Expecting your first baby? Congrats! One thing you’re probably doing right off the bat is documenting those special firsts, like the first time you notice you have an actual bump and a video of those first few baby movements that you can actually see (so sweet!). While it’s great that you’re keeping tabs on your pregnancy on the daily, you’re probably wondering if and when you should start thinking about having professional newborn photos done. After all, capturing this time in your life the right way is paramount! To help you narrow down your options, here’s an explanation of the difference between lifestyle newborn photography and studio newborn photography—two types you might be considering.
Lifestyle newborn photography is captured in your home and it typically documents life as it organically happens, with minimal posing of the baby, mom and dad. You can expect to have portraits of you all snuggling on the couch, your baby sleeping in her crib or maybe even a family pet sleeping by your baby’s glider while you’re nursing. It is purely a photojournalistic style. Your photographer will mainly be working with window lighting and some flash and will follow you around as you do your day-to-day tasks as a new family.
Studio newborn photography is completely different. When commissioning a studio newborn photographer, you can expect to go to their studio to document your beginning together. Your photographer will design scenes and have props prepared for your portraits, all of which will be posed to highlight your baby’s itty bitty features and your best attributes. Studio newborn photography is typically lit with professional strobes or specific natural light to ensure consistent exposure every time. You can expect individual art from your memories instead of photojournalistic storytelling. Everything in studio newborn photography is well thought out and customized for you and your family.
An important question to ask yourself as you decide which is the best option for you, is how do you imagine seeing and enjoying your memories years from now? Do you want to have your memories lining the walls of your home so you can see them every day or do you want your memories to tell a story and be preserved in a way that you could easily pass them down to your children some day? Believe it or not, the type of artwork you ultimately want will help you decide between the two different styles of newborn photography.
Lifestyle newborn photography works great in an album setting. Because of its natural storytelling characteristics, it will give you a day in the life of your new family forever. Albums are also pieces that can easily be passed down to your baby when he is grown to enjoy with his own children someday. Studio newborn photography is better served as stand-alone wall art. Because the scenes are designed for your home, they become elements of your home decor along with your special memories. The unique poses captured during a studio newborn photography session tend to be the show-stopping, wow-worthy pieces that will have friends and family goo-gooing over your wall art.
The good news: There really is no right or wrong option! Just think about which style will make your heart sing even 20 years down the line. The most important factor is that you document your beginning in some way, shape and form.
If you’re interested in finding out more about studio newborn photography with MAC Photography or would like to reserve your own session be sure to fill out the contact form below and I will reach out to chat!