Want a home newborn photoshoot? This is how to prep your home.
If you’ve dreamed of a newborn photo shoot at home but you’re stressing about the state of your house, this post is for you.
First, I want to say that I get why you’re worried. You’ve probably scrolled through plenty of lifestyle newborn photographers’ Insta feeds, and all you see are beautiful families snuggling in seemingly perfect homes.
But here’s the secret: in-home photographers are magicians. We carefully choose our angles and backdrops to make you and your home look incredible. What you don’t see is everything that’s behind me as I’m capturing the shot.
In a decade as a family photographer, I’ve never walked into a home and had trouble getting beautiful photographs. Remember, all that matters is what’s in the frame.
If you’re still wondering how to prepare your home to look its best for your in-home newborn photos, I’ve pulled together my top tips for getting ready without stressing. Because when you have a newborn to care for, you have better things to do than clean the baseboards!
Get your newborn photographer’s input.
I recently had a new mom reach out before her newborn photo shoot, anxious that her bedroom wasn’t photogenic enough.
Before she went on a HomeGoods spree, I asked her to send me photos. It turned out that the room was totally fine! The only issue I saw was that there was a window AC unit installed in the window directly above the bed. I suggested that she hang simple, patterned curtain panels to hide the AC, which made all the difference. It gave the neutral room a little personality and made for a great backdrop to those cozy, cuddled new family photos.
Every home is different, so don’t be shy about snapping a few photos on your phone and getting your photographer’s input about which rooms will likely photograph best.
You won’t need as many locations as you’d think because we can get lots of variety by using different angles, lenses, and combinations of people. The best options are usually the nursery, living room, and parents’ bedroom.
Declutter, but don’t deep-clean.
Minimizing clutter in the few rooms you plan to use is the best way to get your home ready for your session.
Simple things can go a long way, like:
- Clearing off bedside tables and end tables. Keep any artwork or framed photos you don’t mind having in the background, but hide the receipts, paper piles, snacks, stray pacis, and nipple cream in the nearest drawer.
- Take down the baby monitor, stash the diaper caddy full of Huggies in the closet, and think of other practical items that you can temporarily remove to create a cleaner look.
- Put clean, neutral bedspreads on the crib and the master bed. I suggest a cream or white, solid-colored comforter or sheet. Remember, you can always use the inside of a duvet or a white sheet if your regular comforter has a bold or busy pattern.
Please don’t worry if you have a sink full of dishes or haven’t mopped. None of this will make a difference, and no one will judge!
Don’t just turn off the lights; go ahead and unplug them!
Very few homes are completely light, bright, and airy, particularly in New England. Thankfully, photographers are trained to find and use natural light, even when it’s scarce.
Sometimes, we find a nursery window that offers gorgeous light. Other times, it’s the hallway light that’s just right. Bottom line? We go where the light takes us, and we make it work!
I shoot with natural window light only, so it can save some time if you turn off all the lamps and overhead lights and open blinds in advance. You can even unplug lamps and other appliances, hiding the wires, so they are not in the way. Doing so will give your photos a cleaner look and make it easy to reposition things quickly without anyone tripping.
Be prepared to get creative.
On the day of your newborn session, we relax, have fun, and get creative to get those gorgeous shots you’ll cherish.
Here are just a few examples of ways I’ve made any home work during newborn sessions:
- Sliding the entire crib toward a window when it had been in a darker corner of the nursery
- Swiveling a glider in a different direction to hide background clutter from the shot
- Moving the crib mattress into the living room to get that in-the-crib look with better lighting
- Using an unconventional space like: kitchen, hallway, stairwell…even the bathroom!
Your family, your baby, and your home are perfect just the way you are. Don’t let Instagram expectations keep you from the cuddly, cozy home newborn shoot you’ve been dreaming about. Future You will be so grateful for the reminders of this extra-special time.
Curious about what exactly to expect during an in-home newborn session? There’s a post for that!
