This was my first time meeting Shayli and her family. They had moved to Layton just a few months earlier, and I got to photograph them at home with their toddler and their new baby, who was about two weeks old.
A few favorite
spots around home.
We started with a walk around the house. Shayli showed me the spaces she had cleaned and prepared for photos—the bedroom, living room, and loft. All three had a ton of natural light, so we had plenty of options.
Their house had been the model home and was beautifully decorated. They also had fall decorations up throughout the house and on some of the windows. We chose our angles so the decorations that didn’t fit the photos stayed out of the frame.
You don’t have to take everything down or rearrange your entire house for a session. Sometimes it just takes looking at a room a little differently.
Games, baby toes,
and a little TV.
We played games during the family photos so their toddler could have a good time instead of constantly being asked to pose.
In some photos, he had a stuffed animal. In others, he was playing with the baby’s toes. And in a few, he was actually watching the TV behind me. We made it work!
There’s room for all of that during an in-home newborn session. I want siblings to be involved, but I also want them to enjoy themselves. Those little interactions give us something to photograph without asking everyone to look at the camera the whole time.
“Sometimes you just have to look at different angles to get different shots.”
The photo of the whole family reflected in the bedroom mirror has got to be my favorite from this session.
Sometimes you just have to look at different angles to get different shots. We already had the family together on the bed, but photographing their reflection gave us another way to capture that moment. I’m pretty sure they’re going to love that one.
Posed newborn photos.
Right in the living room.
For the baby’s individual photos, I brought my light, posing table, and the props I needed. Their living room had plenty of space to set everything up.
Shayli also had an outfit with his name on it that she wanted to use. She has a similar photo of her first child, so we made sure to include that.
Between the family photos and the posed baby photos, we paused for a feeding. This is a perfect time for a break because it takes me a little while to get everything ready anyway.
Their toddler went down for a nap, and their nanny was there to help. Once Shayli brought the baby back to me, he slept through the entire rest of the session.
Shayli and her husband were able to eat lunch and relax while I photographed him. She took a few behind-the-scenes photos, too, and was happy just watching me pose the baby.
We finished in about two hours. He barely cried and did amazing throughout the session.
It doesn’t have to
be a model home.
Absolutely not. I’ve photographed sessions in homes that barely had any decor and still gotten amazing shots. I look for the light, try different angles, and work with the space you have.
For this family, we could move between rooms, let their toddler play and then nap, take a feeding break, and get both family photos and posed newborn portraits—all without them having to leave home.
If you’re considering newborn photos at home in Layton or elsewhere in Northern Utah, I’d love to help you plan your session.
In-home sessions & pricing ↗Let’s plan your photos