The COVID-19 pandemic put so many things on hold. People were at home and major events were postponed or cancelled. But there were some things that couldn’t be put on hold. Babies were still being born and they were growing and changing every single day. Being a Maryland Newborn photographer, I know of so many parents missing out on being able to document those precious early moments the way they had originally planned. And some parents thought that because their baby was “too old”, they wouldn’t be able to get any newborn photos done. I am here to say that it is never too late to have pictures of your baby taken. Different types of newborn photography are able to document your baby at different times in their life. No matter how “old” your baby is, there’s a newborn photoshoot option for you.
When should I have newborn photos taken?
When most people think about newborn photography, they are usually thinking about posed newborn photography. A posed newborn session usually includes pictures of a baby that is asleep that is taken in a studio. The baby is usually posed in various stylized positions. Most photographers recommend that this type of session be done between 5 and 14 days. This is because that’s when a baby is at their sleepiest and also when they are still quite flexible. It’s easier to position them in these poses when they are more flexible. If posed newborn photography is what you really wanted and it is after the 14 day period, then you may not be able to get the exact pictures that you want. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have any photos of your baby.
If you have missed this period or you want something that has more flexible timing, then a lifestyle newborn session may be what you are looking for. Lifestyle newborn photography has a much more flexible schedule and allows you to document your baby from three days old all the way up to many months old.
What is lifestyle newborn photography?
According to Wikipedia “Lifestyle Photography is a kind of photography that many aims to capture portrait/people in situations, real-life events or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of everyday.” For me, lifestyle photography is a way to document moments in a natural way. With lifestyle newborn photography, the baby is photographed in his or her natural surroundings, at home with their family. The best part about this type of newborn photography is that the age of the baby is less of an issue. There is more flexibility with timing because the baby doesn’t have to be asleep during the session and they don’t have to be as flexible to get them into poses that can only be done when they are younger.
I have done lifestyle newborn session as early as three days old, all the way up to almost 8 months old. Technically a baby is only a newborn for a few weeks, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have a session later if you miss that period. I recommend that a lifestyle newborn session be done before eight weeks, to capture a baby when they are at their smallest. However, if you miss that window, you can still have a newborn-style lifestyle session with your baby even if they are older.
Is a lifestyle newborn session done inside or outside?
The flexibility of lifestyle newborn sessions extends beyond the timing of the session. Because these sessions don’t require studio lights or props, they can easily be done outside, when the weather allows for it. To adapt to the times that we are in, I now offer outdoor lifestyle newborn sessions. These sessions can either be done at a location where I usually do family and maternity sessions; or we can do them right in your yard. In the new environment we are living in, we have to adjust how we do things. It’s great to have an option families can consider that is both flexible in timing and location, depending on what you are looking for.
What does a lifestyle newborn session with an older baby and outdoors look like?
You might be wondering what a lifestyle newborn session with an older baby, done outdoors might look like. Well I am happy to share this session with you today. Baby boy was about 4 months old when we had this session. His parents weren’t able to schedule a newborn session because we were in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, it’s never too late to have a session with your baby, so we scheduled a lifestyle baby/family session to document such a unique time in their life. We spent a laid back afternoon in a gorgeous location documenting family memories, with a unique sky that was a result of wild fire smoke that had drifted into the region.
You are never too late to document your baby. If a lifestyle newborn session is right for you, I would love to work with you. Contact me today to learn more.