CLIENT GUIDE

In-Home
Lifestyle Newborn
Session
 Hello there!
I'm Julia! I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE NEWBORN SESSION! My
primary goal as your family photographer is to capture the love and
connections you and your family share. Photography is so much more
than a job, it's a calling.

I am wife to the "jack-of-all-trades" husband and mom to four very

energetic kids. Previously, I was an elementary school teacher, so I love
kids! I grew up in Hawaii and I’ve lived in Idaho since 2004. I love living here
in Boise! I’m an adventure-loving, ponytail-wearing, chocolate-eating kind
of girl.

I created this guide to help you and your family feel confident walking into
your session. I hope this guide helps you feel empowered and takes some
of the stress out of planning your lifestyle newborn session.
 WHAT IS AN IN-HOME
LIFESTYLE NEWBORN
SESSION?
In-home newborn sessions are unique to
each family. They tell your story, from the
comfort of your home.

No rush getting everyone out the door,

making sure the diaper bag is packed and
baby is strapped in the carseat. I come to
you!

In-home newborn sessions are my

absolute favorite to shoot. Lifestyle
session are more relaxed than studio
sessions because your baby doesn’t have
to be asleep the entire time in fancy
poses. I take a more organic approach
and focus on the love you all share!
HOW TO PREP
for your session

Your little bundle of joy you've been waiting for has finally arrived!
You might be maga-tired, have bags under your eyes, and fluids
leaking out everywhere, but these are some of the sweetest
moments you'll cherish forever and you'll never regret capturing
this sweet newborn stage.

But hold up...what needs to go on behind the scenes before the

big day arrives to make sure you get the most out of your
session? Most importantly, this guide is will help you answer the
dreaded question, what the heck do I wear?

In this guide you will find:

-What to expect
-How to style your family (what to wear)
-Prep your home, family and baby for your session
WHAT TO EXPECT

I love how relaxed lifestyle newborn sessions are. While it is nice

to have a sleeping baby during your session, the baby doesn’t
have to be asleep during the entire session. When I show up to
a lifestyle newborn session I know I’m on the baby’s timeline, so
there’s no rush. This session will last around 2 hours, depending
on the baby's temperament & needs.

Most all my newborn sessions take place when baby is

anywhere from 5-10 days old. This is important because I like to
shoot when baby is still in the womb-like stage and very sleepy.
Another reason being- baby acne. It happens to most every
baby so shooting before it makes its appearance is the goal. If
your baby already has it, no worries! My rule of thumb for re-
touching is, if it’s temporary (i.e. pimples, bruises, scratches)
they get taken out. If it’s a birthmark, I leave them. You’ll want to
remember your little one and every little detail.
 What to Wear
Choose light, Earthy, neutral colored clothing that coordinates each other
and has minimal patterns and logos.

Simple is best. Comfort is key. Keep colors neutral but don’t be afraid to add
a little bit of color!

Mama- you just had a baby, so you'll still be in maternity clothes. I

recommend flowy dresses, or materials that flow away from the body. While
I highly recommend wearing a dress, don’t feel like you have to go this route.
A comfy sweater or top and jeans or leggings work perfectly fine for a casual,
homey vibe. If you feel most comfortable in blue jeans, I recommend you are
the only one wearing them.

Whites, creams, grey, and subdued colors always photograph the best. Try
and avoid bright and bold colors (neons), super dark colors like black and
navy blue and big patterns and shirts with large logos on them because all
that can take away from the overall feel and look of your images. We want
the focus to be on you and your little one, not what your shirt said. Same
rules apply to siblings. Try and avoid clothing with characters, lettering,
sequins and neons.

Dads look great in a basic tee or henley, and all family members should be
barefoot if possible. Brown, olive green, or tan cords, jeans, khakis, or linen
pants are some other alternatives to blue jeans. If dad insists on an outfit
with blue jeans, please have him be the only one.
 Theforbest
baby
tips

Baby typically looks best wrapped up in a blanket or wearing a well-fitting gown

or neutral outfit (no lettering or busy designs) or a plain white onesie. You are
welcome to incorporate headbands or hats, I just ask that they fit well and we
can't see any gaps.

Please select 2-3 outfits and 2-3 blankets you'd like to use during your session.
Spit-up and blowouts happen! So be prepared with a few options.

Newborns are best photographed when they are in a deep sleep. This is mainly
because their eyes are still developing and they often will look cross-eyed. It’s
also so much easier to pose a peacefully- sleeping baby in photos.

