What Does a Typical Newborn Photo Session Look Like?

Your Guide to a Calm, Beautiful Experience

Welcoming a new baby into your family is one of life’s most tender moments. A professional newborn photo session is a way to preserve the quiet beauty of this season—those tiny fingers, sleepy yawns, and the feeling of holding your entire world in your arms.

If you're wondering what a typical newborn session looks like, here’s everything you need to know.

A Calm, Baby-Led Environment

Newborn sessions are intentionally slow and peaceful. I create a warm, quiet space where your baby can remain comfortable and sleepy. Every session is baby-led, meaning we take our time, pause for feedings or cuddles, and move only when baby is content. No rushing, ever.

I create a warm, peaceful environment with soft lighting, snacks, and gentle shushing sounds to help baby (and parents!) feel relaxed. It’s not just a photoshoot—it’s an experience meant to honor this precious chapter in your life.

Baby M was not sure that she wanted her pictures taken at first. I always start with family pictures so that baby can settle and so that mom and dad can change into comfy clothes sooner. We started with just a cute diaper cover on little Miss M, but she just didn't want to settle. So we punted and added a swaddle and wrap. She zonked right out once we got her warm and cozy! We were able to take the sweetest images of this new little family.

The Ideal Timing

Many photographers will tell you that the best time for a newborn session is when your baby is between 5 and 14 days old. It is true that during this window, babies are still in that curly, sleepy stage that allows for those dreamy, womb-like poses. But, I work with families at every stage—and if your baby is a little older, we’ll adapt the session to suit them beautifully. Mainly, I want the session to fit into my clients' world seamlessly. Sometimes it is hard to get out the door when the baby is less than a week old, especially if mom has had a C-section or if baby boy has been circumcised.

Miss M was around four weeks old and was super sweet and squishy. Part of the fun of older babies is that they are starting to get chonky, and it is adorable. Older babies also have figured out how to eat and are in better sleep habits.

Some babies develop baby acne around this point and it can stress mama out a little. No worries! I can tidy up baby's skin in Photoshop if acne pops up before their session.

What You’ll Find in the Studio

You don’t need to bring a thing unless you want to! My studio is stocked with thoughtfully curated wraps, hand-knit bonnets, organic textures, and heirloom-quality props in soft, neutral tones. These are designed to keep the focus on your baby’s natural beauty.

If there are special items—like a family heirloom, cultural keepsake, or a handmade gift—you’d like to include, I’m always happy to incorporate meaningful touches into the session.

I start with the "Beanbag" poses. I have a large, flat beanbag designed to keep baby safe, and we do the posed images on that. These are the images on a fabric backdrop with baby wrapped and cuddled up. I have every color imaginable for the beanbag, so we are sure to create something that fits your aesthetic.

The Flow of the Session

From the beanbag poses, we move into prop poses. These are the images of baby in a bed, bowl or bucket. I love prop poses because they allow a great deal of artistic expression. We are almost creating little theatrical sets with your child as the star performer. Prop setups are where I usually incorporate heirloom items or family favorites. This has ranged from handmade blankets to mom's babydolls and dad's teddy bears to baseballs to flowers. We have a lot of creative license in the prop poses, and I love collaborating with parents to incorporate their family's story into these images.

A fully custom experience

I create custom backdrops and styling for each newborn photography session, thoughtfully incorporating elements of your family’s heritage, culture, and personal story. These personalized touches make every session unique and help capture meaningful, timeless images you'll treasure forever.

For Baby M, we used a combination of purchased drops already in my extensive backdrop collection, as well as a custom creation. This floral drop was created just for Baby M and I am so pleased with how it turned out!

The Editing Process: Your Final Images

After your session, I carefully cull through all of the pictures and pull out the very best of the best images for you to select from. We will sit down together and go through everything. I am there to help you make the best choices and to guide you through the ordering appointment. Once you have made your selections, I hand-edit every image with careful attention to detail, creating beautiful art of your child. Once the final edits are approved, everything goes off to my professional print lab to be turned into prints, frames and albums.

These are portraits designed to last for generations.

Ready to Plan Your Session?

If you're expecting or just welcomed your baby, I'd love to help you create something truly special! I specifically limit the number of newborn sessions I do each month to ensure that my clients receive a fully customized, unique experience. Come work with Nashville's only theatrically trained newborn photographer!

Book Now!

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What does a typical newborn session look like?