In-Home Newborn or baby Lifestyle Session
I received a text from one of my friends asking if I could take photos of her 3 month old baby and I replied, “of course"!” She said she wanted to remember her third son’s baby toes, fingers, smiles and all the details. I thought it was a wonderful idea. Many people opt to take newborn photos, but let’s be honest, 3 month photos are pretty dang cute too. This is the age when babies come to life showing more of their personality. They are too cute. I love that. We met just two weeks later in Lafayette, California on a bright and sunny morning!
I love the idea of taking photos in my client’s home because it is such an intimate and personal setting. It’s sweet to bring details into the photo that are unique to that family. I love looking back at my own photos from various places in my house and seeing how much things have changed or reminiscing on how things had been back then. To make this session memorable I recommend the following:
Dress baby in your favorite outfit- choose light colors or outfits that reflect you and your style.
Select comfortable neutral and light colored clothing for yourselves as well to have a cohesive look.
When possible, I prefer to take photos in rooms with a lot of natural light. Let’s set up in the room with backlight from a window! It would be so sweet to capture photos in the nursery as well.
Bring your other family members. Whether it be the grandparents, siblings or your partner, I love taking photos of baby with loved ones.
Include any props, or blankets that have special meaning to you.
Print your photos to frame or order a memory photo album.
I have a print shop you can order photos from or you can create a high quality professional photo album elsewhere as well. Within your online photo collection, you will find my storefront for multiple options!
Something I love about taking lifestyle photos is that they capture every day life. This is your home, your sacred space. It’s not only convenient for me to come to you, but to capture your life in still motion is so beautiful. From newborn, to baby milestones, like cake smashes or holiday mini sessions, you will not regret taking professional photos that highlight your child’s precious moments through time.
Lifestyle sessions are unique in that they tell your story. I will direct you to interact and pose on occasion for the camera, but what this session is about is documenting various stages of life. I’ll want you to feel comfortable and natural in your home. Lifestyle photography sessions do not only need to be for new babies, but can be taken for other seasons of life like for maternity photos, anniversaries and senior portraits. Some clients of mine have lovely backyards or front yards that they want to remember. I took photos of a family in San Jose once at their gorgeous home near Willow Glen. The children were about 5 and 3 years old and their mom wanted to take professional photos of her kids sitting on their tree swing in the front yard swing since they had done that a year or two previously. We recreated it and the family loved their photos. They are some of my returning clients as well. :)
Capturing those “in between moments” often go unnoticed, but those are the small parts that make all of the big parts of life so beautiful. That mom that feels like a taxi driver for her kids, that dad who spends so much time preparing the kids for bedtime or that time when the kids gathered at the kitchen island to “make” their own pizzas… These small things make a house a home.
I offer both full and mini sessions depending on the number of people who will be in the session or the goal of the session. This recent session I took photos at was only a mini session. My friend simply wanted to capture a handful of photos of her 3 month old baby with all of his details that she didn’t capture when she was postpartum along with a few of the siblings together. Although I could’ve offered her only what she asked for, I suggested a few other positions and combinations to make sure we didn’t miss out on anything!
I’ve taken many photos for my friends. It is such an honor when close friends and families book a session with me and keep coming back for more! I love what I do and love the people who I work with. Photography is such an art and a lot of people photography starts with being comfortable with people and being able to get them to feel comfortable as well.
I look forward to working with you if I haven’t already and capturing some unforgettable moments-the way you want them remembered!
Kind Words
“Athena was amazing with my family! As a mother herself, she understood how to make my very shy 2 year old feel comfortable with an authentic smile and was able to capture the short moments of happiness from my cranky 4 month old! She picked the most beautiful spot for a late fall photoshoot at Lafayette Reservoir. She was on time, calm through our chaos, directed us, and was honest with poses that didn’t look good, which I very much appreciated. We received our photos quickly and were given different edit options. These photos turned out so beautifully and they have captured a special moment in our life that will forever be framed in our house. I highly recommend her as your professional photographer!”
“Athena was great to work with! She made us feel at ease, and she was very patient with our “strong-willed” 3 year old. Even with our daughter’s refusal to participate, she was still able to capture some beautiful pictures! :)”
“We are so happy to have chosen Athena to be our photographer for both our maternity photoshoot and newborn photoshoot. Athena arrived promptly and is very easy going. She asks about what you like and gets your input and makes sure the outcome is what you had envisioned. She asks you to bring props you would like to use in the photoshoot and knows how to incorporate them in. She is very detail-oriented during the photoshoot. For instance, she has an eye to spot a piece of fuzz on your dress or a small strand of hair out of place.
Our newborn was shedding his first layer of his skin at the time we scheduled his photoshoot. Athena was very understanding and allowed us to postpone the photoshoot not once but twice to allow time for his skin to heal. And did I mention that the photos turned out amazing! More lovely than I had envisioned. She tells you that the turnaround time is a week for the photos but she had it ready way before that. Will definitely be using her for all our family photoshoots in the future! Thank you, Athena! You are so talented and skillful at what you do! Cannot wait for our next session in the future.”
“Athena is a true professional in her field. She knows exactly how to find the perfect angle, perfect setting and capturing great expressions. Awesome to work with. She was able to make my daughter feel comfortable and confident and the results are beautiful and amazing senior portraits. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a great photographer.”
