Edinburgh newborn baby photography

Your baby’s incredible newness only lasts a short while, so you only really have one chance to capture those precious first weeks with your child forever. That’s why it’s so important that you go with a photographer whose style you adore and whose pictures you’ll love to see for years to come.

Amazing newborn photography comes in many different styles that you can choose from. We’ve outlined the three most popular styles below to give you a better idea of what your most common options are.

Once you’ve discovered a style that you love, try to find a photographer in your area who is really great in that style. There are many fabulous photographers out there, but if it’s a highly posed composite shot complete with costumes that you’re after, someone who specialises in candid documentary-style shots is probably not the right choice for you. And vice versa!

You should also consider what kind of prints and products you’d like to see your pictures on. Whether it’s small framed prints, large wallart, an album or digital copyright, make sure the photographer you’re considering can deliver exactly what you want in a style you adore.

Here are the three most common newborn baby photography styles:

Documentary-style newborn photography

Photographers working in this style will typically come to your home and capture your first steps together as a family in a very natural way. These photos often have a candidness to them and highlight the connection between your new baby and your family members.

An off-shoot of this documentary-style is lifestyle photography, which has a little bit of direction to it from the photographer. This is different from documentary photoshoots, where the photographer is a silent participant who captures your family organically.

If this is your preferred style, it might be a good idea to get a family member or a good friend to help you tidy up your home a little bit before your photographer arrives. While you’ll probably want to remember how cute your wee one looks in their brand new cot, you can probably do without remembering the pile of laundry next to it!

Posed newborn photography with props

Portraits like these have become very popular in recent years: they use different kinds of props like flower headbands, costumes and toys to create stylised and intricate shots. Think babies with little hats in buckets or intricately swaddled and wearing flower crowns.

Photographers working in this style often combine several shots to create portraits where your baby is posed in adorable if unlikely positions: resting their sleepy little head on their hands or with their head propped up in a way babies this age can’t support on their own.

If this is your preferred style, you’ll have to be extra careful to choose an experienced professional who makes your little one’s safety and comfort a priority, as these poses take some work to execute in a way that’s tender and protected.

With an experienced photographer, working in this style is perfectly safe and they’ll gently guide your sleeping baby in the desired pose and give them support where they need it, often with some help from a trusty assistant. They then edit their hands away from the photo after the shoot.

Classic, timeless studio photography

This style can take several different forms, but at its core, it’s about capturing your baby’s first weeks in a way that feels timeless and intimate. Your session will focus on the uniqueness of your baby and the bond you share. These get to shine through with simple backdrops and natural poses. The shoot will be baby-led to make sure the little one stays happy and comfortable.

Here at Blue Sky Photography, classic, timeless newborn studio photography is our preferred style.

We love it for newborns because we strongly believe that timeless wins over trendy. That’s why we don’t use props, costumes or other gimmicks in our newborn photography sessions.

Instead, we want to make sure both baby and parents feel comfortable and relaxed so that we can capture the beauty of every family in a natural way. We prefer an elegant and ageless feel to our work that looks as good today as it will in thirty years. If you agree, we’d love to hear from you!

If this is not your style, though, we might not be the right choice for your photo shoot – and that’s totally okay.

If after our initial chat you decide we’re not the right fit for you, we don’t mind recommending someone else whose style might work better for you. What matters is that you get photos that you’ll love and cherish for years to come and that you’ll be proud to share with family and friends.

Chances are both you and your little one will be pretty beat the first few weeks you share together, so it’s important to find a photographer who’ll make sure both parents and baby are comfortable and happy throughout the process. That’s why it’s important that the photographer you choose treats you like the valuable customer you are and, if you’re getting your portraits done in a studio, it’s clean, accessible and inviting.

Finding the right newborn photography studio in Edinburgh

If you’re going in for a studio shoot, have a little browse around the place if you’re going in for your consultation. You should make sure it’s a space you feel relaxed in and where there is plenty space for youk baby and all that baby brings (think prams, changing bags, special blankets…)

We’ve made it our mission here at Blue Sky Photography to make our studio in Edinburgh’s Morningside as luxurious, cosy and comfortable as possible. For newborn sessions, we like to set a tranquil mood and crank up the heating to make sure your baby stays comfy and snuggly.

Similarly, as we’re parents ourselves, we want to make the experience as relaxed as possible for parents, offering you plenty of time for changing, feeding and settling in for your session. We’re often told how homey our studio is, even to the extent that people have been surprised to find that we do not actually live here!

Pay attention to communication

Apart from the studio itself, you should also pay attention to how a photographer you’re considering communicates with you. Are they answering your messages in a timely manner? Are they happy to answer all your questions? Look through reviews on Google and Facebook as well to see how other parents have found the process of working with them.

We all know what it’s like to get a negative gut feeling about someone. If your consultations or your communication before or after it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, don’t be afraid to walk away. Those first few weeks after your new baby is born are a delicate time and you deserve to feel comfortable and respected, especially if you’re paying a good amount of money for your photo session.

Another thing you’ll want to consider is availability. Good newborn baby photographers get booked up weeks, if not months in advance. We recommend you book your shoot earlier rather than later to avoid disappointment.

As a rule of thumb, you should try booking your baby photography session when you’re about 30 weeks along. This makes sure you and your photographer can get to know each other a little bit before your shoot and build trust.

As for how old your baby should be when the photo shoot takes place, we personally prefer working with babies who are between 7 and 14 days in age. This way, your baby will have hopefully gotten used to feeding, home life and being fawned over by everyone who lays their eyes on them! They should also still be relatively easy to get to settle down for a shot.

The other reason why your baby’s first photoshoot should be sooner rather than later is that they will only be this tiny for a few weeks. And let’s be honest: the mixture of overwhelming love and insomnia can make these precious first memories with your little one a little hazy…

We all know that babies don’t always want to adhere to the schedule we’ve set for them. So, if your little bundle of joy arrives a little earlier than anticipated, or waits a little longer to make their grand debut like a true little diva, don’t fret!

Just having that provisional day for your photoshoot booked means it’ll be much easier to work with your photographer to arrange a day that suits everyone better. Here at Blue Sky Photography, we’re happy to book a few provisional dates for you to make sure we get photos taken at the perfect time.

Ideally, you’ll have a highly experienced and talented newborn baby photographer to commemorate your baby’s first weeks. Unfortunately, high-quality photography like this does come with a higher price tag as well. We’d say that a newborn photo shoot is one of those investments you won’t regret, though, as these memories are truly priceless.

Think realistically about how much you’re willing and able to spend and speak to your shortlisted photographers about pricing options. This will help you get a sense of what newborn baby photography packages with reputable photographers generally cost in your area. And remember that if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is!

You’ll also want to consider what’s included in your photo shoot. You don’t want to feel rushed on the day, so make sure your budget allows for enough of your photographer’s time so that you and your baby can get settled and comfortable in the shoot.

Are an initial consultation and a post-shoot viewing session also included in the price? Can Mum and Dad (and any brothers and sisters be included in the shoot)? What kind of products are available afterwards and how will you pick favourites?

Keep in mind that many photographers, including us here at Blue Sky Photography, will be happy to talk about ways to make your budget work.

If you’d love beautiful, timeless newborn baby photography in Edinburgh, we’re just the ones for you.

Spend time exploring some more of our newborn work online and if you’d like to book a consultation with us to chat further, simply drop us a line.

If you’re ready to book a newborn baby photography experience, you can buy this online and if you’re looking for a unique newborn baby gift, newborn baby photography experience gift vouchers are also available online.

Looking forward to meeting you and your new baby at Blue Sky Photography soon…