All About In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Photography: Samples, Outfit Ideas, House Prep, and Other Tips
Planning a newborn photo shoot? In-home lifestyle photography has a lot to offer. Learn all the details here, with lots of sample photos to get you inspired and help you decide if it’s the right option for you.
Last Update: March 14, 2024 • Newborn
I offer two main options to photograph your newborn: in my studio or in your home. You can’t go wrong with either one of these, but one could be better suited to your preferences than the other.
By the end of this post, you will have all the information you need to confidently decide if in-home lifestyle newborn photography is the best option for your family.
Let’s dive in.
On this page:
- Benefits of In-Home Newborn Session
- Prepping for the Session
- Sample Photos with Girls
- Sample Photos with Boys
- Sample Photos with Siblings
- Sample Photos of Posed Shots with Props
- FAQs
- Scheduling and Pricing
Why You Should Consider In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Photography
A lifestyle newborn session is a style of newborn photography that captures natural family moments at your home instead of more posed studio shots. It is a unique, convenient, and comfortable way to document the early days of your baby’s life in your home setting.
If you are planning your newborn session, consider the following benefits of doing it in your home:
1. Unique Look and Special Meaning
Documenting your family with the new baby in your home setting may have a special meaning that a photographer’s studio simply does not. Capturing your baby in the nursery and other parts of your home can create a unique look for timeless keepsakes you will treasure for years.
2. Comfort and Convenience
An in-home newborn photo session provides your baby with the comfort of your home environment and the convenience of not driving to the studio. In addition, my method of shooting the sessions at your home requires very little prep on your end. Having a session at home allows for more flexibility and accommodates your baby’s feeding and sleeping schedule.
3. Your Baby Could Be Older
For a studio session, most photographers require your baby to be between 5 days and 3 weeks old. However, for in-home newborn lifestyle photography, your baby could be older. This is also a great option if you missed the window for a studio session or need more time to recover after birth.
(One of the babies in the sample photos below was 2+ months old.)
4. Easier for Older Siblings
The familiar setting of your home could also help younger siblings be more relaxed and at ease, allowing us to capture more candid photos.
5. Better for Pets
If you want to include pets, this is your best option as well.
Additional Considerations About In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Photography
House Prep
Please do not worry about your house not being in tip-top shape. I understand how hectic this time could be. That’s why I do most of the photos in front of windows, in the baby’s nursery (if it’s already set up), and in your bed. This way, only a few areas of your house need to be prepared.
Posing
I will guide and prompt you the entire time, so you don’t have to worry about what to do. I will also look for candid moments and try to “sneak” them in as well.
What to Wear
I provide a detailed prep guide and styling tips that will help you look your best. But in general, I would recommend more comfortable home clothes for the parents (that you won’t mind in photos). Neutrals, whites, grays, blacks, and nudes are great for a clean look and keeping the focus on skin tones. For the baby, a simple, clean white onesie or a romper is great.
Sample In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Photography with Baby Girls
In Client’s Words
“I have used Lana Sky Photography for my maternity photos and newborn photos and I have absolutely no regrets. Lana is extremely dedicated, kind, and really enjoys her work. She goes above and beyond to ensure a superior photo shoot, and her style is truly one of a kind. She is a true artist.
“I most recently had a newborn session in my home, and I am so grateful I did. I was able to incorporate my own ideas and items as well as supplement with what Lana had as well. I am extremely happy with how this shoot turned out. I look forward to doing many more sessions as our family grows.” –Jessica
Sample In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Photography with Baby Boys
In Client’s Words
“I was impressed with our lifestyle newborn photo session and the final edited images. Lana was very professional and has great experience, which showed when photographing our toddler and paying attention to the small details (like adjusting my hair, adjusting my daughter’s dress) in the photos. Highly recommend her...” –Babak
Sample In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Photography with Siblings
Sample Photos of Optional Posed Shots with Props
In addition to lifestyle newborn photos in your home environment, I offer adorable posed shots with props that you can add to your session. After you book your session, I will work with you to select 2–3 setups that I will bring to your home.
Below are samples of posed newborn photos that were taken during in-home sessions:
Star and Moon Props
Beds and Cribs
Baskets and Crates
Bowls and Nests
Rugs
Want to see how newborn photos look in my studio?
Compare in-home sessions to studio sessions
FAQs
When should I book my newborn session?
You should always book your newborn session at least 2 months in advance to ensure you have a spot. However, I know how busy life gets (oh boy, do I know!), and if you didn’t get a chance to book in advance and your baby is already here or coming soon, you can contact me, and I will do my best to fit you in.
When scheduling, which day do I pick, and what happens if the baby comes early or late?
When scheduling, choose the date closest to your due date, and I will pencil you in for that date, ensuring you have a spot. Because babies come on their schedules, we will pick an actual shoot date once your baby is born (typically five days to three weeks after birth, but up to two months works for in-home sessions).
We are not good at taking pictures; will you guide us?
Yes, I will guide, queue, and direct you the entire time so there will be no awkward moments, and you’ll know exactly what to do.
How should we prep our house for the in-home session?
Do not worry about your house not being in tip-top shape. We’ll do most of the photos in front of windows, in the baby’s nursery if it’s already set up, and in your bed (if you like). Once you book, I will email you a detailed guide that will go over all the house prep.
What is the best way to dress for our session?
I recommend more comfortable home clothes for the parents. Neutrals, whites, grays, blacks, and nudes are great for a clean look and keeping the focus on skin tones. For the baby, a simple, clean white onesie or a romper is great.
Which areas do you serve?
I travel to any location within a 25-mile radius of Redmond, which covers King County and some parts of Snohomish County. I charge a travel fee for homes further away. You can always contact me to confirm your location.
Have Additional Questions?
Visit my FAQs page to get quick answers to common questions.
Pricing and Scheduling
I’ve photographed 500+ newborns, which helped me design a safe, smooth, and enjoyable experience. I will guide you through every step to create photos you will love and cherish forever.
I hope the photos above showed you the preciousness and beauty that could be captured during an in-home photo shoot and got you excited about your session.
What’s included in the In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Session:
- Shooting time: Up to 2 hours
- Types of shots: Naturally-posed photos in your home environment (nursery, master bedroom, and family room) of your baby, individual shots with parents, siblings, and pets, and family shots; posed baby shots with props are available as an add-on.
- Images: 20 hand-edited high-res images (that you pick from the proof gallery of 80–120 photos). Additional hand-edited images are available à la carte. A full gallery (all the images from the session) with color edit is available as an optional add-on.
- Prep help: I will provide a detailed prep guide to help you get ready
- Hassle-free scheduling: I offer flexible scheduling once your baby arrives to accommodate your needs
- Turnaround: 7 days (after you pick your photos) for final image delivery
Pricing:
- Session price: $800 +tax
- Optional add-ons: additional hand-edited images: +$20/each; full gallery: +$200; baby images with props: +$200)
Get started with your newborn session today:
Hi, I’m Lana
I have been a Seattle maternity, newborn, and family photographer since 2008. Having photographed thousands of families, I have developed a hassle-free and fun process so families could have an easier time documenting their journey through the years. I invite you to learn more about me, and my unique values and quirks.
