My last in-home newborn session was at the end of January, before I traveled to NYC and spent more of February sick, before the world changed with the spread of Covid-19, before uncertainty became a familiar feeling. It was a normal day. It was with friends. And it was my first time meeting their little girl who came into this world several weeks early.
We started our session with Mom, Dad and baby because their son was still napping. (I typically have my in-home session at 10 am, but we had this session in the afternoon to work with their schedule). It was my first living room session since that's where the best lighting was in their home.
After big brother woke up, we took photos of just baby. Brother was still groggy so I wanted to give him time to fully wake up and get used to the fact that I was there. I do not pose babies. Instead I let parents dress their little ones up or down (they can be naked or in a diaper or a onesie, it's up to you!) and we place baby in a comfortable position either in their crib or on a pillow with a blanket.
Tip: If you have a newborn lounger, that is best. A neutral colored blanket is also best (no reflections, no distracting patterns, timeless).
Dad was holding baby girl to help soothe her and I noticed that her feet were smaller than his thumbs. She's so tiny! Its one of my favorite photos from the session.
Then we added big brother to the mix!
This was my first session with siblings.
I was up for the challenge. I wont lie, it was a bit of a challenge. Two kids under two years old is a challenge. Parents know this. I know this. And that's okay! I am patient and understanding. If your kid is not into the photo session at all, that is okay. If your kid throws a tantrum, that is okay, too.
Big brother was not in the mood. He was not in the mood to look at his sister, be next to her, sit in mom's lap, sit in dad's lap, be tickled. He just wanted to do his own thing.
We have some outtakes from our initial attempts at family photos with brother where he put up a fight and really wailed his little lungs out. After that we let him go play with his trucks, stack some blocks, and sit on the floor.
During this time, I took more candid photos of the family. These are the activities that families are doing together when the camera isn't usually on them. This is what your life actually looks like. That's why I love these.
During these days of lock-downs and stay-ins, take a moment to take your own family photos. They can be candid like the ones above. (Tip: turn off overhead lights for a more flattering look). Remember the times you spent together, playing board games, watching movies, working on school work, baking cookies, and taking naps.
I hope everyone is staying healthy, safe, and at home. We will see each other in person again one day!