Answers to the top 5 questions & concerns about having a newborn photo session at your home

Here are the top 5 questions and concerns that I hear the most when it comes to booking an in-home newborn photo session for your new baby. Ok, there are actually a lot more than five questions and concerns in this post so I grouped similar concerns together.

I’ll answer these questions as simply as possible. I know you’re busy and don’t have the time to read long answers!


1. What if my house is a mess!? How do I prepare my home? What if my home is small/cluttered/not pretty/doesn’t get great natural light? What rooms will you be photographing in?


You just had a baby, I expect your home to be a mess! All you have to do is a quick clean up in a room or two. Chuck the baby bottles, sippy cups and 8 coffee mugs into the sink (you do not even have to wash them, I do not judge a sink full of dirty dishes!) and toss the piles of laundry and toys into a room we will not be using. Do not, I repeat, do not deep clean anything! I am a Mom to three boys, I get it, and seriously, I do not judge!!

I assure you that your home is not too small or cluttered! I have shot in a ton of homes over the years and have made all of them work! I’ll probably open your curtains or blinds as wide as I can and I’ll have you hang out in the room with the best natural light. And if I really need to, I’ll use a flash.

I mainly shoot in the living room but I’m happy to do photos in the nursery or main bedroom if the light is good!


2. What if my baby is fussy/does not sleep or cooperate? What happens if baby needs fed and changed!?

Since this is a lifestyle session, and I will not pose your baby, it’s more than ok if your baby is awake (I LOVE awake shots) and since I love to photograph babies in the arms of the parents, there’s a very small chance baby will be fussy the whole time!

Although sessions last around 2 hours long, I do not set a tight time constraint so it is more then ok to feed baby and change him as many times as necessary! This is all expected and I have a ton of patience!


3. Will my whole family be included? What if my husband is not thrilled about a session? What if my toddler or preschooler doesn’t cooperate?


Yes, I absolutely want to include the parents, older siblings, fur-kids and even Grandparents. The majority of my photos will include the family!

My husband is never thrilled about photo sessions, in fact, 95% of husbands are probably are not thrilled about it! Assure them that they can just be themselves, they don’t have to dress up, and for the majority of the photos, they do not even have to look at the camera!

Like I mentioned above, I not only have a ton of patience, I have a ton of experience working with toddlers, especially toddlers that are just getting used to having a new small human in their house! Rest assured, I’ve yet to meet a toddler that I could not get to “cooperate” for photos.

Here’s a blog post with tips and tricks to get toddlers to cooperate.


4. How long will you be here? What will we even do while you’re here?

Newborn sessions typically last around two hours long. Sometimes they can be a little shorter, and sometimes a little longer. As I mentioned, I do not set a strict time constraint, so I stay until I feel like I got enough photos to create an amazing gallery for you.

While I’m there, I’ll mostly just have you hanging out on the couch, in the nursery or holding baby by the window etc. Just relax and be yourselves. I will not pose you uncomfortably, but I will give you direction as needed.


5. What do we wear? What should I dress baby in?


Dress comfortably! I want you to not only feel good about yourselves but I want you to dress like you usually do. I am ok with lights, darks, prints or solids. I just ask that you avoid bright and bold colors like orange or lime green.

For baby, I prefer when they are just in a simple onesie or sleeper. Choose something that you love to put on them and pick out your favorite blanket for me to wrap them in. I’m not the kind of photographer that brings along props. I prefer to utilize the items that a parent already has for their baby because this is so much more special and personal.  

I want you to look back in 20 years at these photos and remember how much you loved that gray sleeper with the elephants on it or the muslin wrap with the giraffes on it that you received at your baby shower or the blanket that your mother knit while you were pregnant.


Now, relax and know that a newborn photo session with me is super laid back, relaxing and even fun! My goal is to keep everything as stress-free as possible!

Go ahead and scroll through below and enjoy the rest of my favorite photos from one of my recent newborn sessions where there was a toddler big brother. It seems that over the years, a majority of my newborn photo sessions include a toddler sibling, these have become my very favorite kinds of session!


You can learn more about my newborn sessions here,
and go have a look at my newborn gallery

Do you have more questions or concerns about a photo session?
I’d love to answer them for you!

If you’re looking for a newborn photographer in the greater Pittsburgh or Youngstown Ohio areas,  
please get in touch to inquire about a session!  


I’d love to connect with you on the ‘Gram

~All images by Mary Beth Miller Photography ~

Mary Beth Miller Photography has over twelve years of experience and specializes in newborn photo sessions in Pittsburgh PA and many of the surrounding areas.  

Add a comment...

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

Answers to the top 5 questions & concerns about having a newborn photo session at your home

Here are the top 5 questions and concerns that I hear the most when it comes to booking an in-home newborn photo session for your new baby. Ok, there are actually a lot more than five questions and concerns in this post so I grouped similar concerns together.

