If you’ve never heard of doing your newborn photos outdoors, I’m here to tell you it’s a wonderful idea. During the months of April-November (generally speaking, sometimes we get warm days in between these months), these are some of my favorite sessions! The longer evenings are perfect for sunset photos and I find that babies tend to be very happy outdoors. There are many reasons why you may not want to have your photos taken in your home (I’ve always done my own babies’ newborn photos outdoors!). You may find it stressful to think of tidying up your house, you may have pets that don’t do well around people, your house may get poor lighting, or you may just prefer the scenery of an outdoor location.

Lifestyle vs Studio Photos

An alternative to traditional studio newborn photos where babies are wrapped/swaddled and have props and backdrops, a lifestyle photo session is more relaxed and reflects your natural interactions. Lifestyle photos can be either indoor or outside. They each have their advantages. If you want all the details of your nursery photographed and would prefer not to leave your house, your home is the ideal location.Here’s a blog post to help determine if an in-home session is right for you. If the thought of having everything ready for photos is overwhelming (trust me, I get it!), outdoor photos are the way to go.

Selecting Outfits

For most, finding outfits that coordinate can be a challenge if you don’t know what to look for! If you opt to wear neutral colors, these photograph the best. To add visual interest to your photos, I recommend neutrals in different shades and textures. If you would prefer some color, take your location into consideration. If your background is heavily green, you don’t want to blend in. The name of the game when it comes to family outfits is coordinating, not matching. My #1 tip is for mom to find her outfit first! If you’re shopping for outfits in the summer months, follow the tips in this blog post. Since moms aren’t usually the ones in front of the camera, take time to find something you love and feel beautiful in. Worth Collective is one of my favorite shops for dresses, so is Nothing Fits But. Both of these brands offer romantic styles that are so beautiful for pregnancy and postpartum. If this all sounds like too much, have no fear! When you book your session with me, I can provide you with customized outfit choices if you want to take the guess work out.

What to expect from outdoor photos

Outdoor newborn photos are much like in-home ones! We make sure to get photos of your whole family, as well as of baby with each individual parent. I also provide a Moses basket and a selection of blankets and swaddles for you to pick from for individual portraits of baby. The entire session is very relaxed and joyful. My goal is to capture your radiating love for the new life you’ve welcomed. Here is an example of a session in a flower farm. Just dreamy! If you’d like to learn more about my newborn photo sessions, please contact me! I adore photographing baby’s first tender moments and it would be an honor to photograph yours.