The Ultimate newborn Photoshoot Prep Guide
Because bringing into the world a little human deserves to be documented properly!
Hi mama, I’m so excited you are here. Firstly, I want to thank you for trusting me to capture this incredibly special moment of your life. I take my job very seriously and my goal is to give you photos that you will want to brag about forever! ✨ I also want to congratulate you on this huge event✨
Getting ready for this special day doesn't have to feel overwhelming. In fact, I've put together this guide to make it as stress-free and joyful as possible for you. With just a few focused choices around light, temperature, wardrobe, and timing, we'll create calm, natural images that truly feel like your beautiful family. Let's dive in and make some magic.
What to Expect From Our Lifestyle In-Home Newborn Session
Our in-home newborn photography session, often called lifestyle newborn photography, is all about capturing your baby and family in the real, beautiful setting of your home. We'll use natural light and gentle direction to tell your unique story. Your home becomes our backdrop: the soft window light, your favourite blankets, and your everyday routines will weave together to create honest and meaningful images of early parenthood. In Montreal, an in-home session is especially practical. You get to avoid stressful travel with a newborn, skip those chilly outdoor transfers in winter, and keep all those personal home details in the frame. Families who value comfort, convenience, and candid moments absolutely adore this approach, and I know you will too!
The Benefits of a Lifestyle Newborn Photography at Home
Our lifestyle newborn sessions focus on comfort and authenticity by photographing your baby where they're already most settled, whether that's their crib, your bed, or a favourite couch. Being in familiar surroundings really reduces fussiness and helps us capture those real interactions like nursing, swaddling, and quiet cuddles. The result? Images that feel like your everyday life instead of staged portraits. These sessions are also logistically easier because there's no travel with your newborn, and breaks or feeds happen on your schedule, which lowers stress for everyone. Knowing these emotional and practical benefits will help you prepare your home and get excited for our session!
How We'll Prepare Your Home for Our Newborn Photoshoot
Preparing your home for our session comes down to three priorities: finding the brightest windows, tidying camera-visible areas, and making the space warm and safe for your baby. I recommend starting by scouting which rooms get the softest natural light at our booked time which is most of the times in the morning around 9 or 10am (depending on the season). East or south-facing windows often work beautifully, and we'll plan to photograph near those. We might move furniture slightly to create clean sightlines, and I suggest prioritizing quick touch-ups to surfaces closest to our shoot area (like the bed, couch, or a window seat) with a five-minute tidy. You can leave larger decluttering for a 30-minute session the day before. These simple adjustments help me use natural light effectively and make room for a few more detailed tips below.
Which Areas Should You Focus on When Decluttering for Family Photos?
High-impact zones include the living room, kitchen counters, bedside tables, and play areas, places where candid moments happen and wide shots reveal background details. Clearing these spots improves sightlines and keeps focus on your family, especially if the space is on the smaller side. Strategic editing means removing the loudest items first, then refining textures and colours to make your family the natural focal point. Super important is to take the excess out but keep your home YOURS. Authentic, lived-in and with personality.
Use the room-by-room table below as a compact checklist to prioritize actions before your photographer arrives.
This quick plan makes it easy to assign tasks and finish prep fast, allowing you to focus on light and wardrobe.
What Items Should Be Removed or Hidden to Reduce Visual Distractions?
Items like charging cables, remotes, small appliances, bright toys, and busy artwork tend to pull focus. Grouping or hiding them creates calmer frames and stronger compositions. Since the eye seeks contrast and pattern, colourful or shiny objects can steal attention from faces. Fast storage fixes, baskets for toys, drawers for electronics, neutral boxes for small items, let you declutter quickly. Replace overly bold décor with one or two meaningful props that add emotional value, unless you really want to highlight them in your photos.
After clearing distractions and add cozy elements so your home complements your family.
Warming and Creating a Cozy Environment for Baby’s Comfort
We'll aim for a comfortably warm room to keep your newborn content, generally mid to high 20s Celsius (about 24–27°C) for partially undressed shots, while checking your baby frequently to avoid overheating. You can pre-warm wraps and blankets in a dryer for a short cycle or set them on a safe warmed surface before use. Photographer vs. parent supplies: Typically, I'll bring my camera gear, whichever items you choose from my newborn client wardrobe, plus the experience to shape available light. Parents should prepare favourite blankets, a backup outfit, a clean, warm space and all your patience, excitement and relaxed demeanour. All of this will help us have an incredible time together and create images that reflect your family’s true personality!
What to Wear for Your In-Home Newborn Photo Session in Montreal
What you and your family wear truly sets the mood for timeless images. We'll aim for simple, neutral tones, breathable fabrics, and easy nursing access if needed. Solids and muted pastels avoid distracting patterns and keep your baby as the focal point, while layers make temperature changes easier during the session. Coordinate rather than match: pick two neutrals and one soft accent so everyone looks cohesive without feeling uniform. These wardrobe basics lead into practical outfit choices for your baby, you, and any siblings.
Here are practical dos and don’ts for camera-friendly outfits:
Do pick 2–3 complementary colours: A neutral base with one or two soft accents ties everyone together.
