Tips for making your photoshoot with a toddler and newborn easier!

You’ve just welcomed your baby into the world and you’d love to document this special time with your growing family, but you’re not sure how to make this happen with a toddler or older children. The first few weeks are an adjusting period for everyone in your family, which is why I love and highly recommend doing your newborn photos at your home. Being at home takes the stress out of having to prepare a day bag of snacks, spare clothes, toys, nappies etc. Even the thought of trying to get everyone dressed and into the car on time is enough to put parents off leaving the house in those first few weeks.

LET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER HELP OUT

The best thing about coming into your home is we can stop and start photos again at any time. If you need to change and feed your newborn halfway through the session your photographer and partner can entertain your toddler with fun photo ideas in the meantime. Some helpful hints I use with children are “let’s read a book with Dad” or “can you show me your favourite toy”? This gets them excited and gives you a 5-minute breather from photos.

MAKE IT FUN AND LIGHTHEARTED

The last thing young children want to do is be told to sit still and smile at the camera. It’s a rare moment when this happens! You’ll see at the beginning of this blog post I got a great photo of their toddler looking at the camera and smiling. This was at the start of our photoshoot which is often when I can grab their attention straight away for that key shot, the rest of the session you’ve got to go with the flow while making it fun and interesting. To mix things up try taking photos in a different room, this is often a good way to reset your toddler’s attention span. Also, give them a break while you have some photos separately with your newborn.

Wellington Newborn and Family Photography at Home!

My at-home newborn sessions are perfect for parents who have recently welcomed their newborn into the world. The reason I offer this type of photography and not studio photography is that being at home feels truly authentic and natural, while also making it so much easier for parents to get professional photos!

You may still be figuring out your baby’s routine while possibly feeling like you haven’t quite had enough sleep. I’ll be able to take away the pressure of having to be somewhere and the logistics of planning an outing with a newborn. If you have a toddler or younger children, they may feel most comfortable and settled being at home for these photos. We can also include any pets, which is a nice bonus!

I also really love that these sessions are taken in a space that is personal to your family, so in years to come your little one can see the home they grew up in (I know I feel nostalgic looking at my old family photos). Your space doesn’t need to be stylised or overly tidy. I’ll use 1-3 spaces that have minimal clutter and can help clear away anything that isn’t suitable when I arrive. I can make any home work for photos if there is enough natural light.

I like to capture moments of your family interacting in your everyday life setting while keeping things relaxed and easy-going. When your little one needs a feed or if your toddler wants a snack we can pause photos and since you’re at home you’ll have everything you need right there. We can also use any props or special blankets in the photos so you’ll get a lot of variety (Grandparents and Aunties love seeing their knitted gifts being put to good use).

At this point in time, I don’t offer studio portraits for newborn photography but if you're wanting natural and less posed photos taken in your home, this kind of session might be what you're looking for! These sessions are available all year round, so you can pick any time to update your family photos (weekends are limited during summer so do get in touch to find out more about my availability).

Here are some reviews and testimonials from families I’ve photographed! You can also check out my Google reviews for more up-to-date feedback.

“Jaymee took some family photos of us with our 4 month old. We are so happy with how they turned out and will treasure them for many years to come. Thank you Jaymee for your prompt communication and turnaround, as well as your fun and easygoing nature during our shoot.”

“We are so happy with our photos and would 100% recommend Jaymee and go back to her again. The shoot was super relaxed and we were really impressed with Jaymee’s quick turnaround, great communication and professionalism.”

“Jaymee took some incredible photos for us. But not just that, she was friendly, calm and created a great atmosphere, which really helped make the session in our home with two young kids a success!”

Wellington Family Photographer - Newborn Session at Home

Having your photo taken isn’t something we do every day which is why my family and newborn sessions are easy-going, less about industry trends and more about the experience I can provide.

