Your Newborn Story.

Commonly Asked Questions:

What is a lifestyle newborn story session?

Lifestyle newborn story sessions are amazing! It is a completely relaxed baby (and older sibling) led session that usually takes place within the first weeks of baby’s life and all in the comfort of your own home. Once your sweet bundle has arrived, you will reach out to me and we will schedule a date for your session at your convenience. Sessions take place Monday through Friday with session times starting between 9 am and 3pm. Occasionally, I am able to accommodate earlier or later session times depending on the season and amount of natural light available.

The day of your session, I will arrive at your home and together we will swoon over your little bundle of joy. By the end of your session, I will have collected beautiful first memories of your greatest adventure, and your deepest love.

What is included in the session price?

I try to be very up front about my pricing, so the price you see on my website is the price you are going to pay for the session and the edited digitals that will be sent via a private gallery. With your private gallery, you are able to download, save and share as you wish. I promise a minimum of 50 high resolution digital images although I don’t limit the amount of photos that I edit and send to my clients, so whatever I see and love in my raw files, I will edit and send to you at no extra charge. You will also receive a one-minute newborn keepsake film to treasure for years to come! This will be sent as a file via vimeo for you to download and save as you wish!

I do offer printing through a high-quality private printing lab, so if you’re interested in incredibly beautiful prints, I definitely recommend printing directly from your gallery!

You can expect your gallery to be sent to you within 2-3 weeks after your session.

Is a lifestyle newborn story for everyone?

This is a great question, and the truth is, not always. My lifestyle sessions are for families who want photographs of them being together in a way that is connected, imperfect and completely natural. These sessions capture the “right now”, what life currently looks like, and in the space that is most comfortable to you – your home.

Lifestyle sessions are for the nostalgic, the sentimental, and the romantic. It’s for those who like to keep it simple, and for those who see the beauty and importance in their ordinary lives. If you are looking for more posed, or studio style baby wrapping and posing, I am likely not what you are looking for, and that's okay!

Will you bring props?

I will bring a Moses basket as well as some blankets for baby. I also provide a free newborn client closet of high quality newborn onesies that are simple & timeless! Props and onesies are washed after each session in fragrance-free and dye-free baby laundry soap. *Please note that I am not a studio photographer, and I do not have the education and training to pose babies in squishy poses like you find with studio newborn photographers. If this is the type of session you are looking for, I would be happy to send you recommendations.

Do I need to feed the baby before our session?

One of the beautiful things about in-home and lifestyle photography is that we can pick up wherever baby has left off in their often loose routine. If you are mid-feed when I arrive? No problem. We can start with that! I may ask you to move to another chair, or face a certain direction so that I can find the perfect lighting, or if you don't wish to have any feeding photos, I'm happy to hang out and play with older siblings. Is baby sleeping in their crib? We can start with that, photographing in his/her nursery. Is baby getting some one-on-one time with daddy? Great, we can start exactly there. My only suggestion is that if baby is getting tired right before my arrival that you may want to dress him in any outfit that you have picked out, so we can start our session together without having to disrupt him/her.

Can my other children participate?

Um, yes, and please! Sibling love is the best thing ever. I am all about capturing photographs that record your family learning and falling in love with one another. The reason I do what I do, is so that in months, years and decades time, you will have a visual history of the milestones that have shaped you!

*Pro-Tip: Have a grandparent, adult family member, or friend who your older kiddos love to help with watching them in-between photos.

Will we get photographs of all of us as a family?

Yes, of course! This may be your first opportunity to have beautiful, professional photographs taken of your entire family, so we will absolutely get that photo! If you have an older sibling or toddler, don’t stress! However he/she is, regardless of stress or mood levels, is being entirely developmentally appropriate. We will get excellent photos, so don’t worry!

What should we do to prepare our home?

This is a commonly asked question, and the answer is simple; only minimal cleaning is suggested. Maybe run the vacuum and remove unnecessary clutter from the floor, nightstands, and coffee tables and call it a day! After all, I am there to photograph you, and your growing family, not your home. We will also likely stick to only a couple rooms where the natural light is best. I do suggest that bedding be of natural and light colors without patterns (white, cream, beige, gray), so that the focus remains on you.  

If you have a toddler at home, I suggest having quick, ready to eat snacks on hand that will not make a mess of their teeth, hands or clothing.

What if my newborn is fussy?

When I come to visit, I estimate our session will take about 2 hours. If baby needs to be resettled, fed, or cuddled, that’s completely okay. We will let baby guide us, and we will listen to their needs – it’s the only way to insure that this story is calm, happy and memorable for everyone involved.

How do I know if my home has great light?

As long as your house as a window, we will be completely fine! If your house is surrounded by trees and has a lot of shade, I recommend booking a mid day time slot.

You are also welcome to send me photos of areas of your home that you are potentially interested in having photos taken in. I suggest taking them late morning or mid-day as this is when sessions typically take place.

But my home isn’t very pretty?

Please remember the reason that we are taking these photographs – to catch memories of the time you brought your sweet baby home! I’m there to capture your family. Not your sofa, kitchen counters or fine home furnishings. My main focus will be on capturing the connection that you are making as a family!

What should we wear and/or avoid wearing?

Soft or natural tones are going to photograph well. Pales and pastels, as well as earthy tones are fantastic. Varied textures in your choice of clothing also look great! (Think denim, corduroy, wool, linen, cotton).

Ensuring you and your children are comfortable in your clothing is ultimately most important. Children that are able to comfortably move around are happy children.

If I arrive and your toddler is in a pull-up and/or your baby is refusing to put on a shirt, those are going to be beautiful portraits! You can also wait until I arrive if you would like me to capture wardrobe changes for your littles (I love, love, love them)!

Clothing trends to avoid – Do you remember in the 90’s where everyone dressed in white shirts and denim? Maybe avoid that! In fact, try to stay clear of being too match-y at all. Instead, try to focus on finding clothing that compliments each other, both in texture and tones.

Try to avoid clothing with large logos or branding on the front, this will distract from the timelessness of the photos that we will take. We want the attention to be drawn to the faces of your beautiful children and not so much Peppa Pig, or Minnie Mouse.

Clothing Brands I love for photography sessions:

Women- Baltic Born*, Jessa Kae*, One Loved Babe*, Old Navy*, Gap, Zara, Ivy City Co*. (*these brands carry plus sizes)

Men- Old Navy, Gap, J. Crew, Express, H&M, Macy's, Target

Littles- Zara, Jamie Kay, Gap, Quincy Mae, Noralee, Rylee & Crew, H&M.

I hope most of your questions have been answered here. I am truly looking forward to the opportunity to capture some incredible memories with your growing family! If you have any additional questions, I will be happy to answer them!

*Covid Update. Your family’s health is of upmost importance to me! I have been fully vaccinated since May 2021 and will plan to wear a mask for the duration of your session. If you have any special requests for your session, I am happy to accommodate.

Perks of booking with Sara Bee?

• Newborn Client Closet full of high quality outfits
• Moses baskets, blankets and wraps in a variety of colors provided
• Full gallery provided at no additional cost
• Complimentary newborn keepsake film included as gift of my appreciation
• Transparent pricing and no high pressure sales
• Discount when a maternity session + newborn session is booked together
• Bump, Baby & Birthday Package available