Maternity Leave

If things are quiet for a while, it’s because I’m having a baby! Please be patient as it may take a while for me to respond to emails. I’m due in late April, and I’ll be taking at least 4 weeks off from photography. Can’t wait to photograph your sweet family when I return!

3 of my Favorite Lifestyle Poses for Newborn Sessions

As a lifestyle newborn photographer, you may (or may not) be surprised to learn that there is still posing involved! You have heavily posed newborn photography on one side of the photography spectrum (think of a sleeping baby dressed in an intricately tied wrap and hat, 2 hands under her chin, laying on a bean bag, perhaps with a prop beside her, in a studio) and documentary style photography on the other side of the spectrum (completely unscripted moments taken by a fly-on-the-wall photographer). Lifestyle newborn photography involves direction on the part of the photographer to create moments that are true but perhaps a bit more glamorous than everyday life. For instance, I imagine you don’t typically put on makeup and real clothes while you take care of your newborn in those early weeks… but perhaps you might for photos. And I might suggest that you stand facing the window or kiss your newborn, but these aren’t things that are outside of the realm of normalcy for you. My goal is to help foster real moments and then capture those on camera!

So, yes, there is some posing involved! And here are a few of my favorites:

1) Family admiring baby (typically a sitting shot taken from above or side)

2) A sibling (or multiple siblings) laying next to the newborn on the parents’ bed (with multiple perspectives)

3) A peek at the newborn baby in the crib (through the crib slats)

Oh man, it was really hard picking just 3! But there you have it. Best of luck to all of my photographer friends!

What is Lifestyle Photography?

I’m actually surprised how rarely I get asked this question! I think it’s a genuinely fantastic question that surely people wonder (and maybe eventually Google).

There are a lot of different types of photography, and different photographers may define them differently. For the sake of simplicity, I’m just going to tell you about a few styles that are seen in the family and newborn photography realm. I’m also going to define them the way I view them.

1) There are heavily posed, portrait photographers. This is a more traditional style. Most photos will feature all members of the family looking (and probably smiling) at the camera, all faces in focus. A lot of these photographers operate out of studios and many use artificial lighting for a perfectly lit subject. When it comes to newborns, they will likely be asleep, naked or dressed in intricate wraps or costumes, posed in a very specific way, laying on a bean bag prop. Like anything, this is a style. Some people prefer it and others do not.

2) There are documentary style photographers. This is more of a fly-on-the wall approach. The photographer is unlikely to influence the shot in any way. I would consider this the truest photo but also the least perfect. It’s beautiful in its own way, but once again, not for everyone or every situation.

3) There are lifestyle photographers (me!). Lifestyle photographers photograph authentic moments that are oftentimes influenced or prompted by the photographer. For instance, the photographer may ask you to stand in a certain area with ideal lighting. The photographer may suggest a game you can play with your children that encourages them to laugh and have fun in photos. The photographer may suggest that a newborn mother lift her baby up for a kiss. These photographed moments may be somewhat staged (the amount of staging required varies by situation), but the joy and love captured are very real. It’s perhaps a more glamorized version of everyday life.

My goal in lifestyle photography is to photograph the love between family members. Not everyone feels comfortable in front of the camera, but the right lifestyle photographer will be able to bring about natural moments that you will cherish for a lifetime.

I also want to point out that as a lifestyle photographer…I absolutely do also take photos of everyone looking at the camera and smiling! I’m not sure you can count this under “lifestyle”, but well..my clients tend to want that shot as well. I will act silly to get your kids’ attention (and smiles!) for these shots, regardless of what “style of photography” it falls under.