How to Prepare Your House for a Life-Style In Home Newborn Session | South Jersey Newborn + Portrait Photographer

While I LOVE a newborn studio session, Lifestyle sessions are becoming extremely popular and I have to say they REALLY have my heart. Lifestyle in-home photo sessions are about documenting your family right where your life is actually happening. Its about real, raw moments.

Preparing your home for a lifestyle family session doesn’t require perfection. Your home doesn’t need to be spotless or styled. It simply needs to feel like yours. Some of the most meaningful family photos come from ordinary moments. When you allow yourself to relax and trust the process, your images naturally reflect the connection, warmth, and real life you want to remember.

One of the most common worries parents share before a lifestyle in-home session is about their home. Many families tell me they’re stressed about clutter, unfinished nurseries, or spaces that don’t feel “photo ready.” Moms, listen up… you JUST had a baby nobody and I meant NOBODY is judging you! Let me gently reassure you that your home does not need to look perfect! You don’t need to clean the entire house. We only use a few areas, and I help you choose them. I will focus on things like light, close ups, intimate moments rather than the “scenery” of your home.

Simple Prep Tips

Yes, a little light tidying can help. Decluttering is the key. Moving laundry baskets out of view or putting unwanted items such as random boxes or dirty dishes away. There’s no need for deep cleaning as the photos won’t show these details. I’ll guide you through everything, and I might move things around as we move between rooms, but I absolutely promise you that noone is focusing on these things!

Things you can keep in mind:

• Declutter table and kitchen counter

• Open blinds and curtains for more light

• Tidy nightstands and floors near windows

That’s it! No deep cleaning required.

What to Have Ready for Newborn Session

During your session, you’ll be feeding your baby, holding them close, rocking, swaying, and simply being together. These moments don’t require a perfect backdrop. They require presence, comfort, and trust—and that’s what makes in-home newborn sessions so special. My goal is to really capture the emotion and realness of bringing home your new baby and the start to your new journey as a family. So what do you need ready?

• A window with good natural light

• A comfortable spot for feeding and cuddling

• A laidback mindset

Preparing your home for a lifestyle family session doesn’t require perfection. Your home doesn’t need to be spotless or styled. It simply needs to feel like yours. Some of the most meaningful family photos come from ordinary moments. When you allow yourself to relax and trust the process, your images naturally reflect the connection, warmth, and real life you want to remember.

If you’re considering an in-home family session in South Jersey just, know that your home is already enough. I’ll guide you every step of the way so you can focus on what matters most—being together.

4 Things I will Never Shoot a Newborn Session Without | South Jersey Newborn and Portrait Photographer

As a newborn photographer, I use a lot of technical equipment. I have a camera, lenses, strobe lights, props, etc. These are all essential to any session, but did you know that there are quite a few other items I use for almost every newborn session that are just as important (if not more).

I’ve been in the newborn photography game for about 10 years now, and one thing I’ve learned is that workflow and a calm, happy baby make ALLLL the difference. AND if I’m being completely honest moms….you could use a lot of these in your own home, outside of the studio!

1. Baby Shusher

   This thing is a GAME CHANGER. I know that there a ton of noise machines out there for new mommies, but please trust me when I tell you this thing is the G.O.A.T. Whenever I feel a baby may need just a little extra soothing, this thing comes in and saves the day! You can find it right on Amazon-

   https://a.co/d/05FvO4YC

2. Space Heater

   Another great tool to help babies get nice and sleepy! I always keep my studio nice and warm, but having a small space heater really helps makes those babies feel super cozy and warm. I usually place it a few feet from wherever I am posing baby, especially so my cold hands don’t startle them.

3. Lulla Vibe

   MOMS! If you have never heard of these, let me be the one to introduce you! A Lulla Vibe pad is a tiny little pad that you can place on baby’s bottom, or next to them, that will vibrate and create that patting, soothing effect. Its hard to sit there and pat or rock your baby all day (or for me to soothe them and pose at the same time), so this helps add that little extra comfort to them! You can also find these on Amazon

   https://a.co/d/03eSaXP4

4. Tide Stain Stick

   Last but not least (probably not even last, I could go on forever), is a tide to go stick! This probably goes without saying, but having one of these handy in the studio is a life saver for if a baby pees or poos on my backdrops/outfits/wraps. I usually don’t get to go home right away to wash everything from each session, so keeping a tide stick with me allows me to save my props from getting stained before I can fully wash them.

I have A LOT of fun little gadgets I’ve gathered over the years, so let me know if we want to know more! And if you are looking to schedule your own newborn or portrait session, please contact me and we can get you all set up!

Tips for Including Siblings in Your Newborn Photography Session | South Jersey Newborn and Portrait Photographer

Big love begins in the smallest moments

Photographing your newborn and their sibling captures the beginning of a bond you’ll want to capture forever, but if you’re a mom of more than 1, you might be a little anxious about how your older kiddos will behave during the photo session. Toddlers are full of energy and this is new time for them too. The idea of getting them to cooperate for newborn photos can feel impossible, but . take a deep breath- it is possible to get beautiful sibling portraits! I specialize in newborn photography AND family portraits, so I’ve learned a lot about encouraging toddlers and kiddos to participate and enjoy photo day!

