You just had a baby. You don’t need another complex to-do list.

The good news is that preparing your home for a newborn session with me is genuinely simple. I’ve been a professional Boston newborn photographer since 2012, and I’ve photographed sessions in every kind of home you can imagine: big apartments, small studios, rooms with good light, and rooms with almost none.

The beauty of an in-home session has never really been about the house. It’s about the people inside it.

Start With Light

Light is a super important element of an in-home newborn session. It’s also the thing that most directly shapes which rooms we’ll use.  Before your session, I’ll collect photos of your living space to thoughtfully assess the light. Whether your home is filled with beautiful natural light or a bit more low-lit, I’ll create a stunning result. I also bring professional studio lighting when needed, always preserving a soft, natural look.  I’m adaptable and have a lot of experience shooting in many different types of spaces.

Keep It Simple

You don’t need a professionally decorated home for your session to look beautiful. A tidy, simple space always photographs better than a styled one that feels cluttered.

We’ll most likely use – the main living area, the bedroom, or the nursery.  They don’t require deep cleaning but clearing surfaces, tucking away visual noise, and making the space feel calm.

Neutral colors on walls and bedding work especially well with my style. If you have a white or cream duvet, make sure it’s on the bed. Simple, uncluttered spaces keep the focus where it belongs – on your baby and your family.

Think About Where You’re Most Comfortable

Part of what makes an in-home session so special is that it captures your family in the space where you actually live. That authenticity comes through in the photographs.

Think about where you feel most relaxed in your home. The bedroom where you’ve been doing midnight feeds. The nursery you set up with so much care. The couch where you’ve spent hours just holding your newborn. Those spaces often become the most meaningful settings of the session, precisely because they’re real.

I don’t need your home to be anything other than what it is. Your story is already there.

A Few Practical Things to Have Your Home Ready for Newborn Photography

I bring wraps, blankets, and everything needed for the baby – you just need to provide the baby! But a few things make the session run more smoothly.

I’ll provide with a session prep list to help your session run smoothly.  One example is finishing the baby’s last feeding before we begin. A well-fed, sleepy newborn settles more easily into poses. If the session runs long, and they sometimes do, because I work at the baby’s pace, have feeding supplies easily accessible.

Keep the room warm. Newborns settle best in warmth. If you can raise the temperature in the room we’re working in before I arrive, that helps a great deal.

Moms can access wardrobe dresses from my collection – you don’t need to have something specific planned.  I’ll provide you an online dress collection you can choose from.  There, you’ll find something that feels beautiful and comfortable. Solid, light colors work best.

What You Don’t Need to Do

You don’t need to stress. Seriously.

You don’t need to redecorate. You don’t need to worry about whether your home is photogenic enough. You don’t need to have it all together before I knock on your door.

I say “Don’t worry, I’ve got you!” because I mean it. Every family gets the full celebrity treatment – a customised boutique experience in the comfort of their own home, completely handled from start to finish. My entire process is designed to take decisions off your plate, not add to them.

Your only job is to be present with your newborn. I’ll take care of everything else.

FAQs

Do I need to do anything special to my  living room before the session?

A simple tidy makes a real difference, like clearing surfaces, decluttering, and removing anything visually busy from the frame. If the living roomhas good natural light, it can be one of the most meaningful settings of the session. But even rooms with limited light can work beautifully. I assess the space and adapt to whatever we have to work with.

What if my home is small or doesn’t have a lot of natural light?

This comes up often, and it’s never a problem. I provide studio lighting when needed.  I’ve photographed beautiful sessions in small Boston apartments and spaces that felt dim when I arrived and gorgeous in the photographs. I’m experienced at working in many different types of spaces. I’ll find the best spot in your home and work from there.

How long does a newborn session typically take, and how should I plan my day around it? Newborn portraits average about three hours total. I reserve up to two hours for your portrait session, keeping everything calm and stress-free. I work entirely at your baby’s pace – there’s no rushing. Right after your session, you’ll then get to view your images right away.  I work with you on how to best display and enjoy your images.  Overall, plan for a relaxed morning. I’ll be there to guide you every step of the way, handling everything from start to finish so you can fully enjoy the experience—and the rest of your day.