Why I Photograph Newborns at Home (And What I Learned After Having My Own Baby)

What are newborn photos? When do they happen? And how do they actually work?

If you're considering newborn photography in Geelong or on the Bellarine Peninsula, these are often some of the first questions you'll ask. My newborn sessions take place in your home and focus on a mix of natural family moments, baby portraits, and gentle posed images.

For years, I photographed newborns in their homes because I believed it was the most natural and comfortable way to document those early days. Then I became a mum myself.

And suddenly I understood it on a completely different level.

Newborn photos freeze a very short season of life.

Those early days after birth often feel blurry. I remember waking up and suddenly it being evening again. Then another long night of broken sleep. Then morning. The days felt endless and fast at the same time, and somehow my baby was suddenly three months old.

I wanted newborn photos for myself because I've seen how quickly this stage disappears. I photograph newborns, and what feels like a few months later, their parents come back for a family session — and that tiny baby is already two years old.

Seeing that again and again made me realise how quickly time moves.

I really really didn't want to miss it.

Why Newborn Sessions Happen at Home

Newborn sessions usually happen within the first two weeks after birth. Babies tend to be sleepier and still look very new.

But those first weeks can also be intense. Even though I loved my (three-day & posterior) labour, my postpartum was a different experience. I felt like a truck had run over me.

I was exhausted in a way I had never experienced before. All I wanted was sleep, yet at the same time I felt desperate to hold onto those early moments with my tiny baby and just stare at her all day long.

That's exactly why I photograph newborns at home. Before having Runo, I knew in-home newborn sessions were convenient. After having her, I understood why they mattered.

Ten days after giving birth, I didn't feel like getting in a car (and it hurt to sit in general!). I didn't feel like packing a nappy bag, timing feeds, or worrying about whether I had remembered everything.

When I needed to change, I could walk to my own bathroom.

When I needed a drink, my kitchen was right there.

When I needed to sit down and rest, my couch was waiting for me.

I was also proud of the home we had created while waiting for Runo. In those final weeks of pregnancy, my nesting instinct was next level... At 38 weeks I painted walls, hung curtains, and spent far too much time on the ladder. I remember imagining life with our baby in those rooms long before she arrived!

Looking back now, I'm so grateful those spaces are part of our photos. Not because the house was perfect, but because it was ours. Those photographs don't just remind me of Runo as a newborn. They remind me of the season of life we were in as a family.

What Happens During an In-Home Newborn Session?

I booked my newborn session months before my due date, and then a week after Runo was born, I messaged the lovely Rhiannon (who helped me so much with shooting whilst I was pregnant!) and booked our session for when Runo was ten days old.

I've visited so many families in their homes to photograph their newborns, but this time it was my home. That felt strange and vulnerable!

I knew all the things I normally suggest to my clients: feed the baby beforehand, have spare outfits ready, prepare the spaces you want photographed.

Somehow, on the day I even managed to make the bed, which had basically become my home base, and fluff up the cushions on the couch! So proud of myself haha!

Before the session, in-between feeds, Runo "survived" half an hour with Zach while I washed my hair and put eyeliner on. I think I was running on adrenaline after yet another sleepless night.

People often imagine newborn sessions as hours of carefully posed photos, but they're usually much more relaxed than that. I bring a special beanbag on which I'll take photos of the baby on their own, and a handful of natural wraps for baby portraits. We'll usually start with a few images of your baby on their own if they're settled and comfortable.

From there, I focus on a mix of natural family moments and prompted portraits. We'll photograph your baby with both parents together, each parent individually, and siblings if they're part of the family.

Some families love candid moments and hardly look at the camera at all. Others would like a few traditional portraits. You tell me all about it in the questionnaire I send over to you prior to your session. Most sessions end up being a blend of both.

I don't follow a strict shot list or move from room to room because I planned it that way. Instead, I follow the light. Every home is different, and I'll guide you towards the spaces that photograph best on the day. Sometimes that's the nursery. Sometimes it's the master bedroom. Sometimes it's simply a sunny corner of the living room.

The goal isn't perfection. It's creating photographs that feel like your family and this particular season of life.

What If My Baby Won't Sleep?

Of course, babies have their own plans.

None of my usual techniques worked the day of our photos, and Runo just wouldn't sleep when Rhi arrived.

I resorted to an 'aggresive' back and forth rocking on my bed, which did the trick! As I learnt in the previous 9 days of our time together, Runo loved rocking and movement.

She did sleep for the whole of 5-10 mins but that was plenty of time to get those peaceful squishy photos.

Then an extra feed eventually settled her again, she wasn't asleep but relaxed and content.

I remember feeling exhausted but telling myself it was okay - I had given birth ten days earlier.

Then, while holding Runo in a pose I really wanted photographed, I suddenly felt a gush of blood and realised I needed to change myself, not the baby... that was my body telling me I needed to take it easy. After that, I stayed mostly seated or lying down and it reinforced something I always do during sessions — checking in with mums constantly. I always ask whether they're comfy, need water or some rest because comfort matters, and postpartum looks different for everyone.

It's also why I never worry if a baby needs feeding, settling, changing or cuddling during a session. Those moments aren't interruptions. They're part of the story.

The Moments You'll Be Glad You Captured

One part that felt especially important to me was photographing Runo's first bath.

While I was pregnant, Zach and I renovated our bathroom and laundry. I remember imagining that exact moment before she was even born.

Seeing her long hair floating in the water and having that captured felt deeply meaningful.

Even though I felt far from my best, I'm so glad we went ahead with the photos in those early days.

One image sits by my bedside.

Another hangs in our living room.

Others live in an album in Runo's room.

Runo now points at those photographs and talks about herself — "baby You-you", as she calls herself — and says "mummy holding baby You-you".

On harder days, when I feel like I'm not quite keeping up with motherhood, I look at that photo by my bed.

I remember how small she felt.

Her smell.

The way she fit perfectly in my arms.

That's the thing about newborn photos.

You don't always realise what they'll mean in the moment.

But later, they become something you reach for.

If you're thinking about newborn photos but feeling tired, unsure, or worried it's all too much — that feeling is normal.

My newborn sessions are gentle, relaxed ,and led by your family's pace.

There is no expectation for your home to be perfect, for your baby to sleep the entire time, or for anyone to feel camera-ready.

The goal is simply to document this fleeting season of life as it is.

If you're expecting a baby and looking for in-home newborn photography in

St Leonards, Geelong, Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Point Lonsdale or elsewhere on the Bellarine Peninsula,

I'd love to hear from you.