TELLING YOUR STORY:
When reflecting on your images in years to come, what will hold the most significance for you? Will it be the perfectly adorned spaces, or the love and connection you felt with your family? My goal is to authentically tell your story by capturing your lives as they truly are.
The best way to achieve this is by incorporating your daily activities into our session. These moments may not feel like something worth capturing or even mundane now, but they will become sentimental when you look back on them later on. Imagine changing or feeding your little one, tidying up bottles or your breast pump. These moments are all part of your story, and I guarantee that when you’re past this stage of motherhood, you will cherish having the photos to remind you of this time. Each captured moment reflects the love woven into your everyday life, and in years to come, they will evoke warmth and nostalgia.
PREPPING YOUR SPACE:
One of the main concerns people usually have with In-home sessions is the need to have a perfectly decorated or tidy home, this is definitely not the case. It’s important to remember that your home will be captured in its true form which is authentic to you and your story. If we remove all our personal items from our home, it could be just about anyones home. When your kids look back at these photos in this space, they will have a sense of nostalgia, and likewise you will remember those early days just a little bit better. Besides, cleaning is likely not going to be your first priority during those first few weeks or even months with a new baby–and that’s ok.
For these sessions I like to utilize more than one space in your home to help tell your story. My best advice is to tuck unwanted clutter into any unused spaces in your home like a closet or a room that is darker with poor lighting like a laundry room. If there’s anything visible in the frame that I think will negatively impact our final photographs, I will just ask if we can move things around. In order to get beautiful images all we need are nice light from a window or doorway, and your family!
WHICH ROOMS TO USE:
Depending on the home and which rooms have the best lighting, I am most likely to photograph newborn sessions in the master bedroom, living room, and nursery the most. We can even utilize a front porch or backyard if it’s a nice warm day. Usually, the master bedroom or living room are best to have the whole family, especially if there’s a large bed or sofa. It is ideal if bedding is on the lighter side for our sessions, so if there’s an option to switch this out or have an extra blanket to drape over top it would be helpful. For bedroom shots you can clear away any unwanted clutter into a closet or under the bed temporarily.
WHAT TO WEAR:
I generally recommend a more relaxed fit for our in-home sessions, as it helps emulate the cozy and snuggly vibes with baby, but I think you should wear what you’re most comfortable in, whether that is jeans and a t-shrit or a long flowy dress.I recommend that Mom selects her outfit first, and then the others can coordinate theirs based on her choice. The outfits should complement each other without matching.
For colours, I always lean towards lighter neutrals as it generally creates a warmer looking image which matches my editing style more. If selecting a colour, warmer tones are better than cool tones. I always recommend leaning heavily into textures and mix in subtle patterns for interest that doesn’t distract from the overall image. Avoid anything with large distracting patterns, graphic, or logos. For baby, I love knit rompers or sets that are neutral in colour (again texture is always a good idea), a onesie and a blanket for an added layer. It’s a good idea to have a few options picked out for baby, as well as some accessories like additional swaddle blankets, favourite stuffed animal or toy, headbands or hats/bonnets. I have a variety of accessories and blankets available to bring to your session too.
THE DAY OF/WHAT TO EXPECT:
Our newborn session will last from 1.5 to 2 hours, which allows for normal interruptions like feeding and diaper changes. If your newborn is younger than 2 months old, the goal would be to have them very sleepy and calm during our session.
Some tips to achieve this are feeding baby up to 30 minutes before our session, a bit of play time or a bath prior to our session, and keeping your home a few degrees warmer than usual. If you want to include some breastfeeding shots this can be done towards the end when you’re more comfortable behind the camera
If you want your baby more awake you can ensure they have slept and are fed prior to our session.
