Which newborn photography session is right for you?

Congratulations!  You’re expecting a new baby, or maybe you’ve already had your baby, and you’ve decided to invest in newborn photos for your family.  Smart choice!

You’re probably scouring the internet and asking around friends and family about how to find a newborn photographer.  There are so many great resources to find a photographer to take newborn photos, however, you’ve probably seen on more than one website that there are two options when it comes to newborn photos:  Posed and Lifestyle. Which newborn portrait session is right for you?

These terms are more commonly used in the photography community and may not be something you’re all too familiar with.  So, you’re probably thinking, what the heck do those mean?  Read on and I’ll explain.

Newborn Photography is a Speciality:

First off, not all photographers offer both types of newborn photography sessions and some photographers just don’t offer any at all.  It’s important that you find a photographer that’s not only trained on how to take newborn photos but actually likes to take them and is experienced with newborns.  

You may have loved working with your wedding photographer, but he or she may not be your best bet when it comes to newborn photos.  Ask them and check out their portfolio before assuming they work with newborns, as well.  Your best bet is to find a photographer who clearly specializes in newborn photography.

Lifestyle Newborn Photography:

Lifestyle Newborn Photography is about capturing your connection as a new family and your interactions with your baby.  This doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is looking at the camera, or even posed together.

Candid photos are taken of you rocking your baby in the nursery, snuggling or lying down with the baby in your bedroom, giving the baby a bath, nursing your baby, etc.  

These sessions typically go for about 1-2 hours and involve all family members; mom, dad, siblings, the new baby, and any family pets.  It’s also common for grandparents to share in these sessions as well.

The benefit of a lifestyle newborn session is the session can be much shorter because there’s no need to wait for the baby to fall asleep.  There’s no special equipment or props needed and the baby can stay fully dressed or swaddled to stay warm.  

This type of session is also great for those wanting a little extra time to settle in with their new baby because these can be done several weeks after the baby is born. Most of my clients prefer to hold off on this session until the baby is about 3-4 weeks old.

Posed Newborn Photography:

Posed Newborn Photography is for those wanting more artistically designed images of their newborn baby where the focus of the session is on the newborn portraits.

 These sessions are only offered in my studio. They typically last between 2-3 hours with a big chunk of that time simply waiting for the baby to fall asleep, so patience is required. It’s extremely important to have a super sleepy, well-fed newborn to pose them into all the cute little positions you may find when searching for newborn photos.

Designing these sessions is usually a collaborative effort between the photographer and the client to decide on a color scheme and prop selection.  Most newborn photographers have a variety of blankets, wraps, baskets, and outfits to choose from in their style, however, most photographers are open to using some of their client’s props, too.

Newborn photographers usually have taken several workshops, either in person or online, in newborn photography and have training and experience working with newborn babies and newborn safety.  The photographer will be handling your little one for the majority of the session, so it’s important they have your baby’s safety in mind.  

Posing and handling newborns is a delicate task, so choosing someone with experience and knowledge should be the most important thing on your list!

The Price Difference:

You may also notice while searching around, that most photographers charge different newborn session fees for these types of sessions.  

Posed Newborn Sessions require more time overall between planning the session, preparing for the session, the time spent at the session itself, and editing, so the session fee is usually higher than a Lifestyle Newborn Session.

So, which one is right for you?  Ask yourself this: how much time do you want to invest in your newborn session and what type of images would you be the happiest with in the end?

If you, or someone you know, is looking for an experienced newborn photographer in the Minneapolis area, do not hesitate to contact me!