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 Beautiful New Addition | South Jersey Newborn Photographer

South Jersey Newborn Session - Nora

OH MY GOODNESS- the amount of joy I feel for this family welcoming their new baby girl is immeasurable!

Big sister Ava, mom and dad have been waiting years for this moment and I was so honored to be able to document this part of their journey for them!

A huge part of my job is not just “taking photos”, but truly freezing time. Its capturing these important milestones in you and your family’s lives so that in years to come, you can put yourself back in these moments and remember allllll the feelings. Its truly the best job in the entire world to be able to watch your kiddos and families grow!

Take a look at some favorites from miss Nora’s newborn session

7 Things Your Newborn Photographer Wants You to Know

Congrats!! You’ve chosen a newborn photographer and can’t wait to get photos of the precious new addition to your family! But if you’ve never had a newborn session before, you may not be sure what to expect from the experience. That’s why I want to let you know a few things that newborn photographers wish all their clients knew.

Every newborn is unique.

Just as every family is different, no two babies are exactly alike. One newborn might be perfectly comfortable posed laying on her belly, while another might absolutely hate it. Your photographer will work with you and your newborn to find the positions they’re most comfortable in and will definitely not force your baby into any poses they aren’t willing to do.

We’ve seen it all. TRUST ME.

If your baby pees on the photographer’s set, throws a fit, or just wants to nurse the whole session, don’t be embarrassed. Chances are your photographer has experienced everything from poop all over their props to being peed on. As a newborn photographer, this is their everyday life, and they’re totally understanding. After all, your baby’s needs come before your photos. So, don’t feel like you have to apologize for every little thing that goes wrong. Your photographer is there to support you and work with you.

We have a lot of tricks up our sleeves.

It can be tempting to swoop in and pick up your newborn as soon as they start crying, but most photographers know a variety of ways to sooth little ones. It’s important for parents to use their newborn session as a time to relax and to trust the photographer. If your baby is truly upset and can’t be calmed down, we’ll be sure to pass them on to you for feeding, diapering, or comfort.

You should feel free to take a break.

As the parent of a newborn, you probably haven’t had a moment to yourself in a while. Well, your photo session is the perfect chance to just sit back and relax. Most of the images will be of your baby, so you get to sit on the sidelines, have a cup of coffee, and maybe finally check your email or return some phone calls. And no judgment if you doze off during the session! I’ll wake you when I need you.

 We want you to share our photos.

Photographers take images for you to cherish and enjoy, and we want you to share them! Post those photos of your newborn all over social media and send to family and friends. We want our images to be seen! Just be sure to credit your photographer when you share their images on Facebook or Instagram and feel free to recommend them to other expecting parents!

Our work doesn’t end with your session.

Since everyone has a camera on their phone these days, photographers hear a lot about how anyone can take a photo. But a professional does so much more than simply click a button. We set up backdrops and lighting, and we know all the tricks of the trade to make your photos turn out amazing. And once the session is over, we spend hours editing your photos to make them the absolute best they can be, providing you with images you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Simple Studio Newborn Session | South Jersey Photographer

Ohhhh look at this sweet face! Mr. Landon slept amazing and made my job easy! Mama picked neutrals for her photo session and wanted everything pretty simple, so we came out with such a beautiful, cohesive gallery! Take a look at some of my favorites from his session

Simple In Studio Maternity Session | South Jersey Photographer

Ahhh Look at this stunning mama!

Aside from newborn photography, I think studio maternity may be my favorite type of session to photograph. I love being able to capture the beauty and strength of the woman’s body during pregnancy! I know you may not feel it right now mama- but you’re GLOWING and your body is a warrior.

This session was so much fun because we got to incorporate the whole family! Bailee chose a few different dresses from our client closet and even got to take some photos with her husband and toddler. I love how versatile each session can be.

Take a look at some more of my favorite images from this session and reach out if you’re ready to schedule your own maternity session!