Simulate and try to keep your baby alert for a 2 hour period in the morning,
just before our session. This will hopefully make them extra sleepy for the
session. If you are breastfeeding, I recommend cluster feeding about 30
minutes before I arrive (or feeding several times during the hour) and then
topping them off with a bottle or breastfeed to make sure they are full and
happy. You know your baby best, so use your best judgment.
How to
Prep your home

Pick two rooms that have the best natural light. Master bedrooms,
living/family rooms, baby’s nursery and spare bedrooms are most
common. Opening all blinds and curtains before my arrival will help me
to figure out which spaces are best. I often will ask to turn off ceiling
lights, since the artificial light can mess up the white balance or coloring
of your photos.

There is just a small amount of prep needed before your lifestyle

session. If you’re unsure of the lighting, send me a picture of the rooms
you’re considering and I’ll let you know my thoughts!

Please do not feel the need to deep clean your entire house before I
come. There is zero need to impress me! I'm a mom to four kids, so
literally nothing scares me. However, if you can, try and declutter items
on counters/floors in the spaces you’d like me to photograph in. Less is
more!. No need to go overboard cleaning the rooms (you just had a
baby!) but please put anything that could be distracting in the
background into another room for now.
Home prep
continued

Bedding- If you choose to take pictures on a bed, keep in mind your

bedding. There are some really wonderful colors and patterns out
there (which is amazing) however, if you have a white
sheet/blanket/comforter definitely bust that out and lay it on top.
The reason being, bright and bold colors will cast shadows and
colors on skin, leaving a tint of whatever color the blanket is. Loud
patterns on bedding can also be distracting. So if you can, keep it
simple and plain. Whites and creams are always ideal to ensure
esthetically please images to the eye.

If possible, try and keep your house warmer than usual. Babies love
being warm and cuddly and when the house is cold, they’ll let you
know if they don’t like it.
 ast tip:
One l LET IT ALL GO!
One of my favorite things to capture at every session is all those in-
between moments that can't be perfectly posed. If one of your
children starts running away, have dad run after them and scoop
them up and smother them with kisses. If they are shy and having a
meltdown, hold them close and tell them how wonderful they are
while tucking their hair behind their ear.

Don't worry about how your kids will behave or embarrassed if things
don't go as planned. They're little, and I want to help you embrace all
these moments. We will try to get a few good shots of everyone
looking and smiling at the camera, but for the most part I want you to
have a good time and just be yourselves.

If you keep smiling and having a good time, then I will be able to
capture these sweet moments the whole way through. Sometimes
those "imperfect" situations can lead to that "perfect" photo.
 Tips and tricks to

Pump Up Your Kids

01. Make it a privilege, not a hassle. If you amp them up and let them know
how exciting this photo session will be, they will show up more excited and
ready to go.

02. Be comfortable! Please choose 03. Bribery is our friend, if done the
materials that are soft (and cut off right way. For younger children (1- 5
those tags!). Nothing can get a years old) the bribe has to be
child or guy in a bad mood quicker something right in front of their face,
than if they are forced to wear such as a little treat, (I always have
itchy, scratchy materials, or super smarties). For older children (7+), a
formal clothes they can't move promise of something later works
around in. If you know your child great.
or guy hates to wear a certain type
of clothing or accessory, please
don't make them wear it.
 Newborn Session

Checklist
Right after booking your session:
Review guide for styling tips

Choose 3-4 coordinating colors, Start by choosing mom's outfit

first, then look in closets, and shop for the family

Talk to your kids and your man about how important this
session is to you

One week before session:

Finalize details such as date, time with Julia. Ask any questions
about outfits, home prep, baby prep, etc.

Have everyone try on their outfits, make returns or exchanges

if necessary

Day of your session:

Have available:
- 2-3 baby outfits
- 2-3 neutral colored blankets
- 2 rooms with good natural light- decluttered
- Open windows and blinds in rooms

Iron/steam clothes and lay them out for everyone to be dressed .

Make sure everyone's bellies are full (eat beforehand) and are
rested.

Raise the temperature in your home a few degrees (make baby

happy and warm!)

Keep baby situlated and awake (if possible) and feed before
session.
 Post-Session
Timeline
Sneak-Peek
1-2 days after your session I will post a sneak-
peek photo or two on my Instagram page or
Instagram story. Make sure you are following me
@juliacrawfordphotography so I can tag you!

Downloading your photos

1-2 weeks after your session you will receive
an emailed link to your gallery of high-
resolution images. Please download your
images and share them on social media. Most
importantly- Print them! (Please don't share
screen shots).

Final Words
I know that all of this is a lot to think about! I
created this prep guide to help make your
session experience as easy and fun as
possible. At the end of the day, the outfit
choices you make won't matter as much as
the memories you make together. I want your
session to be a time where you can be
yourselves and enjoy it! Smile, laugh, and play
together. I'll take care of the rest!