Newborn Session Prep Guide

Congratulations on the newest addition to your sweet family! These first few weeks go by so quickly, and it is truly an honor to capture your little babe during this special time.

Below are some helpful tips to prepare for your newborn session so everything feels relaxed, stress-free, and enjoyable. My goal is for you to come in, get comfortable, and enjoy the experience while I take care of the rest.

When to Get in Touch to Schedule Your Session


The best time to reach out is as soon as your baby is born. Once things settle down and you’re ready, just send me an email, call, or text — whatever is easiest for you — to let me know your sweet babe has arrived so we can reserve a spot for you in the studio.


Newborn sessions typically take place when babies are between 4 and 31 days old. The sooner you let me know your baby has arrived, the more date options I will have available for you within that time frame.


Newborn sessions are held on weekday mornings, when babies tend to be the most sleepy and content. Depending on the day, sessions usually begin sometime between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. My weekends are usually booked months in advance with other types of sessions, so newborn sessions are scheduled on weekday mornings unless I happen to have a rare Saturday/Sunday morning opening.


If there is a certain setup or prop you would love me to use, please let me know ahead of time. Feel free to look through my website and Facebook page, and if you see something you love, send it to me so I can have everything ready for your session.

What Should We Wear?

One of the most common questions I get before a session is, “What should we wear?” The good news is — I keep things very simple. The goal is always to keep the focus on your baby and the connection between your family, not on busy outfits or distracting patterns.


The simple answer is neutrals. Neutral colors are soft, timeless, and keep the focus on what matters most — your baby and your family. They also tend to match beautifully in your home, even as your style changes over the years.


If you’d like a little color, I love soft, earthy tones like muted rose, soft blues, and gentle greens. A small pop of subtle color can be really beautiful while still keeping everything looking natural and timeless.


While solid colors are great, a subtle pattern, stripes, or florals can also be flattering as long as it’s not overdone in everyone’s outfits. 

Choosing Colors for Your Newborn Session

Warm Neutrals


Shades of ivory, creamy, champagne, peach, taupe, mauve and brown. Recommended for fair and olive skin tones.

Cool Neutrals


Shades of grey, blacks, pastels and blues. Recommended for dark and olive skin tones.

Bright and Bold


Pairs a neutral base with a bolder color tone. Make sure you know where your images will be displayed before going this route. Recommended for darker skin tones.

I have a large collection of wraps, fabrics, and props in the studio, so before your newborn session, I ask parents to choose a few colors they love. This helps me plan ahead and have everything set up before you arrive so the session runs smoothly and you can relax and enjoy the experience.


Choosing a color scheme is also helpful later when you’re putting together albums, wall art, birth announcements, or collages. When the colors coordinate, everything looks beautiful together and fits naturally into your home.


Choose Neutrals Over Bold Colors

If you ask me, I will almost always recommend neutrals over bold colors. The reason is simple — neutral colors go with just about everything. As your home décor changes over the years, your photos will still fit in beautifully. Neutrals are also timeless. While trendy colors come and go, tones like beige, ivory, cream, gray, and soft earth tones will always look classic.


Choose Light Earth Tones Over Bright Colors

I also recommend choosing light, soft shades instead of very bright colors. Bright colors like red, yellow, and green can sometimes reflect onto your baby’s skin, which can make it harder to capture those soft, natural skin tones. Soft shades like pale pink, dusty blue, sage, cream, and light gray photograph beautifully and create a more natural, organic look.


Take Your Home Into Account

Think about where you plan to display your photos. Most newborn photos end up as wall art in the nursery, bedroom, or living room, so it’s a good idea to choose colors that coordinate with your home décor. If your nursery has soft sage tones, for example, we can choose wraps and outfits that will look beautiful in that space. Many parents send me a quick photo of their nursery or the room where they plan to hang their photos, which helps me get a feel for their style.


Choose Colors You Already Have

You just had a baby — you shouldn’t have to go shopping for new outfits. Most families can put together beautiful outfits for family photos from clothes they already own. Creams, soft blues, light grays, and neutral tones always photograph well and coordinate easily.


When in Doubt, Choose Neutrals

When in doubt, stick with neutrals. They are timeless, coordinate with everything, and always photograph beautifully.

Popular Color Combinations

For girls:

  • Blush and white
  • Pink and gray
  • Lavender and white
  • Peach and aqua
  • Dusty pink and tan
  • Plum and white
  • All white


For boys:

  • Navy and gray
  • Aqua and tan
  • Pale blue and gray
  • Gray and white
  • Hunter green and brown
  • Tan and brown
  • Red and navy
  • All white


These are just a few of the color combinations families have chosen for their newborn sessions. I have many more options in the studio, and I’m always happy to help you choose colors that will photograph beautifully and fit perfectly in your home. Before your session, I’ll have you choose your favorite colors. That way, you’ll have a good idea of which colors to plan around, and I’ll take care of the rest.

