Lifestyle vs. Studio Portraits

When you have a new baby on the way and you’re arranging your dream newborn photography session, what do you picture? There are two types of newborn sessions I offer for my clients: lifestyle newborn photography (which takes place in your home) and studio newborn photography (which takes place in my Mercer Island studio).

Which one is best for you? It comes down to a matter of personal preference, with each option having its unique advantages.

Benefits of Lifestyle Newborn Photography

Lifestyle newborn photography is highly popular for first-time parents and parents welcoming their second or third (or beyond) child too. Check out these top advantages it offers.

Highly Personal and Sentimental

To be clear, every newborn photo session is beautiful and personal. But lifestyle sessions are especially so. They take place within your home, the home where you’ll be making lifelong memories with this new baby for years to come. Lifestyle photography is also more focused on capturing authentic moments of joy between you and your baby rather than setting up poses.

Convenience of No Travel Time

There are aspects of convenience and inconvenience with both lifestyle and studio newborn photography. For lifestyle sessions, though, the benefit is that I come to you - there’s no need to pack up your baby and everything they’ll need for several hours and bring it all to a studio.

Excellent for Sibling Portraits

If your baby has older siblings, a lifestyle photo session is especially beneficial. Your kids can just be at home, enjoying themselves in their rooms until they’re needed for photos and then they can go back to playing. They also tend to be more relaxed and comfortable because they’re in their own home.

Benefits of Studio Newborn Photography

While some families prefer lifestyle newborn photos, there are plenty of families too who prefer studio sessions, and there are several reasons for this.

Convenience of Not Worrying About Your Home

While a studio session does require you to come to my studio, it also means you don’t need to worry about making your home photo-ready. While we only need one or two spaces to be photographable for lifestyle portraits, that can still be a tall order when you’re caring for a newborn.

More Predictable Results

As beautiful as your home may be, it wasn't designed with photography in mind, and my studio was. In the studio, I can control the lighting and other factors to make them ideal for newborn photos, while lifestyle portraits aren’t as predictable.

Options for Props and Accessories

During a studio newborn session, I use a variety of props, wraps, and accessories to create a very specific and charming look. In lifestyle sessions, on the other hand, I photograph interactions more than posed portraits with props. If you prefer the look of traditional newborn photos with props and sets, studio photography is the way to go.

At the end of the day, choosing a lifestyle session or studio session for your newborn is a matter of personal preference and the look you want in your baby’s portraits. There’s no wrong answer. Want to talk through the options or schedule your newborn photo session? Contact Jaimié Birtel Photography and let’s chat!