This morning was the third morning I was invited within the walls of this Philadelphia family to photograph their newest daughter. I remember talking on the phone with this Mama and she said
“I wanted each session to feel a little different, because we are a little different.” -G.T.
With a newborn baby, two toddlers and a working husband, the booking process needs to be easy and efficient… Welcome Guides give the lay of the land for our session and reminds clients how we will spend our time together. Style Guides for each season are sent, regardless of how many times we have worked together (It is super convenient to have a recent email with styling suggestions so you do not have to go digging every time!). A client portal is established for all digital signing of documents. a booking calendar is sent for you to visualize and find a time that works best for your family. Invoices with digital payment links are sent right to your email. Digital delivery of your edited gallery is ready for you to download in full resolution size (for printing) and web size for sharing via text messages and social media… all with the click of a button. Your favorite images are then sent to the print shop and arrive wrapped and at your door.
This session did feel a bit different. Two young humans with emotions, needs, sleep and eating schedules on top of a newborn, can be a lot for any parent to manage. We played Baby Shark (…we had to). We snuggled in different rooms and areas of the house to keep the environment fresh. We asked the eldest sisters to help with feeding and soothing their sister. We held kids up side down and played airplane on the bed (this Mama was feeling great after giving birth so she up for lifting, playing and holding her children. Not all women feel this way, so we always, always check in with each other).
Here is their previous newborn session with one toddler! This post is loaded with tips, guides and breakdown for working with such young children.
Photographing newborns at home with your family is the way I see and feel newborn photography sessions. Your children will feel more in their element and more like to feel comfortable in front of the camera. Your home is where you spend most of your time as a young family and it just make sense to have this as the backdrop of your natural, lifestyle photos. We used this same couch, in this same living room for three different at home newborn sessions and all of them are a bit different. The energy that takes up the space here has changed and shifted. The love is growing and room is more full.
These are the moments and slices of your life that can be felt and framed together to tell the story of this time in your life. This mother reached out to me towards the end of her first trimester to get this session together. We were expecting an early delivery like her other two daughters, so we picked a day that worked for school and day care, as well as her husband’s work schedule. To photograph the entire family in their home was a blessing and a morning to be shared.
Do you have more questions about working with toddlers and newborns in your own home? Here is another post about working with a family of 5 (three boys under the age of 4.5). You can also give me a quick shout here and we can answer any other questions you might have.
Hello. Thank you for visiting. I am Steph, owner of Steph Kines Photo, specializing in working with young families, expecting women and growing babies in the Philadelphia area. I hope you found my Philadelphia Newborn Photography blog feature helpful and inspiring. If you are interested in booking a photography session and would like to talk more about how we will spend our time together, let’s connect here. Finding your photographer can take time, so if you would like to follow along and see more behind the scenes, follow me on Instagram.
Steph is Philadelphia’s Natural Newborn Photographer, specializing in finding light and connection in your own space. She offers maternity, family, milestone and newborn photography in a warm, natural and unexpected way. Her clients love that her sessions are child-led which means giving space and guidance to young children to be themselves in their own environment. This leads to more true reflection of your family at this time in your life. All clients receive a collection of prints and the rights to fully edited digital files. Steph can design custom, heirloom albums and assist with wall galleries to display in your home. I invite you to learn more about the quality and feel of my offered products and art with this blog post.
Steph serves Philadelphia, Bucks County and The Main Line including:
Bryn Mawr | Media | Main Line | Gladwyne | Villanova | Radnor | Narberth | Wynwood | Ardmore | Malvern | Strafford | Chestnut Hill | Haverford | Merion | Penn Valley | Doylestown | New Hope | North Wales | Lansdale | Harleysville | Newtown Square | Collegeville
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