You’re expecting a sweet little baby, congratulations! If you’re a planner, you probably looked into newborn photographers pretty soon after you found out about this precious little life growing inside of you. You might have thought you’d check out a few photographers and choose based on style, quality and experience, what packages included, maybe price came into play. But perhaps you didn’t expect to be faced with another decision: studio or lifestyle? And this may lead to another question – what is lifestyle newborn photography?

You may not be too sure of the difference, but trust me, there’s a big one!
Most people are familiar with the beautiful photos of tiny babies wrapped in beautiful cloth and laying in baskets or on tiny beds or in a bucket that is synonymous with studio newborn sessions. But the term “lifestyle“ might leave you a little confused. It’s exactly what it sounds like. More specifically, it’s your lifestyle.

Lifestyle newborn photography is personal. They take place in your home, in your space – the place you spend the most time as a family. Sessions generally occur in the living room, mom and dad’s bedroom, and baby’s nursery. Take a look at my portfolio of lifestyle newborn images for more examples!

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These sessions are full of emotion and personality. They aim to capture the joy and love you feel as you welcome your little bundle of joy. Amidst the chaos of learning to parent, during a lifestyle session you have a chance to relax and just snuggle your new babe, capturing the home you and your partner have built for this itty bitty little being you created together. They’re designed to give you the opportunity to reflect on your love for one another and your babe. They also give you an excuse to shower.

Lifestyle sessions are fairly unposed. I often direct my clients on where to sit or stand, but mostly use something called “prompts” to bring out emotions and personality. You can see more from one of these sessions here. These sessions, while designed to immortalize the tiny sweetness of your babe, are more about your new stage of life as parents, and this new amazing love you never could have imagined before you held your infant in your arms.

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Check out other blog posts to read more about lifestyle newborn photography and what every parent needs for their session.