I’ll answer these questions as simply as possible. I know you’re busy and don’t have the time to read long answers!


1. What if my house is a mess!? How do I prepare my home? What if my home is small/cluttered/not pretty/doesn’t get great natural light? What rooms will you be photographing in?


You just had a baby, I expect your home to be a mess! All you have to do is a quick clean up in a room or two. Chuck the baby bottles, sippy cups and 8 coffee mugs into the sink (you do not even have to wash them, I do not judge a sink full of dirty dishes!) and toss the piles of laundry and toys into a room we will not be using. Do not, I repeat, do not deep clean anything! I am a Mom to three boys, I get it, and seriously, I do not judge!!

I assure you that your home is not too small or cluttered! I have shot in a ton of homes over the years and have made all of them work! I’ll probably open your curtains or blinds as wide as I can and I’ll have you hang out in the room with the best natural light. And if I really need to, I’ll use a flash.

I mainly shoot in the living room but I’m happy to do photos in the nursery or main bedroom if the light is good!


2. What if my baby is fussy/does not sleep or cooperate? What happens if baby needs fed and changed!?

Since this is a lifestyle session, and I will not pose your baby, it’s more than ok if your baby is awake (I LOVE awake shots) and since I love to photograph babies in the arms of the parents, there’s a very small chance baby will be fussy the whole time!

Although sessions last around 2 hours long, I do not set a tight time constraint so it is more then ok to feed baby and change him as many times as necessary! This is all expected and I have a ton of patience!


3. Will my whole family be included? What if my husband is not thrilled about a session? What if my toddler or preschooler doesn’t cooperate?


Yes, I absolutely want to include the parents, older siblings, fur-kids and even Grandparents. The majority of my photos will include the family!

My husband is never thrilled about photo sessions, in fact, 95% of husbands are probably are not thrilled about it! Assure them that they can just be themselves, they don’t have to dress up, and for the majority of the photos, they do not even have to look at the camera!

Like I mentioned above, I not only have a ton of patience, I have a ton of experience working with toddlers, especially toddlers that are just getting used to having a new small human in their house! Rest assured, I’ve yet to meet a toddler that I could not get to “cooperate” for photos.

Here’s a blog post with tips and tricks to get toddlers to cooperate.


4. How long will you be here? What will we even do while you’re here?

Newborn sessions typically last around two hours long. Sometimes they can be a little shorter, and sometimes a little longer. As I mentioned, I do not set a strict time constraint, so I stay until I feel like I got enough photos to create an amazing gallery for you.

While I’m there, I’ll mostly just have you hanging out on the couch, in the nursery or holding baby by the window etc. Just relax and be yourselves. I will not pose you uncomfortably, but I will give you direction as needed.


5. What do we wear? What should I dress baby in?


Dress comfortably! I want you to not only feel good about yourselves but I want you to dress like you usually do. I am ok with lights, darks, prints or solids. I just ask that you avoid bright and bold colors like orange or lime green.

For baby, I prefer when they are just in a simple onesie or sleeper. Choose something that you love to put on them and pick out your favorite blanket for me to wrap them in. I’m not the kind of photographer that brings along props. I prefer to utilize the items that a parent already has for their baby because this is so much more special and personal.  

I want you to look back in 20 years at these photos and remember how much you loved that gray sleeper with the elephants on it or the muslin wrap with the giraffes on it that you received at your baby shower or the blanket that your mother knit while you were pregnant.


Now, relax and know that a newborn photo session with me is super laid back, relaxing and even fun! My goal is to keep everything as stress-free as possible!

Go ahead and scroll through below and enjoy the rest of my favorite photos from one of my recent newborn sessions where there was a toddler big brother. It seems that over the years, a majority of my newborn photo sessions include a toddler sibling, these have become my very favorite kinds of session!


You can learn more about my newborn sessions here,
and go have a look at my newborn gallery

Do you have more questions or concerns about a photo session?
I’d love to answer them for you!

If you’re looking for a newborn photographer in the greater Pittsburgh or Youngstown Ohio areas,  
please get in touch to inquire about a session!  


I’d love to connect with you on the ‘Gram

~All images by Mary Beth Miller Photography ~

Mary Beth Miller Photography has over twelve years of experience and specializes in newborn photo sessions in Pittsburgh PA and many of the surrounding areas.  

Add a comment...

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

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724.371.6575
mbmillerphoto.com

best newborn photographers in Pittsburgh Expertise logo award
PPA Professional Photographer Of America

Mary Beth Miller Photography

The facebook logo in a circle.
The instagram icon on a black background.
best newborn photographers in Pittsburgh Expertise logo award
PPA Professional Photographer Of America

724.371.6575

Mary Beth Miller PHotography