REASONS TO HAVE YOUR NEWBORN SESSION AT HOME

You're probably still figuring out your baby’s routine so being at home will make it that little bit easier for you. All you need is one or two spots that are tidy enough with minimal decorations and distractions (you don’t need all rooms to be perfect or clean before I arrive).

The best thing about being at home is your little one will feel more settled, having a stranger pointing a camera at you is one thing, so it’s good to keep it as comfortable as possible. If you need to feed or change an outfit then we can also make that happen with no stress!

Lifestyle Newborn Photos At Home

Having your photo taken isn’t something we do every day which is why my family and newborn sessions are easy-going, less about industry trends and more about the experience I can provide. Here are some cute moments with Ange, Rory and Marlow. The great thing about being at home for their photos was they were about to feed Marlow between shots and settle her throughout our whole session.

Bringing a baby into the world is the perfect reason to have your pictures taken. I’ve had lots of newborn sessions lately! They are one of my favourite kind of photo sessions.

Newborn photos Wellington - Feeling relaxed and cosy at home with Kate, Danny and baby Kahlo!

At-home lifestyle sessions are perfect if you have an infant or newborn. You're probably still figuring out your baby’s routine so being at home will make it that little bit easier for you. These sessions are also more intimate and personal. If you're wanting natural and less posed photos, this kind of session might be what you're looking for!

Thank you so much to Kate from Kater Weddings for asking me to take these pictures for them, I can’t get over how relaxed and happy baby Kahlo was! We lucked in with lots of smiles on this day.

What to expect from your family and newborn photography at home

My newborn and family photo shoots capture a mix of unfiltered real moments done in a stylised way. These sessions are a personal favourite of mine, especially if you have younger children as they feel more relaxed and the images look more authentic being in your own space. It also means I travel to you rather than traveling to a location or studio.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR SPACE FOR FAMILY PHOTOS

A home is made to be lived in and no one is expecting every room in your house to be clean or tidy, especially if you have younger kiddies! There is absolutely no pressure to prepare your entire house for photos but having one or two spaces ready to use is key. Often your bedroom, living area, or children’s bedroom/nursery is a great space to use for this style of session. You may want to put away some toys or hide clutter but you definitely won’t need to clear everything out of the space, you still want it to look like your home and not something out of a flashy magazine.

WHAT TO WEAR FOR YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS

You’re at home so you want to be comfortable but pick outfits that make you feel good. My style isn’t over-the-top swaddled baby poses but if you want to you can wrap your baby in a special blanket and have a one-piece underneath so we can do a mix of outfits for baby, some with hands and feet out because there is something about seeing a baby’s little toes and fingers!

Coordinate your outfits with each other and with your space, think of using similar tones and complementary colours. I personally love earthy and light tones, whites and creams are particularly great for a newborn session. Avoid busy patterns and text on shirts.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE DAY OF YOUR FAMILY PHOTOSHOOT

It’s ok if your newborn isn’t settled when I arrive. These sessions are usually 1 hour long which is always plenty of time to feed, nappy change etc in between shots. While parents finish getting ready I normally ease into the session by sitting down and building trust with toddlers/younger children, rather than jumping straight into taking photos which can be a little intimidating. I might ask your children to show me around the house or show me something that interests them which helps everyone relax while I scope out the best spots and the best lighting. You can also prepare other children by telling them you have a friend coming to take photos.

EXPECTATIONS

If you go into your photoshoot feeling stressed and nervous about how your toddler or baby is going to do, the chances are they are going to pick up on this tension. Your toddler might not want to sit still, look at the camera and smile for every photo, which is completely normal. While your newborn may need some settling, take your time and do what you need to do in order to help soothe your little one. I’m not in a rush during these sessions and 1 hour is usually plenty of time to get the photos we need.

My best piece of advice is to go with the flow so we can capture natural moments together, these are often the best photos. You might need to make it fun and let your child play! I’ll also provide some guidance and suggestions for getting moments of everyone looking happy and interacting.