Newborn Photography | In Home Newborn Photoshoot | Harleysville, PA
It really isn’t fair that I get to call newborn photography my job. Because it’s just too much fun to be considered work! Getting to see families again is always a treat for me. So when mom reached out to let me know they were expecting a new baby girl, I couldn’t wait to meet her!
Preparing for Newborn Photography
When is the best time to schedule your newborn photos? This is one of the questions I get asked most often as a newborn photographer. I only schedule a certain number of newborn sessions each month so that we have scheduling flexibility when your baby arrives. That’s why I recommend reaching out to book in for newborn photography when you’re in the second trimester so I can set aside space on my calendar for your growing family.
In this case, Mom was on the ball, as always! Since we’ve done family photos together in the past, she knew that fall is busy season and often books up months in advance. So she reached out to me over the summer to share the exciting news that they were expecting.
Certain times of year, I can squeeze in a newborn session on short notice when families reach out to me after their baby is born. I absolutely hate turning away families, especially returning families who I know and love working with. But the demand for family photos is just so huge in the fall that I typically book up months in advance for Sept-Dec sessions.
Luckily, mom had newborn photography on her mind as she made her plans for the baby to arrive in November. I’m so thankful we got our session on the calendar ahead of time so I didn’t miss out on sharing these special moments and seeing big brother Joey love on his new baby sister!
Siena’s Newborn Photoshoot
Sweet Siena Grace arrived right on time and immediately stole the hearts of everyone in her family. When mom sent me an email to share the joyful news of Siena’s arrival, she attached one of their very first cell phone pictures of Siena and big brother Joey together. Even at just a couple days old, they caught Siena smiling with a quick cell phone capture. Maybe it was just a gassy smile, but they caught it on camera and will treasure it forever. Needless to say, I was itching to meet this girl who was smiling already when she came out of the womb!
We started off our newborn photoshoot with mommy snuggles while daddy finished up a quick work call. I love getting siblings involved in the photos right away when their interest and excitement is at its highest. Joey’s huge smile is contagious, so he had mom beaming from ear to ear too!
Joey was full of energy and hugs and kisses for both mommy and baby Siena!
Then we put Siena in her crib since she was happy and wide awake. I just love all the natural movements and expressions when you lay babies flat on their back on the crib mattress. They often look up at their parents or toward the light coming in through the window. This is also a beautiful way to incorporate a bit of color and pattern into newborn photography as well!
And when Joey reached through the crib slats to touch Siena on the head as she stretched, I was ready with my fast shutter speed to capture that sweet moment. Mom told me Joey climbs up to help her at the changing table and always comes to let her know when he hears baby Siena crying.
Best Tips for Newborn Photography With Siblings
It can be hard for young toddlers to share their parents’ attention when a new baby arrives. But I think big brother Joey was too smitten with his baby sister to mind!
As a newborn photographer who specializes in working with families with young kids, I have a bunch of tried and true tips to help capture sweet newborn sibling photos. Even with young toddlers who are full of energy!
- Give Yourself Extra Time – Kids are amazing little creatures–full of energy and enthusiasm. But they also have a magical ability to make simple things take longer than you think they possibly could. So I recommend setting aside an extra hour (or two!) to get ready. And then you can let yourself have a good laugh when your fiercely independent toddler puts his shirt on backwards for the sixth time in a row. When parents give themselves extra time every…step…of…the…way, it’s so much easier to relax and really enjoy getting photos taken. Being able to live in the moment and soak up all the snuggles with your babies is everything when it comes to creating beautiful newborn photos!
- Show and Tell – Show and tell is a simple and easy way to break the ice and help toddlers warm up even if they may be shy at first. As soon as I came into their home, Joey proudly showed me his Super Big Brother cape. And based on our time together, I’d say his cape is well-earned!
- Follow Their Lead – This isn’t the first time I’ve done family photos with this sweet family, so Joey remembered me right away and was excited to show me around. He took me right upstairs to show off his new baby sister’s nursery. Funny enough, the thing he was most excited to show me was the sound machine! I think we can all relate to wanting some nice cozy snuggle time in bed with soothing ocean wave sounds in the background. Toddlers often create sweet moments when I just follow their lead and have my camera ready.
- Stay Positive – Kids are little sponges who absorb and reflect our own emotions back to us. So the most important thing parents can do to help things go smoothly on the day of a photoshoot is to stay positive. Your toddler will absolutely run in and out of the frame. He’ll wiggle and crawl and jump around the bed. He’ll come in like a hug missile at full speed. There will be tears and smiles and giggles and silly faces, all in the span of a few seconds usually! So what should parents do if their little ones become overly spirited or even defiant during photos? Love on them anyways! Laugh with them, kiss away that tear, give them a tickle, and see what the next moment brings. I keep a fast shutter speed on my camera so I can freeze the sweet moments whenever they come.
