When you think of newborn photography do you think of your family cuddling and loving on your new born baby, photos in your carefully decorated nursery, and individual newborn photos of your baby in their natural sleep positions? Or do you think of snuggled up newborns wrapped up tight and posed with pretty colored blankets, bows and hats in a studio?

I specialize in the first type of newborn session, called lifestyle newborn photography. For me, it is more fulfilling to photograph a new baby in their home environment, being loved on my mom, dad, brother and sister. Having their dog watching over the new baby. Documenting, just what you wanted in your nursery for your new baby. How you hold your baby on your favorite couch. Your newborn baby spread out sleeping in his or her crib, or on your bed, or cuddled up in your arms.

For me, a lifestyle newborn session takes stress off of mom. You don’t have to worry about being somewhere on time, because I come to you! If you need to duck out and feed the baby, you are in the privacy of your own home to do so. I don’t even require a perfectly clean house! When we are all done you are already home to kick your feet up and relax for a bit, if your kids will let you that is!

Do I like posed newborn photos? I do, I love to look at them. All newborns to me are beautiful and it is truly an art. I tried a couple posed sessions myself but it felt so unnatural to me. I didn’t like disturbing a sleeping baby to move her into a new position, I much prefer just letting a baby sleep and documenting how they are naturally.

This most recent lifestyle newborn session I did was special. It was for a dear friend of mine so I had the opportunity to visit and get some newborn snuggles in as well. Check out some of my favorites from this session below.

Have you ever thought, shouldn’t I just use the hospital photographer for my hospital pictures, why would I hire an outside photographer?

Well I personally don’t think so. Let me tell you why. When my first son was born I didn’t know the difference. I didn’t know that fresh 48 photographers existed and I didn’t know how the quality of the hospital photographer was lacking.

Professional Photographer vs. Hospital Photographer

Now…I’m not saying all hospital photographers are terrible, but I had them come for both of my children and neither of them were good. Did I realize it at first? No, I didn’t. But now that I have dove head first into the world of photography and have soaked up tons of education over the past four years I look back at my first son’s hospital session photos (which I have on canvases in my house, again because I didn’t know) and I cringe. They are over exposed, the details are lost, the highlights are blown and it makes me sad now.

The hospital photographer doesn’t set a time up with you so they just pop in periodically to see if you are ready. It doesn’t provide the new mom time to freshen up if she wants to, you could have visitors, it may just not be the right time. Then they take a few quick pictures with their minimal set up (ours had a basket and a plain white sheet). Off they go to edit, and deliver the photos later that day.

How is a professional photographer different?

Not that the hospital photographer isn’t a professional, but they are hired by large companies, you don’t know about their experience, actually, you don’t know them at all! It is an intimate space and time to invite someone you don’t know well into.

When hiring a fresh 48 photographer, you get to choose who you want and who you are comfortable with. What time you want them there, you can coordinate the time with someone watching your older child so you can capture the siblings meeting for the first time. You an make sure you take a minute for yourself to freshen up too!

Most importantly, when you hire a photographer, you know who you are getting, you can study their work, make sure you like it, make sure you will want it on your walls many years down the line. Its important to choose who you want!

For all these reasons, I believe its a better idea to hire your own photographer! You will have photos to cherish for life!