Congratulations, new moms! Your motherhood journey will be your life’s most exciting and memorable moment. I know you’re almost at the finish line, and I know you can do it! Since this motherhood moment is so important, most moms love preserving time by working with a newborn photographer to capture lifestyle newborn photos in their homes. This is completely different from newborn photos in a studio because the entire photoshoot happens in the comfort of their home.
Believe it or not, your home is actually perfect for an in-home lifestyle newborn photoshoot. I enjoy doing an in-home lifestyle newborn photoshoot most because it highlights a location that brings meaning and value to mom and dad. There is a natural connection to their home, and you cannot replicate that in a photography studio.
The best time to reach out to a photographer is at least one month before the baby’s due date. In all honesty, the earlier the better. Here’s why, it ensures that you’re on the newborn photographer’s calendar and booked before their busy season hits.
Fall is typically busy for newborn photographers, and they get flooded with inquiries and bookings for annual Fall photos. You’ll notice this if you follow a local photographer on Instagram; you’ll likely see them doing more minis around this time and constantly editing every day.
Again, it’s always best to reach out as soon as possible to lock in the date. I personally only accept limited newborn sessions each month to ensure that I have sufficient time to plan and edit each gallery. If you’re in San Diego or Orange County, let’s make this happen now so everything is all set before life gets extra busy (it’s a good kind of busy).
If you’re worried about having a messy home, don’t worry. It’s my job to capture the beauty in all things, whether you have unwashed dishes, piles of laundry to do, unfinished home decor projects, or even a messy corner in the house somewhere.
Here’s the truth, I just need two things, good lighting & one clean room for your newborn photoshoot.
I enjoy in-home lifestyle newborn photography so much and had to share my top reasons why your home is perfect! If you are on the edge about scheduling an in-home newborn photography session, then let my portfolio and this blog inspire you to make it happen.
Table of Contents
Reason #1 – Your home is PERFECTLY imperfect
Your home is beautiful & it’s perfect just the way it is
There is no such thing as a perfect home. There, I said it =)
I completely understand why you wouldn’t have thought about doing your newborn photoshoot at home. Many of us think of a studio with lots of cute props when we hear about a “newborn photoshoot”. Your home has the strongest connection to your emotions and memories. Home is where you want to be at the end of the day because it brings comfort and peace, especially after a busy or hectic day.
I have interacted with many moms during a consultation call. It’s safe to say that most parents are worried about the following:
- the messy living room
- the dirty pile of laundry that never ends
- the small toy pieces lying on the floor (legos anyone?)
- the odd-colored wall paints
- the idea of a stranger in your home
- your home not being presentable
- the stack of toys that needs to be put away
- the inconsistent color scheme of your home decor
- Baby’s nursery is not up and ready (thank goodness I’m already equipped with a bean bag)
Perfectionism used to be something I tried to achieve since I was a child and that’s because it earned me lots of compliments and brownie points at school. As I grew older, I realized the idea of “perfectionism” has slowed me down and distracted me from the big picture.
Perfectionism does not exist and I guarantee you not every home is perfect. Regardless of how your home looks to you, it’s the best place because your new baby will be living and growing there. As a newborn photographer, I specialize in finding light and good angles that will elevate your images. We don’t need to take photos in every single room, we can focus on one corner or just the nursery and maybe somewhere nice right outside of your home.
I encourage you to not wait for the “perfect” timing but to just take the leap of faith and trust your lifestyle newborn photographer.
Reason #2 – Comfortable & Convenient Location
You don’t have to worry about being late for your newborn photoshoot
It’s never intentional, but when parents run late to their photoshoot, it’s usually because of some sort of hiccup along the way.
Once in a while, I receive text messages from parents saying something like, “Sorry, Sarah we’re running 15 minutes late, our baby just……(fill in the blank)…..”
I simply replied, “Thank you for letting me know. No worries, please drive safely”. The last thing I’m going to do is be passive-aggressive and cancel their photoshoot or give them some sort of attitude. I don’t want anyone running a red light and arriving on location feeling rushed. If you feel like this might be you, the more reason to consider an in-home newborn session.
The best solution to this is to schedule your newborn photoshoot in the comfort of your own home. We just need to select one room with the most natural light entering through the windows. By doing so, you cut down the time in half. By choosing to stay at the perfect spot, you immediately free up more time to breathe and relax before your session. Your main focus won’t be situated on how late you are but naturally, shift to your session.
Reason #3 – Controlled Environment (99.9% of the time)
You have the power to control the events that happen in your home
These are the things you have control of when you choose to do an in-home lifestyle newborn photoshoot vs. an outdoor photoshoot:
- Baby’s safety (especially the first month or weeks of life)
- Big brother or big sister can take breaks and go play their favorite toy will mommy and baby gets their special time together
- Older siblings (oftentimes toddlers) can get their extra 5-minute screen time
- Room temperature for the best deep sleep (babies prefer warmth & a happy belly)
- Having a restroom for your other toddler (the little details that we often overlook)
- The ambiance is controlled with white noise or relaxing music
- Clean space & bed sheets
- You get to pick your favorite place at home for the photoshoot
- We don’t have to take photos of the whole house
- You won’t have to worry about the weather, especially if it snows or rains outside because you will be indoors.
The bottom line is, being in control is always a good idea right?
Reason #4 – Your home carries significant meaning
This is where you spend the most time with your family
Parents, please tell me that I’m not the only one doing this. After a long day at my 9-5 job, all I want to do is go home, eat dinner, shower, and rest. At times, I am so eager to be home that I skip using the restroom at work and just go straight home. My willpower to go straight home allows me to hold my pee in for the longest 10 minutes of my life. I can’t seem to put it into words, but something about going home just makes me feel like everything is back to normal and all peace is restored after a long and tedious workday.
A few years ago, there was a trend on Instagram where people would use the hashtag #transformationtuesday or #transformationthursday. This is a brilliant idea if your baby takes photos in your home and 10+ years later replicates that same photo. That would be the most priceless picture because it took 10+ years in the making.
By choosing your home, your photoshoot naturally becomes a lifestyle newborn photo session. I will be able to document the tiny details in your life, whether it’s you sitting on a rocking chair or laughing in the master bedroom with another family member. The essence of my storytelling journey about your family is capturing candid moments and real-life interactions with family members.
Reason #5 – No one gets left behind
Grandparents…you are always welcome to join family portraits with us!
No one should be left behind ever. In my previous home newborn photo session, I find it extra meaningful when everyone in the house joins for a photoshoot. By far, the cutest is when grandparents take photos with their grandkids.
Everyone will have a wonderful time, think of it as an activity for family bonding time.
If you’re feeling a bit ambitious, this is also a good time to give grandparents the gift of printed memories. Grandparents are the time capsule that holds a record of your family history. All the beautiful images from this type of session will surely put a smile on their faces.
Sarah Nguyen Photography | Newborn Photos
Sarah Nguyen is a newborn photographer based in San Diego and Orange County. She loves celebrating each family’s milestone by capturing precious moments. She uses her photography skills to help preserve and tell a story that becomes an heirloom for generations to see. Sarah grew up flipping through her family albums from time to time and fell in love with how a simple photo can bring back so many emotions, even after 15+ years. She only accepts a limited number newborn sessions each month. Sarah understands that time is important and she respects your time. This is exactly why she wants to ensure that she is not overbooked and has sufficient time for each family.
If you’re living in Orange County of San Diego and you’re in love with the idea of having a photographer take in-home newborn photos, then reach out to Sarah. She is responsive and would love to chat with you to understand your vision.