The Newborn Sibling Shot – Joey’s Turn to Shine!
After his initial excitement, Joey’s interest in taking photos faded a bit. This is totally normal when doing newborn photos with a young sibling! It’s a long session, and I never expect young siblings to be involved for the entire newborn photoshoot. We gave Joey a break for a quick snack, and that was just what he needed to regroup and get back in on the action.
One of my favorite ways to capture sibling photos with young toddlers like Joey is to swaddle the baby and shoot from above. This helped Joey snuggle with his baby sister without mom and dad having to worry about keeping Siena safe. We all know how toddlers love to make a dramatic exit at the least expected moment! With Joey’s huge grin and Siena’s hint of a smile, this is a moment I know this family will cherish forever. I can only imagine how much joy it will bring to watch these two grow up together!
Siena’s Individual Newborn Photos
Mom told me her top priority for our newborn photoshoot was getting LOTS of family snuggles. But of course she still wanted a few individual pictures of Siena as well. All of my newborn sessions include individual newborn photos as well as all the family combinations. So my newborn photoshoots are essentially baby photos and family photos combined into one session. I always bring a portable bowl-shaped chair with me to every in home newborn session. This way, we can set up a secure, cozy nook for individual baby pictures wherever the best light happens to be. Siena was wide awake, bright-eyed, and expressive for her individual photos, and I LOVE it!
Many newborn photographers work hard to get babies to fall asleep so they can place them in specific poses with props. But I see no need for babies to be asleep to capture beautiful newborn photos. I’m captivated by natural newborn movements and expressions. So if your baby is wide awake for all or part of our newborn session, we’ll capture her movements and expressions. And if she falls asleep, we’ll capture her sleeping peacefully like only a newborn can. Awake or asleep, every moment brings a new expression. Watching Siena explore her new world is priceless!
Newborn Photography with Mom & Dad
While Joey was taking another break to watch a video on his tablet, we took advantage of some quiet time to do photos with just mom and dad and Siena. Since I specialize in natural newborn photography, I don’t use elaborate poses or props. I just have mom and dad hold the baby in a way that’s simple & natural, snuggle in close, and give lots of hugs & kisses. Capturing these quiet, beautiful moments will help you remember your baby just as she was.
And when I asked mom and dad to give each other a little kiss, she reached up toward them at that very moment. I think Siena’s already figured out that all the attention should be focused on her, haha!
Newborn Photos with Mom
Celebrating the beauty of motherhood is what called me to begin doing newborn photography. Moms invest their whole hearts in their families. But they’re often the ones behind the camera rather than in the frame. Snuggles like this happen every single day but are rarely photographed. Moms deserve to have these moments captured. Babies need to have these moments preserved too so they can look back when they get older and see their mother’s love for them long before they formed their earliest childhood memories.
Siena’s favorite spot was cuddled right up against her mommy’s chest. She will spend countless hours here in the days…weeks…months…years to come, soaking in her mama’s warmth and comfort. She’s a lucky girl, indeed!
I think mom feels the same way I do about how important it is to have beautiful photos with your babies. Here’s a quote from mom when she first saw the photos:
“Seriously MAGIC!!! Crying my heart is so happy to have these. It means so much to me”
Newborn Photography with Dad
Siena was wide awake for the beginning of the session, but about halfway through our photoshoot she fell asleep cradled in daddy’s arms.
While she was sleeping, we took one of my favorite photos for a daddy with his baby girl. When dads hold their baby against their chest, you get to fully see the baby’s face. And even when they’re sleeping, babies are still expressive. I think she loves daddy kisses just as much as he loves giving them. Just look at Siena’s sweet smile! In the years ahead, you’ll look back and marvel over how tiny she was in daddy’s big hands.
We couldn’t miss the opportunity to bring big brother Joey back in for some daddy snuggles as well. Daddy knows how to get the best laughs!
Newborn Photography With the Whole Family
Newborn photography is a celebration of all the joy and love you have in your hearts as you begin a new chapter in your family’s story. So full family photos are a top priority at every newborn photo session. Whether you’re snuggling on a bed…
Laughing at the silly goat noises I’m making…
Or holding your family of four in your arms…
These are moments you will cherish forever! Newborn photography has brought me together with so many sweet families. Welcome to the world, sweet Siena! You are so loved!
Looking for a newborn photographer?
I’d love to help you capture some of your family’s early snuggles with your new little love! 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 sessions and reach out if you’re looking for a newborn photographer.
If you have any questions or want to inquire about my availability for 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
