Wanting to capture the fleeting newborn stage can be a very daunting task. With an ongoing list of things to do, the last thing new parents want to worry about is the location of their newborn photos.
If you are having a hard time deciding between an in-home session or a studio session, don’t worry: We partnered with Calgary newborn photographer Nadine McKenney to offer some helpful insight.
Discover Nadine on the Focal Marketplace
In-home newborn photography is great for parents who want to capture the comfort of their home. Picking a good newborn photographer ensures that they will be well-prepared for in-home sessions.
Read more: What to look for in a newborn photographer
With years of experience, McKenney guides new parents with ease:
“I tell my clients, ‘Keep the baby awake for a good solid chunk of time; you're going to feed them as soon as I get there. Have the heat turned up in the house and a sound machine on.’ That way, as soon as I show up, I set everything up and then the baby is most likely going to crash and they’ll be in a nice deep sleep from there.”
In-home is often referred to as lifestyle photography. It primarily focuses on your family's interaction, such as your family snuggling together, your newborn having a bath, or mom feeding the baby.
Some photographers, such as McKenney, bring additional in-home supplies with them. Preparation for any situation is key.
“I bring a mini studio with me,” says McKenney. “I bring a special styling pillow that helps the baby lay in the way that I need the baby to lay. And I bring a nice kind of backdrop. I bring different swaddles and wraps; I do bring a couple baskets.”
McKenney says the real magic behind the in-home shots is your home:
“You get shots of mom and dad like holding the baby in the nursery, or maybe the baby’s in the crib, and you're getting some shots with the crib or the mobile above the baby. Those are kind of the important ones to me, because those are your real memories. They truly are... like, that's your child's home.”
In-home photography sessions are amazing, but after bringing a tiny human into the world, housekeeping may not be a top priority for you.
Read more: Why you should hire a newborn and maternity photographer
“You can come into somebody's home, and it might not be ideal for photos in the sense that maybe it's a little bit cluttered and you have to move some stuff around, or the light's not very good, so then you have to use artificial light -- which is okay to use, but it's definitely not as good as natural light in my opinion,” says McKenney.
Although you can get some similar shots with either in-home or studio sessions, a few characteristics differ that parents should take into consideration.
With a studio session, you don’t have to worry about the clutter situation in your home; all you have to do is pack a diaper bag and come to the studio! With gorgeous backdrops, lighting, and a whole array of props, everything is taken care of for you. Studio sessions are great for posed pictures and photographers can bounce around from set to set knowing that everything is taken care of in advance, which allows for a speedy session.
Whether it be in-home or studio sessions, newborn photography is something that everyone needs. The fleeting moments of those chubby fingers and sleepy eyes is what every parent deserves to have covering the walls of their house.
