Anthony Jr Studio Newborn Session | New Jersey Newborn Studio Photographer
Anthony Jr. is Angeline and Anthony’s first baby, and he is absolutely perfect. For his newborn session, we headed to our NJ newborn photography studio in Maplewood, New Jersey. Angeline did a maternity session with me, too, (stay tuned for that blog post) and in the time between her maternity session and newborn session, their family moved from one Essex County home to another. We loved the idea of using the studio so that they didn’t have to worry about getting their home set up for in-house photos.
For their newborn photography sessions mom and dad were looking for clean, classic photos that would look beautiful on the walls of their new family home. Since Anthony Jr. is named after his daddy, we started with some natural portraits of the two together. I love father and son portraits whether they are older children and fathers or a brand new baby and his daddy. At all ages the bond between parent and child is so beautiful to document.
At first, mama wasn’t sure about being in any portraits and wanted the session to focus almost exclusively on baby Anthony. During her pre-session consultation we discussed how special it would be to both her and Anthony Jr. to have at least a few parent and baby portraits, and by session day she was ready to pick a dress from the studio wardrobe and cuddle up with her new baby. I always start with very natural and relaxed poses so my subject can feel comfortable in front of the camera, and by the end of the session mama was so relaxed and happy. You can see that Anthony Jr. absolutely loved snuggling up with his momma, and we were able to artfully document some beautiful moments that both Anthony Jr. and mama will cherish through the years.
Mom and dad came to our photography studio because they loved the relaxed and natural newborn photos and family portraits we create in our space. They were an absolute pleasure to work with, as they loved all my wardrobe suggestions, laughed at my silly jokes, and easily followed my soft prompts to encourage natural connection. Because mom was not planning to be in any photos, Angeline asked for outfit help and I was able to show her a few options that I thought would look gorgeous on her. She ended up choosing a beautiful, white, bohemian Free People dress that could be worn on or off of the shoulders. Anthony borrowed a shirt from the studio wardrobe for an instantly cohesive look that kept the focus on their sweet little one.
For baby outfits, many clients find it tempting to put a newborn in a fancy outfit for their session. You’ve been waiting for so long to dress them up, but when it comes to newborn sessions, I always recommend starting with a simple white onesie (and saving any “special outfits” for the end of the session if baby is feeling up for it). The onesie is a timeless look that lets you focus on the baby’s beautiful expressions, arms, legs, toes, etc. Newborns are still swimming in outfit sets, and a white onesie is an absolute classic. Framed portraits of your newborn baby in a white onesie are easy to coordinate with any home décor, and if you are wanting a cohesive look with future sessions such as a 6 month or first birthday session, the color palate, tones, and vibe are easy to keep streamlined throughout the sessions.
In the studio I pose babies on a soft, white bean bag. This is something that I am only able to offer in studio sessions. Parents get to sit back and relax while I gently guide the baby into natural poses. This baby gave me such beautiful eye contact for very soulful newborn baby portraits. Studio light makes for gorgeously contrasting blacks and whites, which highlight the emotion of the moment and the beautiful textures in clothes, hair, and skin.
Anthony Jr. was so comfortable that he fell asleep for the end of the session. Parents always worry about the baby not sleeping, but I always say that if the baby is happy, I’m happy. A few sleepy portraits are always nice, but be prepared for those to be when they’re cuddled up in mom and dad’s arms.
