn baby photos.
Natural Newborn Baby Photography with Mom
And finally, Owen snuggled up in mom’s arms to end our session. Capturing these moments for other moms is what fuels my passion for photography.
Having a quiet moment to snuggle with your baby, take a deep breath, and breathe in his sweet newborn scent is enough to fill a mom’s heart to the brim. And yet moms so rarely get an opportunity to be in the frame and have quiet, everyday moments like this documented.
Every mom deserves photos like this with her baby. To remind herself of all she holds most dear. And to remind her baby boy how deeply he is loved.
What a perfect end to the sweetest morning. Being this cute really is exhausting! Owen is living the good life, full of love and snuggles. What a lucky little guy he is!
Looking for natural newborn baby photography?
I’d love to help you capture some of your family’s early memories with your new baby! Kristin Brockman Photography offers natural light studio and in home newborn photos for growing families. For more information, you can check out my Newborn Portfolio and Newborn Session Details. You can also check out my Featured Photo Sessions, to see the full gallery of images from a few of my newborn photoshoots and reach out if you’re looking for a newborn photographer.
If you have any questions or want to inquire about my availability for natural newborn photography, please email me at kristinbrockmanphotography@gmail.com.
Kristin Brockman Photography is a natural light newborn photographer based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania who serves clients in the Greater Philadelphia area. She specializes in natural, family-centered newborn photos focused on capturing genuine and authentic moments.
kristinbrockmanphotography@gmail.com
