Preparing for a newborn photoshoot can feel overwhelming, especially with siblings in tow. I get it, I have been there myself! After years of photographing young families and newborns, I have compiled my best advice for prepping yourself and your family for your upcoming newborn session.
What to Wear: Light & Airy Color Palette Guide
First up is what to wear. Now, if you are preparing for a session with me, you will receive a hard copy of my Planning Guide which details wardrobe at length! Below are some of my best tips for curating a session wardrobe that will elevate your imagery with timeless, classy looks.
Recommended colors for the whole family
Colors are incredibly important to the overall outcome of an image, gallery, and wall art. My goal is to help my clients understand that when choosing colors: it is important to consider a number of variables affected by these colors. Some of these variables include: skin tones, lighting style, indoor vs. outdoor, how the wardrobe colors will look when printed, and more. As a general rule of thumb, I encourage my clients to stick with light colors like whites, neutrals, pastels, and subtle earth tones like browns. These palettes pair best with my light & airy editing style, and not to mention, bounce beautifully with the natural light that I rely on for my imagery. Did I mention these palettes are timeless? Unlike fad-driven palettes (neon as an extreme example), these tones never go out of style and present an elegant, elevated look for generations.
It is important to strategically pair colors to give the entire family a cohesive look. I recommend starting with mom, allowing her wardrobe piece to be the focal point of the color palette. Then mixing in matching tones and layers across the rest of the family. Typically in newborn sessions, the babe is swaddled or wrapped in a Alicia Nicole Photos wrap (these are either white or neutral tones), so it is really just the parents and siblings that we are focused on for coordinating looks.
I think it’s important to address colors to avoid and why. The big no’s for me are oranges and reds. These palettes tend to reflect onto the subjects, messing with the skin tones and overall white balance of the image. Especially with newborns; the close proximity to the baby leaves the baby’s skin tones vulnerable to the surrounding colors. So, if those colors are bold and vibrant, that will leave the babe’s skin tone looking off. For clients who want to wear reds for sessions around the holidays, I always recommend incorporating reds in accent pieces like bows or suspenders.
Client wardrobe options available
Working with wardrobe colors can feel overwhelming. This is why I have carefully curated a Client Wardrobe offering in the Alicia Nicole Photos experience. Every client is given the opportunity to be outfitted in a dress provided through my wardrobe. I am also in the process of building out a wardrobe for the littles as well. Many of my clients LOVE this aspect of the experience as the wardrobe options are guaranteed to flatter on-camera and remove all of the stress of organizing wardrobe for the family.
Feeding and Timing Strategies
The importance of a well-fed baby
It is important to make sure your babe’s belly is full prior to and throughout our time together. This is the key to a happy, peaceful baby. I typically recommend encouraging your baby to nurse just before our session start time and throughout our session to maintain a calm temperament.
Scheduling around baby’s natural rhythm
The advantage to scheduling your newborn session in the window of 6-14 days (see my latest blog post: When to schedule your newborn session for perfect results), is that we are within the developmental timeframe in which babies have shorter wake windows and are easily soothed. As for timing, I typically schedule newborn sessions mid to late morning for several reasons: the rest of the family fresh, natural indoor light is optimal, and we are far from that well-known ‘witching hour’ (consider both baby and siblings). It is not impossible to have a wonderfully successful newborn session past the 14 day window, every baby is different. Though I always encourage my clients towards this 6-14 day window as it’s shown to be the best opportunity for the smoothest session outcome.
What to Bring vs. What I Provide
What to bring for your session largely depends on whether your session is an in-home newborn session or at the studio. If we are holding the session at your home, ideally the house is camera-ready with all of the blinds open to allow in as much natural light as possible. What I love about in-home sessions is that we have the opportunity to create imagery that is focused on the natural flow of your family (in addition to your newborn of course). In-home newborn sessions really highlight the “lifestyle newborn photoshoot” that I often see requests for in my inquiries. I recommend having snacks, drinks, and comfort items handy for siblings while at home to help keep them engaged and interested in our session. I always encourage families that I work quick with the siblings and husbands as their attention span for our session is typically limited. Where majority of our time is spent on the newborn, with mom coming in on a close second for camera-time.
If we are meeting at the studio, it’s important to pack a bag with the following:
- Diaper bag for baby (and potentially siblings if applicable)
- Bottles with formula or milk (of course your welcome to breastfeed if that’s preferred)
- Snacks and water for parents and siblings
- Any desired props (baby shoes, sentimental items)
Below is a list of all the items I provide whether we are photographing in-home or at a studio:
- Moses basket
- Posing pillows
- Blankets
- Swaddles/wraps
- Various bows
- Touch-up items for mom
Preparing Siblings for the Session
Preparing siblings for a newborn session can feel stressful. I get it, I have been there myself. Here is the good news: the siblings play a very important, but quick role in newborn photoshoots. Remember, a majority of our time is spent working with the newborn herself, so the siblings only have to engage for short snippets of time. I typically work with the energy the siblings bring to the session. Sometimes, I have siblings who are highly engaged and I will lean into that. When working with siblings who resist, I typically find easing them into the photos is the best approach. Have a conversation with the siblings ahead of the photoshoot (if they’re at an age where they can understand) and express how important these photos are to you and your family. Perhaps you plan something fun for the family after the session (after all, your hair & makeup is ready to go!). This encourages good behavior from the siblings with something to look forward to after the session.
Creating the Perfect Environment for Timeless Portraits
Plan ahead, give yourself ample time to get ready, and remember to take deep breaths. I am with you every step of the way as I take care of the details, alleviating the stress as we prepare for our session together. I have found over the years of photographing newborns (and being the client of newborn photoshoots myself with my own babies), hiring a photographer who has a plan and system in place to address every detail as part of the prep process really is a difference maker. A smooth experience starts long before the actual photoshoot, and it is the responsibility of your photographer to lead you as the client into a relaxed and enjoyable environment.
