Including Family in Your Newborn Photos | Maplewood NJ Photographer
If you have loved ones who live out of town and plan to visit shortly after your baby is born, that can be the perfect time to schedule your newborn photography session. While most of my sessions focus on your immediate family and the quiet, intimate moments at home, there’s something incredibly special about capturing the rare time when everyone is together.
As a lifestyle newborn photographer in Northern New Jersey, I typically work with immediate families—focusing on natural, relaxed images of parents bonding with their new baby in familiar spaces like the nursery, living room, or master bedroom. However, when grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins are in town, I’m always happy to include them toward the end of your session. I just ask that someone help coordinate the groupings so we can use our time efficiently and keep things calm for your little one.
A Real Example: A Newborn Session with Visiting Family
This beautiful family I recently photographed scheduled their newborn session on the same day as their baby’s Christening in South Orange, NJ. The mom’s family had flown in from Hawaii, making this an especially meaningful day to document.
When I arrived at their home, we started as I usually do—focusing on the immediate family upstairs in the baby’s nursery and the primary bedroom. Their little one was an absolute dream—calm, sleepy, and happy throughout (which, trust me, doesn’t always happen during newborn sessions!).
Toward the end, we spent about 15–20 minutes downstairs in the living room for full family photos. While extended family portraits aren’t my usual focus, it felt important to preserve those connections—especially knowing how far everyone had traveled and how rare it would be to have everyone together again so soon.
Why This Can Be the Perfect Timing
Newborn sessions can be beautifully flexible. If your family is visiting from out of town, scheduling during their stay can:
Save you time and stress—you won’t need to coordinate another get-together later for photos.
Capture multi-generational memories that will become priceless for your child as they grow.
Celebrate a meaningful milestone if you’re combining your session with another family event, like a baptism, naming ceremony, or special visit.
Even if you’re worried that your home will feel a bit chaotic with visitors, I promise we can make it work. I focus on creating calm, cozy moments amid the joy and excitement. All we really need is one good window and your family’s love—it’s that simple.
If you’re expecting a baby in the Maplewood, South Orange, or Westfield area and have family planning to visit soon after birth, let’s chat about how we can create a meaningful newborn session that includes everyone who matters most.
👉 Ready to plan your in-home newborn session? [Contact me here] to reserve your date.
