5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos

This week, I’m sharing 5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos. One of the ways I help my clients get the most out of their sessions is by careful planning ahead of time. These are just a handful of my favorite tips.

5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos

Let’s start with your color palette!

Choose Soft, Neutral Colors

Did this one surprise you? If you’ve been around here for a while, the answer is likely no. Choosing soft, neutral colors for the entire family will not only ensure your images are timeless, but these colors also look great on everyone. Choosing a neutral pallet also ensures coordinating the whole family will be much easier and is a must one the 5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos list.

Coordinating Siblings 

Another great recommendation for styling is to coordinate siblings rather than matching. This method will make things look much more polished instead of kitschy. In this gallery, Mom’s dress color is the same as the flowers on the sister’s dress making coordinating necessary on 5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos.

What About For Dad? 

Next on the 5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos list, I always suggest long pants for dad and longer dresses for women. Shorts and mini dresses aren’t usually a great option because they give the visual effect of being “broken” in two, whereas long pants and dresses keep your eye moving across the image. Plus, they’re a much more timeless choice down the road. 

Keep Baby’s Look Simple 

Next on 5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos includes your little one! By choosing a simple and sweet attire for your baby, you won’t be distracted from their precious features. Simple onesies and soft colors with no writing are always the best choice, especially since baby likely won’t fill out their “regular” clothes just yet. 

Consider Professional Hair and Makeup 

Did you know I have a go-to hair and makeup artist? Her name is Yisell, and she’s an absolute treasure. She helps my clients feel like the best version of themselves on their session days and removes the stress of having to fuss with it themselves. She’s a lifesaver, and my clients love her! 

Having a professional makes you feel pampered and enhances the images, making your investment in portraits that much more worthwhile and a top consideration for 5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos.

Bonus Tip 

Keep in mind that 5 Ways to Look (and Feel!) Your Best in Newborn Photos includes considering using a hand picked piece from the curated wardrobe. I have an entire studio wardrobe, which includes S-Plus size. It also includes men’s shirts and sibling sizes through 10 years! Want to learn more about the styling? Here’s a link to my style guide! I also have an entire post full of Tips for Planning your Lifestyle session.

What other mamas are saying:

“Emily makes the process of a photo shoot so easy for a new momma with a newborn. You don’t have to worry about a thing because she takes care of it all. She is great with the baby and makes a new momma feel beautiful! Worried about what outfit to wear? Don’t sweat it. She’s got an entire wardrobe for you to pick from. What’s the baby gonna wear? Don’t sweat it. She will take care of it. Hire her immediately!!!” -Nina

“Emily made us feel so comfortable during our newborn session in her home studio! This was the first time that we (first-time parents) took our baby out of the house, and it was so nice to be in a relaxed atmosphere where we didn’t feel rushed.

Emily took great care of us and our baby girl, Emily! I was anxious about the wardrobe being very newly postpartum, but the clothes she had to choose from were fantastic, and I easily found dresses I really liked and were flattering! She did a beautiful job photographing Emily, my husband, and me. I love that we have these photos and memories to cherish!” -Jordan

“As a first-time mom, it was important to me that we had photos taken with our son in his early weeks. There were so many options out there for photographers, but I was looking for something classic – for pictures we could have in our home forever. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to have our growing family documented by Emily.

Emily made the process absolutely seamless – with step-by-step instructions of what I needed to bring, supplying outfit options for me, and putting my husband (who isn’t a fan of taking photos) at ease. Pre-baby, I couldn’t have imagined the exhaustion I’d be experiencing with a newborn, but all of Emily’s extra touches ensured this experience was stress-free.

Not only did she make the process easy and make us feel comfortable, but her work speaks for itself. We will forever cherish the love and joy she was able to capture in our session. If you are looking for a photographer in the area, I couldn’t recommend Emily enough. She is responsive, organized, friendly, and very good with babies. Her work is unparalleled. You won’t regret it!” -Kendra

“Working with Emily is nothing short of wonderful. She is always extremely patient and kind, making each photoshoot fun and memorable. Before each shoot, Emily ensures that we are prepared and provides a wonderful women’s wardrobe complete with photo-ready dresses – it’s one less thing you need to think about when trying to get the family ready, which is super helpful! In addition to our newborn session, she recently captured our son’s 6-month milestone.

We had such a blast during the shoot, and Emily just makes you feel like you’re part of the family. The quality of the photos speaks for themselves! Each photo captures the most precious and joyful moments of our son, and we will cherish the timeless photos for a lifetime. If I could give Emily 10 stars, I would, and we can’t wait to work with her as our family continues to grow!” -Alex