What is a “newborn lifestyle session”?

Having a baby can be the most important and memorable experience of your life. Whether it is your first child and the beginnings of a family or it is a welcome addition, you will always cherish those precious first moments with your baby. A newborn lifestyle session captures the adorable moments and intense emotions of this special time at the comfort of your home. It take place in your environment, where you are most comfortable and relaxed, and so is your baby.

During a newborn lifestyle session, I will help you with some flattering poses, but mostly I will let the session unfold naturally. My favorite images evoke emotion or bring you back to a special place and time where you felt love, happiness and joy. Only real life can achieve true emotion.

What to expect:

A newborn lifestyle session should generally take place within the first 2-3 weeks after birth. Most babies are still really tired and sleep a lot at that age what makes the session so easy. The session will last between 2 and 3 hours, depending on the baby’s mood and feeding breaks. The baby will typically determine the flow of the session.

After getting to know each other and chatting a little bit, I will start looking for the best light all around your house. I primarily shoot newborn lifestyle images in the nursery, master bedroom and living room, however it’s more about finding the rooms or spaces with the best light i your home!

How to prepare:

• Prep your home. Your home doesn’t have to be perfect. Preparing your home for a session is about simplifying a space. I will focus your session mainly in the master bedroom and the nursery, so spend some time simplifying the space. This simply means removing items that aren’t necessary for your photos, or items you don’t want in your photos. 
• For master bedrooms. This can mean clearing off nightstands, removing phone chargers, taking laundry hampers out of the room, removing tissue boxes, etc. Arrange some flowers for decoration on your night desk. They always look pretty and give a nice decor accent.
• For nurseries. This can mean putting baby wipes in a drawer, taking down baby monitor cameras, and simplifying newborn accessories that may be laying around.
• Crank the heat! (or turn off the air conditioning). The adults may feel a bit hot and uncomfortable, but the baby will be happy.
• Prepping Your Little One. Before your session, make sure your baby is well feed and dressed. I recommend to pick a basic onesie that fits well. A plain white onesie is not only easy and low maintenance, but it helps to showcase the small body of a newborn. I don’t usually do outfit changes during your the session. I honestly think that they interfere with image consistency and only upset the baby.

What to wear:

When choosing colors for your outfits, I recommend selecting softer, lighter tones and more muted shades. By avoiding ultra-bright, bold colors or black, it will help bring all the attention to your baby and your faces and let the eye focus on the way you feel about each other. 

• Softer color palette. The camera loves shades of soft pink and muted blues, mixed with light neutrals like heather gray, creams, leather brown and white. That softer color palette fits beautifully into almost all environments and can easily be paired in so many different ways.

• Prepping your family. As you are coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most cohesive on camera when the color palette and wardrobe coordinate, but don’t actually “match.” In fact, I recommend that you avoid thinking about “matching,” and instead think about what “fits” together.

Just as I recommend for the entire family’s wardrobe, the newborn’s wardrobe should stay neutral. Neutral tones help ensure accurate skin tones, without harsh and unnatural color casting. 

To see an example of my newborn board that I send to my clients, please click here:

https://www.pinterest.com/helenagoessens/lifestyle-newborn-sessions-by-helena-goessens-phot/

Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos. Casual clothing is perfect and bare feet look more natural in a home setting. A light, neutral color maxi dress or a pretty gown will be comfortable and soft while you a re cuddling with your new baby.

My goal for each newborn lifestyle session is to create a personalized experience for you and your baby that it is fun and meaningful. Although the goal of working together is to create wonderful images, I also strive to make the process of getting there enjoyable and memorable. Ultimately, I want you to enjoy this experience as much as I enjoy capturing it!

about helena goessens photography

Helena Goessens is a maternity, newborn and family photographer based in Dedham, MA. She loves to work with families and little ones in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Her style is simple and natural and she specializes in capturing those special moments to savor a lifetime. Helena Goessens offers sessions in the comfort of clients homes, outdoors and on location for those special occasions.  If you are looking for a newborn lifestyle photographer for your next newborn session, be sure to browse through her newborn portfolio and inquire for availability. Contact her at    info@helenagoessens.com    or call her at    617-584-9891.  For more of her work, visit her website at helenagoessens.com.