You’re faced with a lot of choices when you’re having a baby, from where and how to give birth to what kind of pram to buy to how to decorate the nursery. Everyone has an opinion, the research is often conflicting and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the options available to you. Choosing a newborn photographer is one of those choices: lifestyle newborn photography or traditional studio newborn session, how do you know which is the right fit for your family?
Putting my obvious career bias aside, I think it’s fair to say that newborn photos are pretty important. Your baby only has their first photos done once and these are the photos you’re going to look back on for a lifetime, and pass down to them one day as a keepsake too: these photos will be treasured for generations.
The newborn stage is special and while the nights can seem endless, the weeks and months are oh-so short; you’ll be happy to have photos to remember this time by.
If you’ve started thinking about newborn photos, you’ve probably come across terms like “lifestyle newborn photography” or “natural newborn photography” or “unposed/candid/documentary style newborn photography”. You’ve probably also seen words like “studio/posed/classic or traditional newborn photography” and are wondering what the difference is.
Newborn photography is broken down into two main styles:
Lifestyle newborn photography- also known as in home newborn photography- is relaxed, natural and unposed, focused around creating candid photos of you and your baby in the comfort of your home.
Studio newborn photography- usually referred to as traditional/classic/posed- takes place in a studio setting and is heavily posed, using props and wraps and studio backdrops.
There are of course variations of each, but as a general rule most photographers’ would fit into one of those areas.
What is the difference between lifestyle and studio newborn photography?
Studio newborn photography takes a traditional approach, with a focus on placing your baby into specific poses. The photographer will place the baby in various poses with studio backdrops, often using a beanbag and a variety of props. Studio sessions are mostly focused around the baby on their own, with a few family photos as well and are typically done within the first two weeks of your baby being born (when your baby is most flexible/most likely to sleep more through the session).
Lifestyle newborn photography, on the other hand, is more modern, and focused on the real life movements and interactions between you, your baby, and the new world around them. These sessions are usually done in the comfort of your home or a home setting, and are based around capturing real, candid moments in a reportage or documentary style. There is no strict age limit on lifestyle photography sessions- due to the natural, unposed nature of these shoots your baby can really be any age.
As well as being very different in their style and approach, your experience varies as well: with a studio shoot the photographer takes on more of a director role and will position your baby into different settings. With a lifestyle shoot your will receive light directions from your photographer about where to sit/what to do, but they will remain more “hands off” and let you interact together more naturally.
How do I know which style of newborn photography is right for me?
As with any art form, it’s all subjective- and the only person who can make that decision is you! When you are making your decision, try considering these three things:
- Which style do I prefer? Do you like the classic, posed newborn images best or do you prefer the relaxed, natural ones. Are you more drawn towards clean, white backdrops or real life settings? Do you want your photos to be mostly of your baby, or would you like to have more images of you connecting as a family? If you’re not sure, try doing a little bit of research: hop on instagram and use hashtags like #studionewbornphotographer or #traditionalnewbornphotography and then look up #inhomenewbornphotography or #unposednewbornphotography to get an idea of what each looks like. Which are you more drawn towards?
- What approach will suit us best? Would you feel most comfortable taking a hands off approach and letting your photographer pose your baby, or would you like to be more involved? Do you like to pose for photos/be given detailed instructions or would you rather relax into your surroundings and let the photographer capture the candid stuff?
- What kind of experience would you like to have? Are you happy to pack up and head over to a studio or do you feel most comfortable at home? Do you want to observe or would you prefer to spend the session interacting with your baby? Would you like to have a firm plan for specific poses or would you like to keep things more relaxed?
If you take some time to think about all three of these things- not just style- it should become clear which option is right for you.
How do I find the right newborn photographer?
Once you decide between studio and lifestyle photography, your next step is looking for a photographer. You’ll probably find there are a lot of options, all at different price points and it can be tough to decide between them. Here are some places to start:
- Ask for recommendations and referrals: from friends, colleagues and even within community groups. Keep in mind though that you’ll get recommendations for both styles of photography, so you’ll need to narrow down your list!
- Do some snooping: have any of your facebook friends had professional newborn photos done? Go take a peek and see if there are any you like, and then ask if they would recommend their photographer.