Below are some tips that YOU can do to make photo day a little bit easier!

Give them time in the spotlight.

An older sibling of a newborn has often just become an older sibling, which means they’re still getting used to having a baby in the house. They may feel that their parents don’t pay as much attention to them with all the needs of their new sibling (We KNOW this isn’t true ;) ). Take time to make sure your older kids feel involved in the photo session, both in photos with your new baby and photos of the whole family together. Hype them up about important their job is as the cool new sibling and how important it is to let them hold baby! Your newborn session is a great way to let older siblings know that it’s not just about your new addition, but about your growth as a family.

Encourage them to snuggle up.

Your older child may feel unsure or uncomfortable around the new baby, and a photo session can be a great way to help them loosen up and get to know their new sibling. Some of my favorite photos are images of the older sibling holding, kissing, or snuggling the new baby. Encourage them to gently touch the newborn and to get close, which can lead to a lot of giggles and smiles and some great photos.

Let them do their own thing.

One of the most important things is not to force your older child to participate in the session. The last thing you want is a tantrum or a grumpy face in your photos! Instead, encourage them to participate without forcing them. I always suggest to maybe have their favorite song or show on standby and they can watch while/if they take a fun picture with their new baby!

You may be surprised how much they enjoy being involved on their own, and giving your older child space to explore and relax can result in more natural, genuine images of your family.

Talk to them beforehand.

It’s so important to let your older children know what to expect from a photo session. Whether they love to be in front of the camera or are a little bit shy, talking to them in the days before your shoot about how things will go can really ease their minds and make them more comfortable with the photographer. Be sure to sit down with your older child throughout the week before your session and talk to them about how you’re going to have photos taken and the importance of listening to both you and the photographer.

With a little preparation, you may find that they’re excited to participate, which makes for wonderful photos!

A Timeless Newborn Session | South Jersey Newborn and Portrait Photographer

I absolutely LOVE when a gallery is cohesive and all of the images can come together with similar colors throughout.

You don’t need a session full of props to have a gallery full of variety. While I do LOVE creating fun sets when parents DO request a theme, simple sets help keep the focus on the baby and maintains a timeless style.

Simple, minimalistic sets allow for less movement of baby, more variety (Yes, MORE), and the end results end up creating AMAZING wall art galleries in your home.

I always allow my clients to pick colors they love and want to display in their homes, and with those colors, I try and create simple yet full galleries, tying every image together. You’d be amazed at how many different images we can get with just a few sets..

Take a look at some of my favorite images from Mr. Andrew’s session! We look 2 colors that mama loved and created a variety of images to create the perfect gallery!

How to NOT Look Awkward in Your Family Photos | South Jersey Portrait Photographer

A huge reason that people put off having family photos done is that they are convinced they will be so awkward in the photos. I regularly have clients tell me “we are no models!” or “we have no idea how to pose! Guess what? Almost none of my clients are real models! And honestly, those still pose/forced smiles never photograph well! You can have beautiful, natural, candid family photos no matter who you are or how much “experience” in front of the camera you have.

Here are some tips on how to look and feel less awkward in your family photos. Make sure to read all the way through because I saved the most important one for last!

MOVEMENT

A huge part of my photography experience is genuine connection and movement. Sitting still or “posing” will make clients, especially children look stiff. Move around and loosen up! Lean into your partner, move your head from one family member to the other. Reach down ruffle your kiddos’ hair or whisper a secret in their ear. Tickle them a bit or give them a giant squeeze. Hold hands and run towards the crazy camera lady or walk in a giant field. These movements will help create REAL smiles and genuine connections without you feeling and looking forced/stiff.

TOUCH

Touch is everything! This is similar to movement, but will really bring that emotion/connection into the photos. Physical contact is what brings a photo from blah to WOW. Your family photo session should be a way to show off the love that everyone has for one another. Heads should always be close together, arms should ALWAYS be touching someone, not dangling to the side. No gaps in between each other.

Here are some examples of things to do:

• hold their hand

• rest your hand on their chest

• twirl their hair in your finger

• gently grab their chin or touch forheads

• snuggle them into a bear hug

• tickle their belly

• kiss their temple

The options are endless, and this adds so much connection to your images. This not only really brings out that emotion, but again, avoids those awkward, stiff poses.

Enjoy The Moment

This is a perfect time to take a mental step back and soak in some time with your family. Instead of focusing too much on the “perfect” family portraits, think about all the tiny details you want to remember from this stage. The things you want to remember about this moment, right now. The way your baby fits so perfectly into your arms, the way your toddler crinkles their nose, the way your partner looks at you or your babies. Focus on your family instead of the photographer. Just BE in the moment and forget about the camera. Love on your family and the emotions will shine right through in the final images. So lean in, soak it up, and be amazed at what your life has created.