Dressing for your newborn session doesn’t have to be stressful. Keeping things simple is always best. Start with a neutral base that complements your skin tone, and then add soft tones in similar shades. Simple, coordinated outfits help keep the focus on your brand new baby, not the clothing.

Styling Tips

Keep it Simple

Solids are best. Some prints can work nicely when layered with a solid on top, like a sweater or wrap. Try to avoid busy patterns, bright colors, or large logos, as they can be distracting in photos. Large patterns especially can take attention away from the people in the image.

Avoid Tight Patterns or Tight Textures

No tweed (synthetic print or real) or tight patterns. All of these textures and patterns can create a moire effect in photos viewed online. This effect looks like wavy lines that dance around on clothing on a screen but not in real life.
Avoid small polkadots, pinstripes, small checks and tight patterns of any kind.

Mom Should Feel Beautiful!

After we talk about colors, many new moms ask what styles are most flattering for postpartum bodies. First, I always say this — this is a time when you should be proud of what your body has done for you, your baby, and your family. You’ve just done something incredible, and this season deserves to be documented. The most important thing is that you wear something that makes you feel comfortable, confident, and put together. This is a time to honor that recovery period and choose clothing that makes you feel beautiful.

Some pieces that photograph beautifully and that my clients love are loose-fitting, flowy dresses with short or long sleeves, or a soft, cozy sweater. These are very flattering and comfortable while still photographing beautifully.

Mom's Partner

For mom’s partner, solid shirts or subtle stripes work best, like a button-up shirt or a polo paired with khakis or jeans.

Baby's Siblings

For older siblings, simple outfits photograph best — white t-shirts, button-up shirts, polo shirts, or simple dresses are always great choices.

Small Details

Please arrive with your clothing ironed and lint-free.

If you’ll be wearing a nursing bra, try to choose a smooth, neutral-colored one without lace or heavy texture so it doesn’t show through clothing. Many moms choose wrap dresses, loose tops, or sweaters that are nursing-friendly and comfortable for the session.

Keep Jewelry to a Minimum

I love jewelry, but try to keep it somewhat subtle so it doesn't distract from your face. Try to avoid anything super flashy, shiny or sparkly to avoid it catching light and becoming a distraction.

Hair Suggestions

- Style your hair the way you normally wear it. Photo day isn’t the best time to try a brand-new hairstyle.
- Please avoid buns or ponytails — in photos, these can make it look like you have no hair or create an odd bump if your head is turned.
- Make sure your hair is clean and fully dry. Wet or greasy hair can look oily under studio lighting, which tends to exaggerate shine.
- Bring a comb or brush and a little hairspray for quick touch-ups.
- If you have facial hair, wear it how you normally do. If you’re usually clean-shaven, consider using an electric razor to help prevent redness.

How To Dress Baby

I have an extensive collection of wraps, outfits, and accessories for newborns, so you do not need to bring anything for your baby unless there is something special or sentimental you would like to include.

Dress your baby in a simple cotton onesie in a neutral color. If the weather is cold, you can put a sleeper over the onesie — we can easily remove it if needed. We will wrap baby over their clothing to keep them warm and comfortable.

What to Expect When You Arrive

Before Your Session


  • Please plan to arrive about 5 minutes before your scheduled session time so we can begin on time.
  • Please make sure everyone is fully dressed for the session and has used the restroom before arriving. At this time, we do not have a public restroom available in the studio. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding while we continue working on our studio renovations.
  • Please feed your baby immediately before leaving for the studio so baby arrives with a full belly and nice and sleepy. Feeding when you arrive takes time away from your session and results in fewer images, so a full feeding right before you leave is very important. You can absolutely top them off when you get here if you have a longer car ride.
  • If you have a pacifier, please bring it — even if your baby does not usually take one. Many babies don’t need it, but newborns do have a natural need to suck, and sometimes a pacifier helps soothe them back to sleep if they wake during posing.
  • If you have an older sibling, consider bringing them a snack like puffs, cheerios, or yogurt melts. Something that is not too messy, easy to clean up.

Family/Sibling Photos


We will begin the session with sibling and family photos. After those are finished, we recommend having someone bring siblings home, out to the car, or planning something to keep them occupied. Snacks are perfectly fine, and I’m happy to share the WiFi password if you’d like to bring a tablet or device.

If the weather is nice, there is also a local playground just down the road from the studio. Having wild toddlers in the studio during the newborn portion can make it difficult to finish the session, so we appreciate your help in making sure we can capture these special images for you.

Still need assistance?

As always, I am happy to help you with your outfits. Just send me a message and we can discuss your options!