- Do a google search: if you have an idea of what style you’re looking for, you can do a little bit of research to see who is in your area. Search for terms like ” natural newborn photographer _your city_” or _yourcity_ studio baby photographer” and see what comes up in the results.
Once you’ve found a few photographers you’re interested in, take a good look through their work and see if one stands out to you more than the others. You might also want to get a feel for their personality, and whether or not you think you would get on well with them and feel comfortable during your session. You can usually get a good idea of what it’s like to work with someone by reading through their website, checking out their social media accounts and reading reviews other clients have written about them.
How much does newborn photography cost?
You will likely find that the price of newborn photography varies quite drastically, from way more expensive than you thought it would be to impossibly cheap, with lots of photographers in the middle. Photographers price themselves based on experience, reputation, and the costs of running their business: for example if you do photography part time alongside a different full time career, your costs are probably much lower than those who run their photography business full time. Most expensive does not always mean the best, and likewise those charging less aren’t necessarily less good- but as a general rule of thumb if the offer seems too good to be true it probably is.
At the end of the day, most of us have a budget we need to stick to: start by deciding what you can afford but be realistic: take a look at the prices in your area first to get an average figure and see if you sit in the lower, middle or higher range.
Also think about how important these photos are to you now, and how important they will be in the future: I know I’m biased as a photographer, but I’ll share my experience as a mum.
When I was pregnant with my daughter I knew how special that newborn stage would be and how quickly it would be gone, and so it was very important to me to capture it and ensure I got photos I absolutely loved. I saved up to book the photographer whose work I had admired for some time, and it was worth it: I had a great experience and I absolutely love the photos. I look through them with my daughter often and imagine I will for many many years to come.
Keep in mind too that most photographers will offer different packages at different price points: maybe you can’t afford their top package but you could afford a shorter session- this might result in less images than you would get if you booked a longer session with a cheaper photographer but they will be photos you truly love.
What is included with a baby photography package?
Here is another difference between studio and lifestyle photography:
Studio photographers typically charge a session fee which only includes their time on the day and then from there you purchase a package on top of that fee. There will likely be packages at different price points, starting with a few prints and ranging up to wall arts and albums. With studio sessions you normally have to pay extra if you want your digital images, though this isn’t always the case.
Lifestyle photographers’ tend to charge a higher fee for the initial session, but that fee is ‘all inclusive’ and includes your digital images (or at least a certain number of digital images with the option to upgrade to more). This means you have the right to print your images yourself, so you aren’t obligated to order prints, wall art or albums through your photographer if you prefer to order them yourself.
These are not hard and fast rules- there are exceptions on both sides- but in general this is the way the pricing structure differs between the two. Bear this in mind when comparing prices as well: lifestyle sessions may seem more expensive but studio sessions tend to be a lot more expensive in the end, once you’ve add on your print package.
When should I book my newborn photography session?
As births can be quite unpredictable, and we often don’t know when baby will make their appearance, newborn photographers tend to limit their bookings for each month so that their clients can be accommodated even if baby is early/late or if they require additional time to settle in at home.
As such, the earlier you book the better! Whether you are looking for lifestyle newbonr photography or studio newborn photography, most photographers will accept newborn bookings from your 20 week scan onwards, and will reserve time in the diary in the weeks before and after your due date.
Can you tell me more about your in home baby photography sessions in Glasgow, Ayrshire and Central Scotland?
I would love to! If you’ve decided that lifestyle newborn photography is what you’re looking for and you live in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Edinburgh or anywhere else in the central belt of Scotland I would love to create your first family photos. I shoot in a very relaxed style, and have been photographing babies and family for thirteen years. I’m also mum to a four year old daughter, a ten year old rescue dog and am currently pregnant with baby number two (due October 2021) and have lots of experience working with kids of all ages- your older children and pets are most welcome to participate in our session too! If you are currently pregnant or have had your baby already please get in touch, remember with lifestyle baby photography there is no age limit so your wee one won’t be too old for their first family photos! (more on that here)
Drop me a message at hello@rhiannoneale.com, or fill out my contact form to find out more and check availability for your due date!
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