In Home Newborn Portraits

3 THINGS WE CAN DO TO GIVE YOUR IN-HOME NEWBORN SESSION A STUDIO LOOK

"But my home isn't photo ready!" - This is something I hear often when a client reaches out to book a newborn photo session. To prove that you can have beautiful and timeless photographs in your home, I wanted to share my latest in home newborn portrait session, as well as a few things we can do to prep your home for a photo session with a studio look.

One little detail I want to point out is that clothing is everything! Clothing direction is something I carefully assist all clients with prior to their portrait session. For Mom, baby and sometimes (depending on size) even siblings, I will bring items from my studio wardrobe to help achieve a studio look. So clothing is key to finishing off a timeless portait, but this post in particular I'll cover my best tips for prepping your home.

Tip 1 - Invest in white bedding

White bedding is timeless and acts as a natural reflector; it also compliments all skin tones. Now I don't actually bring white bedding to client homes, but I do encourage clients to invest in white bedding for their portait session. These days you can find white bedding pretty much anywhere and worse case if you're just not into white on your bed in the end, you can always return it! I love it when a client takes my advice to heart and invests in a neutral palette that will work so well when trying to achieve a simple studio look for their portraits.

Check out a few sample images from my latest in home newborn photo session in Jacksonville. We were able to pull off this entire photo session in one room in this client's home - the bedroom! White sheers opposite this wall in the photo below, and lots of variety in and around their bed. Simple, right?! So Tip 1, white bedding!

family dressed in tan and white sitting on bed with white comforter smiling at newborn baby woman wearing cream dress sitting on bed with white bedding holding newborn baby woman with long dark hair kissing newborn baby on white bed woman with long dark hair in cream long dress sitting on bed smiling with baby family dressed in neutral colors sitting on white bed looking at newborn baby girl little boy dressed in tan smiling up at man little boy dressed in tan looking up and smiling at father wearing cream clothing man dressed in cream neutral colors holding baby girl next to little boy dressed in tan in a white room newborn baby girl dressed in white laying on bed with white bedding close up of a newborn baby feet dressed in white sweater romper woman wearing long cream dress holding newborn baby girl dressed in white sweater family wearing neutral colors sitting on white bed holding newborn baby girl little boy wearing tan sweater kissing newborn baby girl in white sweater family dressed in tans and creams sitting on bed with white bedding holding newborn baby girl

Tip 2 - Drape white sheers over a glass door or large window

Sheers diffuse natural light and eliminate distractions. As you can see from these images below, incorporating a sheer behind you when shooting will allow for natural light to filter in, but nothing distracting from the outdoors to peek through in your images. This is a great little tip when trying to cover up random items on a patio. White sheers are something I bring to every.single. in home newborn portrait session! It is without a doubt my favorite thing to use in client's homes! So lightweight to travel with, yet they make a world of difference in the finished images.

If you want a timeless look, neutral clothing against a white sheer backlit backdrop is the way to go.

collage of images with woman in cream dress holding newborn baby against white sheer curtains on window woman in cream long dress holding newborn baby girl dressed in white against backlit window white sheers woman holding newborn baby girl against white sheers on window with close up off hands together woman in cream long dress standing against white sheer curtains kissing newborn baby girl on the nose family standing against white sheers on window holding little boy and newborn baby girl man and woman dressed in cream and tan holding newborn baby girl against white sheers on window

Tip 3 - Use bead-board as white flooring

For added variety during an in home newborn portrait session, I can bring white bead board to simulate a white floor that you would typically find in a portait studio. Incorporating bead board into your in home session will allow for a few simple and natural posed newborn shots. I work quickly to achieve a lot of variety from one simple pose!

collage of posed newborn portrait session images all white with newborn baby girl in wire basket with white chunky knit blanket woman in white with long dark hair holding newborn baby girl wrapped in chunky knit blanket in a wire basket woman with long dark hair holding newborn baby in wire basket wrapped in white blanket newborn baby girl wrapped in white blankets in white wire basket on white floor in front of a window

Bonus Tip - An open front door can make some magic too!

This is one of my very favorite things to do during an in home photo session - whether it be a family session or a newborn portrait session. I use the front door! Front doors generally have lots and lots of natural and diffused light so I simply open the door, and use it to create beautiful and soft directional light to fall on my subject. This particular client had an amazing Anthropology tapestry positioned perfectly near the front door so of course we incorporated it into her newborn session for Baby Girl Sophia! <3

woman in cream dress with long dark hair in front of floral tapestry holding newborn baby girl wrapped in white lace wrap