If you’re looking for Milwaukee newborn photography and are considering what type of session to do, I’m here to say that in-home newborn sessions are my absolute FAVORITE! Why? Because they are exactly the type of images that I will want to remember someday. In-home newborn sessions take place in the comfort of your own home and with your entire family present and in photos. They capture your life and your environment exactly as it is, and will be beautiful reminders of the early days of growing your family! They are also very comfortable for clients, because your newborn photographer comes to YOU and you don’t need worry about leaving the house on top of getting ready! Newborn photography should be easy and stress-free, and in-home sessions are exactly that!
Having done newborn photography in Milwaukee for almost 8 years now, I’m here to give you my best tips to prepare for your session!
1. Choose a Milwaukee Newborn Photographer with plenty of experience!
Just like you wouldn’t hire a babysitter for your newborn without experience, you also should consider experience when choosing a newborn photographer. Your photographer will be directing you and posing you throughout your newborn photography session, so you’ll want to make sure that they have plenty of experience with babies! Take a look at their portfolio and make sure that they demonstrate a variety of clients, and that they also demonstrate a specific style! You aren’t just looking for experience because of safety, but also because you want to see that they are able to maintain their style throughout a variety of homes. Lighting can change drastically from one home to another, but an experienced photographer will be able to consistently provide beautiful images despite changing conditions!
2. Tips for Baby’s Outfit
When you look at Milwaukee newborn photography sessions, you will see a huge variety in wardrobe! Some photographers use a lot of color while others maintain a selective and muted color palette. In my opinion, you want your newborn to wear clothing that won’t look dated ten or twenty years from now! Choose clothes that are the following:
Non-distracting: You want all the emphasis to be on your connection with your newborn baby during your newborn photography session, NOT on the clothing! Solid, neutral colors or light patterns photograph best!
Tight-fitting: You want your baby’s outfit to fit them well. If between sizes, opt for the smaller size. Avoid outfits that have bowties or ruffles on the sleeves for girls or any other features that could get in the way of the baby’s face during your Milwaukee newborn photography session.
Easy to show off features: I love a newborn baby’s toes and hands and features as much as anyone else, and always aim to show them off in my sessions! Choosing rompers or simple onesies that highlight a baby’s features is my favorite!
Even choosing to use a swaddle or blanket to loosely wrap makes for a beautiful way to show off the baby’s hands and feet!
3. If doing an in-home session, choose a Milwaukee Newborn Photographer who knows how to use flash!
No matter the home that you live in, there will always be rooms that get less light naturally due to less windows or that get less light at certain times of day! If you LOVE your nursery but it’s on a side of the house that is dark in the mornings (and you want a morning session because your toddler naps in the afternoon) you need to choose a newborn photographer that has a knowledge of how to use light inside of a home! If a photographer uses light well, it looks completely natural and frees up where photos can take place. No more hugging windows for the best light!
4. Wardrobe for mom should always be chosen first!
I might have gotten ahead of myself talking about what to put the baby in for your newborn photography session, because mom’s outfit should always be chosen first! Why? Because, as a mom, you need to make sure YOU feel comfortable! Being newly postpartum isn’t always easy, but having the right dress or outfit can make a huge difference in your comfort level!
Choose a dress or outfit that you feel good in. I recommend neutral colors or small patterns, as I do for baby’s outfit! Dresses are universally flattering postpartum and typically make women feel very good during their session.
My favorite places to shop for newborn session dresses are:
Pink Blush Maternity
Bohme
Nothing Fits But
Worth Collective
5. If baby is happy, everyone is happy!
When I book a Milwaukee newborn photography session, I send my clients an entire guide that I made on how to best prepare for their session. I’m happy to share a few tips here as well, because there are things you can do to keep your newborn happy and make the session go much smoother!
Before I arrive for the session, I recommend my clients turn up the temperature in their house by a few degrees so that baby stays nice and cozy warm! I also recommend that they have them dressed in the outfit that they would like them to be in BEFORE I get there, and that they feed them immediately before the beginning of the session. A warm, fed baby increases the likelihood of having a sleepy baby! And, that’s what we are hoping for! If we need to take breaks to get baby to sleep during the session, that is also completely fine and expected. At the end of the day, it should all be stress-free!
If you’re interested in learning more about working together for your own newborn photography session, reach out to me here and check out more details on my newborn photography page! I would love to connect with you!