Do choose soft textures and layers: Sweaters, linen, and knit fabrics photograph well and keep people comfortable.
Don’t use bold logos or tiny stripes: They distract and can cause a weird effect on camera.
Below is a quick outfit reference by family role to balance comfort and photographic impact.
This guide helps you choose outfits that balance style and ease for active, candid photos. I want everyone to focus on the connection rather than the tight pants. Remember: comfort over perfection.
How to Choose Comfortable and Coordinated Outfits for Your Family?
Pick clothes that allow movement and comfort, as comfortable clothing leads to natural and relaxed interactions. Stiff fabrics can cause tense expressions; soft layers and breathable materials encourage play and laughter. Practical choices like easy diaper changes, removing shoes for living-room shots, and a lightweight wrap for mom make transitions smoother. Consider palettes like warm neutrals with soft blue, soft grey with blush, or earthy tones with cream highlights. Super important: please, please, please, don’t blend in with your home. Look at your walls, furniture and decor and try choosing outfits that complement or stand out. Your family is the star of the show and not another decor!
What Clothing Patterns and Accessories Should You Avoid?
Avoid tiny stripes, large logos, neon colours and highly reflective jewelry, as they create visual noise or distracting glare. High-frequency patterns and shiny surfaces can dominate the frame. Instead, choose subtle textures (knit, linen, soft cotton) and simple accessories like a small pendant or textured scarf. For babies, skip noisy fasteners and opt for soft, breathable fabrics.
These swaps keep the visual emphasis on connection and movement, helping your family relax into the session. If you need a more broken down guide on how to choose your family’s outfits, you can read a blog I prepared specifically for this.
Ensuring Your Baby’s Comfort and Cooperation During Our Session
Keeping your newborn comfortable depends on timing feeds and naps thoughtfully, having soothing tools ready, and staying flexible to follow your baby’s cues. Feeding 20-30 minutes before we start often helps your baby feel content, but every baby is different. Being baby-led really increases cooperation. Please have at hand familiar comforts, white noise, a pacifier, or a favourite swaddle, and, if possible, have a helper to soothe siblings or manage pets. These practical steps make calm cooperation more likely and lead into specific feeding and sleep timing tips.
Also very important, try keeping your main bedroom and nursery at a warm temperature. We’ll most probably do some photos with baby in diapers or fully naked, so their comfort is my top priority.
Feeding and Sleep Schedules to Prepare Your Baby
A good rule is to feed your newborn shortly before our session so they’re satisfied but not overly full. A calm, fed baby is more likely to settle for gentle poses and respond well to soothing. We'll keep the session flexible around your baby’s natural sleep windows rather than forcing a long nap. This baby-led approach reduces stress and improves results. Expect several short breaks for feeding and changing. Booking a slightly longer session window gives us time for natural pauses, remember that newborn sessions can take up to 2 hours. Being flexible with timing helps us manage fussiness and sibling inclusion.
Common supplies at a glance: The table below lists everyday baby needs and simple tips parents can use before and during an in-home newborn session.
Managing Fussiness, Breaks, and Including Older Siblings or Pets
If your baby gets fussy, we'll use gentle calming methods like skin-to-skin contact, slow rocking, and white noise to reset quickly. We'll plan short activity breaks instead of pushing through distress. If you have a helper, they can entertain siblings with quiet games and snacks out of frame. We'll keep pets on a short leash or in another room until you’re ready for a supervised, controlled appearance. Set realistic expectations, older siblings often give one or two lovely framed moments rather than long stretches of cooperation, and we'll always prioritize safety when pets are present. These tactics reduce stress and lead into a short supplies checklist for the day.
What Happens After the Session?
Once the magic is captured, I’ll work on professionally editing your images with care and a whole lot of love. Within a few weeks, you’ll receive an online gallery where you can:
Download your favourite images
Order fine art prints or wall art directly from your gallery (yes, you deserve to be in the photo albums!)
Share them with friends and family who are just as obsessed with your baby as you are
Not a “Camera Person”? That’s Totally Fine.
So many moms tell me:
“I feel so awkward in front of the camera.”
“I don’t usually like how I look pregnant.”
And I get it. You’re doing this miraculous, exhausting, life-changing thing, growing a whole human and giving birth to him/her. But I promise: I’ll guide you every step of the way. I’ll use prompts you if needed, compliment your best angles, fix your hair and help you feel confident and relaxed.
You’ll look back and be so glad you did this.
Embrace the Experience: Relax and Trust Me!
The most important 'prep' is often mental: allow yourself to relax and fully immerse in the experience. Trust my expertise in guiding the session, handling your baby safely, and finding the best light and angles. Your calm demeanor will help your baby stay settled, and these genuine, unposed moments of connection are what truly make for beautiful, authentic images. Remember to enjoy this fleeting time and let me capture the magic.
the fun part begins now, mama!
Get the fam ready and let’s have some fun together. All of these are just recommendations, at the end of the day I want you all to feel comfortable and have lots of fun. If you have any questions, please reach out to me ♥️
Jen!