Types of Newborn Photography

What Are the Different Types of Newborn Photography?

Exploring the 3 most popular genres:  Before choosing a photographer for your newborn’s portrait, it’s important to consider the different types of newborn photography available. Some photographers specialize in just one style, while others may shoot a variety. In this article, we’ll go over the three most popular genres: Fresh 48, In-Studio Posed, and Lifestyle.

1. Fresh 48 Newborn Photography

Fresh 48 is exactly what its name says it is. It is portraiture of your new baby during the first 48 hours after birth, taken in the hospital. Photographers who specialize in this type of newborn photography have been vetted and/or contracted by your hospital to provide this service.

Depending on the style of the photographer, the number of babies they have to photograph, and the limitations of the hospital environment, these photographers are limited to capturing images of you and your new baby in the confines of your recovery room. These newborn photographers may not require reservations ahead of time, as they may have a regular schedule at the hospital. For some parents, this is the only kind of newborn pictures they want.

If this is the type of newborn photography you’d like, be sure to ask your hospital if they have a photographer on call for you.  Or if you would like to hire your own photographer, be sure to ask your hospital if it’s allowed.

One photographer who’s rocking the world of Fresh 48 hospital sessions is Cassie Clayshulte – the official newborn photographer of Coastal Carolina Hospital & Hilton Head Hospital. Cassie has kindly allowed us to showcase a few of our favorites from her portfolio as examples for the Fresh 48 newborn genre. See more of Cassie’s work on her Instagram and see more of what you can expect from a Fresh 48 session.

2. In-Studio Posed Newborn Photography

In-studio posed newborn photography, on the other hand, gives a lot more creative freedom for the photographer, including control of lights and environment.  With this type of newborn photography, you get adorably posed sleeping babies wrapped up and propped up in little buckets and/or sitting up in a “froggy” position on a bean bag.

Expect to be in the photographer’s studio for 2 to 3 hours, as you’ll end up feeding your baby a few times, waiting for him/her to fall into a deep sleep, and taking plenty of breaks as needed and dictated by your baby.  Most photographers in this genre prefer to work with babies that are 3 to 14 days old.  That’s because this is the optimal timeframe when babies can fall into a deep sleep and won’t startle much when touched and repositioned.

Depending on your photographer, family and sibling photos may be included in the session package.  Just keep in mind, though, this type of photography is heavily focused on getting solo variation portraits of the newborn.

In-studio posed is the only type of newborn photography we offer here at Nestled in Time Photography.  Check out our investment options and feel free to head over to our Newborn Gallery page to see more of our work. We’ve also got sneak peeks from our most recent sessions on our Instagram. 

3. Lifestyle Newborn Photography

Lifestyle newborn photography is done either in the comfort of the client’s home or in a studio setting mimicking a home.

Unlike the in-studio posed newborn style, these sessions are for those who wish to have a more natural portraiture experience focused on the new family. This type of session is best for those who wish to document the connections between each member of the family and the new baby.

There are fewer props (or none at all) used for this type of newborn photography, based on the photographer’s discretion. Each lifestyle newborn photographer will have their own style, requirements, and guidelines. It is important to follow them to ensure gorgeous photographs similar to the ones represented in their portfolio.

Crushing this genre of newborn photography is the highly admired Elena S. Blair of Elena S Blair Photography. Elena has kindly provided examples of her work for this blog. Follow Elena on her Instagram for more examples of Lifestyle Newborn Photography.

When to Reserve a Newborn Photographer

Reserve your newborn photo session by the end of your second trimester. However, give yourself plenty of time before that to research the different types of newborn photography available and the photographers who offer them. This way, you’ll have already established a relationship with a few photographers of your choice and will be ready to reserve your session by the end of your second trimester.

When researching your photographer, be sure to look through their websites and social media to see if their style of photography is what suits you best.

Too often, clients are driven by price and forget that each photographer has their own style and genre, and they may not be able to deliver what the client has in mind. So be sure to check out each photographer’s work and make sure you like their style before reserving your session with him or her.