Should You Include Siblings in Newborn Photos?
Your baby’s newborn photo session is an occasion to celebrate this amazing little one who has just come into your family. While it’s standard for newborn photos to include some portraits of your baby only and some of you with your baby, some parents who have other kids ask if they should include their kids in the newborn photos too. As a Seattle area newborn photographer, I’m happy to share my insights and recommendations.
Why I Encourage Newborn Photos with Siblings
When my clients ask about bringing their children into their newborn photo session, my answer is a resounding yes! This new baby is part of your other kids’ family too, and this is a special time in their lives. Your newborn photo session is an excellent way to celebrate this moment with them and to create a bonding experience for them with their new little sibling.
Oh, and there’s also the fact that portraits of kids with their new baby brother or sister are just so darn cute!
How to Include Siblings in Newborn Photos
When parents decide not to include their older kids in their newborn’s portraits, it’s typically because the idea of getting their children to pose nicely for a picture without disturbing the baby, and other logistics of these photos, seems stressful and intimidating. But I assure you that it can be done smoothly and in a low-stress way. Here are my tricks.
Choose a Photographer with Experience in These Sessions
I’ve been photographing families with kids and newborns for years so I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve for making it work well. But that comes with time and experience. As you’re booking your photographer, ask about this and if it’s not something they’re comfortable and experienced with, it may be better to choose a photographer who is.
Get Everyone Acquainted
Before any photo session, I always meet my clients for a consultation. This is a time to talk about your vision for your portraits and design your session but in the case of newborn photos with the whole family, it also gives your kids a chance to meet me in advance. This way, they’ll be more comfortable when it comes time for the photo session because I’m not a brand new person for them.
Have Somewhere for the Siblings to Go
Newborn photo sessions can take a while, and even the most patient of kids will get antsy if they have to stay in the room for too long. This is why I reserve time for sibling portraits later on in a newborn session, after your hair and makeup is done and after we’ve taken many of your baby’s photos. If the session is at my Mercer Island photo studio, I recommend having a sitter or grandparent bring them at a specified time and then take them home after their photos are done so they don’t have to be here for the whole session. Or, if the session is at your home, they can just go play.
Let’s Start Planning Your Newborn Photos!
Ready to start dreaming up your baby’s first professional photo session? Let’s chat! Contact Jaimié Birtel Photography to learn more or book your session.