When you think of newborn portraits, you probably think of those classic, delicate, monochromatic portraits with a wrapped or nude baby on a soft cushion. Those portraits are timeless and beautiful, and every family should have them in their collection. At the same time, you don’t want your baby’s first portraits to look like everyone else’s. So how do you make them one-of-a-kind?
Part of this depends on your photographer. I take pride in designing a custom photo session for every client because I understand how truly special this moment is in your life. But there are also some additions we can make to incorporate more personality and sentimentality into your baby’s newborn photo session. Try these ideas, for example.
Include the Whole Family
Newborn portraits celebrate the beginning of your baby’s life, but beyond this, they celebrate one of the most monumental and beautiful changes in your entire family’s life too. I want to honor the importance of this moment for everyone, so if you’re up for it, let’s get portraits for your baby with you, your partner, and the proud big brothers or big sisters if your baby has siblings. We can even include the family dog!
Just keep in mind that this does take some extra planning and coordination. I typically take family portraits first so you can have your baby’s other parent take your older kids home or so you can have a grandparent or friend pick them up while we continue with the rest of your baby’s photo session.
Incorporate Sentimental Items
A few small items added to your baby’s newborn portraits can go a long way by honoring elements of your family’s story. For example, you might want to include:
Family heirlooms
Mom or Dad’s military uniform or first responder uniform
A blanket Grandma knitted for the baby
Your wedding dress or wedding veil
Pay Homage to Your Culture
So many parents look forward to sharing their culture with their kids as they grow up, and your baby’s newborn portraits will be even more special if we incorporate imagery from your culture. There are plenty of ways to do this - we could use colors that are culturally significant or directly incorporate items like traditional garments, culturally significant items, flowers that have a special meaning in your culture, and so on.
Use Seasonal Imagery
In newborn photos, you can’t tell what season it is because they all take place in my indoor portrait studio. For that reason, some parents like to incorporate visual elements that capture the season when their baby was born. You might want to include spring flowers for a springtime baby, for example, or Christmas or Hanukkah imagery if your baby was born around the winter holidays.
Add Items Related to Your Hobbies and Passions
As your baby grows up, you probably can’t wait to introduce them to all the hobbies that bring you joy. Why not incorporate them into your baby’s newborn photos too? We can use props like your hiking boots, books if you’re an avid reader, sports items, and so on.
Getting One-of-a-Kind Newborn Portraits
I believe every family deserves to have personalized newborn portraits, and I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve to make your portraits special. Let’s start planning today! Contact Samantha Wilson Photography in Bucks County, PA.