The birth of your child marks the start of a new chapter in your family’s life. The first days and weeks with your newborn are both precious and fleeting, full of moments that cannot be recreated or recaptured. Knowing this, many parents want to capture these special moments as best they can before their child grows up and changes too much.

Families of this newborn are always looking for ways to commemorate this momentous occasion. So many families have asked us, "What’s the difference between a newborn, baby, and family session?" This blog will explain these distinctions and address some frequently asked questions.

Newborn Photography Sessions

These photo shoots are geared toward your brand-new baby; the younger the better. We’ve photographed newborns as young as three days old and as old as ten weeks. These photographs are especially meaningful because they capture your baby in his infancy. The poses we capture are unique to newborns and are the best way to remember your baby when he or she was a tiny, sleepy newborn. From close-ups of your newborn’s hands and feet to the classic curled-up newborn shot, you’ll have a stunning gallery to cherish for a lifetime.

Sessions are typically held in a warm, inviting studio. We prefer to schedule these sessions in the morning because this is when your newborn is most alert. But don’t worry, it won’t be too early because I know how difficult it can be to get out of the house in the mornings with a new baby. This session is appropriate for babies up to 10 weeks old; however, the best time for newborn babies is between 5 and 15 days old.

Baby and Sitter Photoshoots

These sessions are designed for babies who are a little older (from three months onwards). Baby will be much more alert now, so we’ll capture his or her distinct personality with lots of eyes open and possibly even some cheeky smiles.

Your baby will most likely be awake for more photographs during an older newborn session than during a newborn session. We may capture one or two pictures of your baby with their eyes open during a newborn session, but this does not happen in every session because not all babies are awake and as relaxed enough during the photography session.

When babies are awake, they are prone to wriggling. As a result, parents are included in some of the awake photographs, which aids in keeping the baby calm and relaxed.

This means that approximately one-third of the photographs from a newborn session will be family photographs, with the remaining two-thirds being of your baby alone. In an older newborn session, approximately half of the photographs will be family photographs, with the other half being photographs of your baby on their own.

Because the baby will not be wrapped like a newborn, you may want to borrow some lovely baby outfits and accessories. These are typically shot in a fully-equipped studio with a plethora of props and popular baby toys, all of which are guaranteed to engage your older baby and allow the photographers to capture some fantastic photos and action shots.

Family Photo Sessions

Family photoshoots include your newborn or baby, but we’ll also photograph the entire family. This could be your immediate family or extended family, including grandparents. These sessions are filled with love as we capture small details like adoring parents stroking their baby’s head or grandparents looking tenderly at their grandchildren.