A cosy newborn session at home - Market Harborough
This was such a special newborn session for this lovely couple as they welcomed their gorgeous baby girl into the world following their IVF journey. It was a real privilege to be invited into their home in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, and capture this incredibly special chapter as they became a family of three (five including the dogs).
The whole session had such a lovely, cosy feel to it. We made use of a few different rooms around their home, taking advantage of the natural light and capturing a mixture of beautiful photographs of their little girl, as well as those quiet moments and cuddles between the three of them.
And, of course, we couldn’t leave out their two very cheeky Dachshunds! They were very much determined to be involved and certainly brought plenty of personality to the session. I absolutely love including pets in newborn photography sessions. They’re such an important part of the family and, one day, these photographs will be a lovely reminder of the very first days they spent together.
I feel incredibly honoured when families trust me to document such a meaningful moment in their lives. From the excitement of finally meeting their baby to the tiny details, sleepy cuddles and even the chaos caused by two mischievous Dachshunds, these are the moments that make every newborn session completely unique.
As a newborn photographer covering Market Harborough, Leicestershire, Rutland and the surrounding areas, I specialise in relaxed, natural newborn photography in the comfort of your own home. My sessions are completely baby-led, with plenty of time for feeding, changing, cuddles and settling, allowing us to capture genuine moments without everything feeling overly posed or rushed.
“Highly, highly recommend Jess! Jess made us feel extremely comfortable (photoshoots aren’t our most natural habitat!). She was incredible with both our newborn and dogs and managed to capture the most gorgeous pictures. If you’re after someone professional, calming, patient and genuinely passionate about getting the best photos of you and your family…Jess is your girl!”
-The Buchanan’s
Every baby is different… and that’s exactly how I like it!
My approach to every newborn session is a little different, because no two babies (or families!) are the same. I always say that babies run the shoot - and they have a funny way of proving me right every single time!
Before your session, I’ll have a loose plan in my head based on my usual flow, your baby’s age and most importantly, what you’re hoping to get from your photographs. If there are particular images that are really important to you, we’ll focus on those first while your little one is settled, and then let the rest of the session naturally unfold from there.
I never want a newborn session to feel rushed or like we’re working against the clock. Babies might need a feed, a cuddle, a nappy change (or two!), or simply a little bit of time to settle… and that’s completely normal. There is no expectation for your baby to sleep through the session or stay settled the whole time.
I’ll always allow plenty of extra time for feeding, changing and settling, so we can work around your baby rather than trying to make them fit around the photoshoot. Sometimes the moments in between the photographs for eg. a yawn, a cuddle, or the way you naturally soothe your baby end up being some of my favourite images from the whole gallery.
My aim is to keep things relaxed, natural and baby-led, while gently guiding you throughout the session so you never feel like you need to know what to do. You can simply enjoy your time with your little one, and I’ll take care of the rest.
Below, I’ve included a few simple things I recommend doing before your newborn session to help everything run as smoothly as possible on the day.
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I’ll always recommend giving your little one a really good feed before I arrive. This will hopefully help them feel settled and content as we get started. Of course, there will be plenty of time for top-up feeds and nappy changes throughout the photoshoot.
If you could also have them ready in the outfit you’d like them to be photographed in, that’s the cherry on top! It means we can get straight into those lovely sleepy photos without disturbing them too much.
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I usually recommend booking your session within the first couple of weeks after your baby arrives, when they are still very sleepy and naturally curl up more easily. That said, there’s no strict age limit, I’ve photographed plenty of older newborns and can still create beautiful photos. They may simply be more awake and less likely to curl up into those classic newborn poses. Therefore, I can’t guarantee those sleepy, curled-up photos.
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This is completely normal! Little ones run the session, there’s plenty of time for feeding, changing, cuddles and settling. There’s no pressure for your baby to be asleep or settled for the entire session.
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For newborn sessions I always like to do them in the comfort of your own home in and around Rutland. This also means you don’t need to pack up everything but the kitchen sink!
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Of course - the more the merrier! Parents, siblings, pets are always welcome. I like to get a mixture of breakdowns. These often become some of the most treasured images from the session. There’s no need to worry about posing or knowing what to do; I’ll gently guide you.