Tips on Including Older Siblings in Your Newborn Session | South Jersey Newborn Photographer

Congrats!! Your little family has added another member, and it’s so important to capture this moment in your lives!

One of the best things about newborn photos is it’s a great way to get new photos of the whole family, including any older siblings. But it can sometimes be a challenge for parents to encourage toddlers to cooperate with the photo session. That’s why I put together these five tips for including older siblings in your newborn shoot.

Give them time in the spotlight.

An older sibling of a newborn has often just become an older sibling, which means they’re still getting used to having a baby in the house. They may feel that their parents don’t pay as much attention to them with all the needs of their new sibling. Take time to make sure your older kids feel involved in the photo session, both in photos with your new baby and photos of the whole family together. Your newborn session is a great way to let older siblings know that it’s not just about your new addition, but about your growth as a family.

Encourage them to snuggle up.

Your older child may feel unsure or uncomfortable around the new baby, and a photo session can be a great way to help them loosen up and get to know their new sibling. Some of my favorite photos are images of the older sibling holding, kissing, or snuggling the new baby. Encourage them to gently touch the newborn and to get close, which can lead to a lot of giggles and smiles and some great photos.

Let them do their own thing.

One of the most important things is not to force your older child to participate in the session. The last thing you want is a tantrum or a grumpy face in your photos! Instead, encourage them to participate without forcing them. You may be surprised how much they enjoy being involved on their own, and giving your older child space to explore and relax can result in more natural, genuine images of your family.

Make time for breaks.

Your newborn won’t be the only one who needs breaks. Have some snacks handy for older siblings, and give them a chance to step away from the camera and just play for a little while. Sometimes it’s best to do photos with the older sibling first, so they don’t get bored and agitated as the session goes on. Regardless of how your photographer organizes the session, be sure to include regular breaks throughout.

Talk to them beforehand.

It’s so important to let your older children know what to expect from a photo session. Whether they love to be in front of the camera or are a little bit shy, talking to them in the days before your shoot about how things will go can really ease their minds and make them more comfortable with the photographer. Be sure to sit down with your older child throughout the week before your session and talk to them about how you’re going to have photos taken and the importance of listening to both you and the photographer. With a little preparation, you may find that they’re excited to participate, which makes for wonderful photos!

Introducing Baby Selah | South Jersey Newborn Portraits

I’m a bit behind on blogging sessions, blogging is never something that came easy to me, but I wanted to share more of this beautiful girl with the world, more than just a few sneaks, so here we are!

Miss Selah was wide awake during most of her session, but was an absolute angel! Her beautiful brown eyes looked up at me the whole session!

As your photographer, my job is to be flexible and patient and produce a gallery full of gorgeous photos, regardless of if baby is sleepy or not and sometimes those wide awake shots end up being my favorite!

This family was an absolute blessing and I truly loved meeting them and working with them! I cannot wait for little Selah to come back for her milestone sessions as she grows!

"Do I really need newborn photos?" | South Jersey Studio Photographer, South Jersey Newborn Photographer

When it comes to hiring a wedding photographer, no one bats an eye, right? This is a huge milestone/event in your life that you wanna document forever, so you spend money and find a professional you love, to cherish this day. So why is it questionable when it comes to your baby?

People will splurge on a new pair of shoes, or a day at the hair salon, but all those splurges will only last a short time. Your new highlights will grow out in a few months, a pair shoes may got lost or broken, but photos will be the ONLY splurge that will last a lifetime and get more valuable over time.

Your life is about to change, and I truly think it is SO important to document this time as your newborn will grow and change so fast. You created LIFE, a whole miniature version of yourself, shouldn't you want to document this milestone forever?! As a mama of two beautiful babies and one angel baby, I look back their photos and can put myself back in those moments. I can remember every detail through photos, that otherwise may have been forgotten. The shape of their nose, the way they used to smile, etc. When you have a TANGIBLE item to look back on and hold in your hands, that once held them, it's priceless. As someone who wishes she had more time and more photos of loved ones lost, to help spark those special memories, trust me when I say it's worth it. The newborn photos are worth it. The milestone photos are worth it. The family photos with YOU in them, are WORTH IT

The Obrien Family | South Jersey Beach Portraits,

My absolute favorite thing to do every year with my kiddos is take them down to the Jersey Shore! Every year while we’re down there, I invite families to come down as well and allow me to document these memories for your family!

The beach is an amazing location for yearly family portraits because the kiddos get to just be kids. They can play in the sand, watch the waves, and just enjoy the beach with their family

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of documenting my best friend and her family down at the shore and let me tell you how much fun we had and how much love we captured!

Scroll through some of my favorites below and if you’re thinking of scheduling your own family portraits, reach out here

The Key to "Perfect Family Portraits" | South Jersey Newborn and Portrait Photographer

Want to know the secret to perfect family portraits?

If you’ve ever stressed about getting your family “picture perfect” for picture day, this blog is for you!

I KNOW how hard wrangling your family can feel. Family photos feels exhausting and too much work. I've been there!! But here, we do FUN. We do real, raw moments.

The key to a perfect family session is to go in with a new mindset. Imperfect moments, can make the most PERFECT photos. Whatever happens, happens… ya know?! Kids have meltdowns. Dads don't want to participate.

Moms- your family FEELS your energy. Stay calm and enjoy these moments. Pamper yourself, get yourself all done up. Relax and let the photos happen however they happen. Life isn't perfect, and photos capture life.

Let the kids run around and chase each other. Your baby doesn't want to walk and only wants to he held? Perfect, we'll snap some shots of you snuggling them. Not everyone is looking straight at the camera? Let me capture the emotions that they are feeling when they look at you, or look at a bird in the sky.

Make those memories. If that means your toddlers hair gets messy halfway through our session, so be it. Focus on reality. Focus on loving those babies and making the BEST memories with them.

You dont want to look back and remember how stressful it was to get everyone to look prim and proper. You'll look back at these photos and remember all those feelings of love and affection you had that day. You'll remember how much fun your kids had running around in circles and tackling dad to the ground.

Focus on that and let me do the rest!

Take a look at one of my most recent family sessions and you tell me… pretty perfect right?!