Getting Beautiful Newborn Photos at Home is Easier Than You Think!

Luckily, taking newborn photos at home has become popular and accepted. In fact, 95% of my newborn session clients prefer to take their newborn photos at home.

Sure, we can go to a studio, and there are plenty of beautiful photo studios in Rochester NY, but it’s harder and stressful for a brand new Mom with a brand new baby to pack up and travel to a studio.

So, why don’t we just stay home?

How I approach newborn sessions at home

I’m going to walk you through how I approached one full newborn session done in January 2025. I’ll show you the photos and describe the areas of my clients home that we were in so you can see how I get beautiful and natural newborn photos at home.

1. When I first arrive, I scout to find the window with the best light. If I can find more than one, that’s a bonus! All I need to find is one good window to get beautiful portraits.

I took all of these portraits you see below using a basket tucked with blankets, placed next to a window in the living room. The basket is sitting on a couch but you’d never know!

2. Any space with good light is a creative opportunity! I look for additional rooms with good light, ideally in a nursery or bedroom, but even a kitchen would do.

In this example, this beautiful Mama has baby’s nursery in her bedroom. The room has one beautiful window. We took some breastfeeding photos with her on her bed and next to the window. In this case, this was the only window which created a moody backdrop perfect for beautiful portraits.

3. I focus on intimate moments and avoid background distractions.

Can I please say….It is completely normal and okay to have a messy space! You might have water bottles and diapers, bottles and pumping equipment scattered around. It’s fine! I work around that stuff or I’m happy to move things around. It’s easy and no problem at all. I’ll even put things back in place before I leave 🙂

During this session, I decided to photograph closer and focus on the intimacy between this Mother and her baby. So, it didn’t matter at all that it was a tight space. There was a box fan and a desk right in front of us. We didn’t have much space, but I asked Mama to sit on the floor, lean up against the bed, and hold her baby.

I got these beautiful portraits just by changing my angle to shooting from above. It didn’t matter what else was in the room, just this moment together. Baby Koa was awake and alert the entire session, which is pretty rare! But he was just happy and making direct eye contact with my camera!

This sweet boy just melted my heart into a puddle!

4. I get creative with your home’s nooks-and-crannies and existing decor

This could be houseplants, a decorated nursery, a fireplace, etc. I’ll look for opportunities to photograph you in unlikely places, like in your kitchen, hallways, or door thresholds. Wherever there’s interesting light and where your home decor can help tell your story.

This session took place around Christmas, so we used the tree in her living room for some creative portraits. Luckily there was beautiful natural light. In this case, there were two windows, one left and one right, creating nice even light.

Booking Newborn Photos at Home in Rochester NY

The best time to take newborn photos is usually within the first two weeks, but it’s ultimately up to you. The first two weeks are generally good because your baby will still be very sleepy, which helps the sessions flow more smoothly.

Typically, my clients will let me know once baby is born and that’s when we pick a date for your newborn session. That way you don’t need to worry about trying to guess which date will work for you. I reserve the two weeks before and the two weeks after your expected due date, so I’m usually able to accommodate most dates with 2-3 days notice!

I recommend booking your newborn photographer in Rochester NY in your second trimester if possible. You’ll want to have your session reserved by pregnancy week 35 at the latest. Anything can happen in that final month and you’ll feel better knowing that your newborn photographer is already on standby!

If you have any questions or comments about taking newborn photos at home, I’d love to read them in the comments! Of course, you can always get in touch with me directly by emailing hello@brittennicole.com

Want to see more? Check out another story: “In Home Newborn Photos in Rochester NY“