Wardrobe

HOW TO DRESS FOR YOUR AT HOME LIFESTYLE NEWBORN SESSION

Darker New England Homes lifestyle at home newborn session
I'm Bella!

My work has a very editorial look. I am for classic, clean imagery that isn't heavily altered from real life.  My art is created through framing, composition, emotion and connection rather than props and trends.

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Diversity and individuality are words I will repeat over and over again. You have created your home and in turn, it will create the backdrop for your family’s story.  The amount of light that you get through the windows is a great example. The character elements that you found charming when you invested in your property are important. These key elements will define the final look of your gallery. These three tips on how to dress for a newborn session in your home are essential to making your home a part of this session.
 
I love coming into each unique home to see what the family has created there. Pieces of furniture gathered over the years may become props in our session. Please point out any heirloom or signature pieces you particularly love. Ahead of every at-home session please send photos of your home taken during daylight hours. This is so I may see how the light streams into the space as well as its natural colourings. If your home isn’t light and airy and painted white neither will your gallery. The colours you picked instead will come through in your images.
 
My go-to space for photos is the master bedroom. It’s the easiest space to clean up. Side tables can be cleared onto the floor. Clothing piled into closets and bathrooms nearby. Nice, crisp sheets act as a reflector and fill in faces and shadows. It’s one space that we can create that airy look with some simple preparation. Such as, changing your sheets to white, and dressing yourselves to match. Resist the urge to wear black against a white wall and white sheets to try and cut your shape. My way of posing helps blend elements together. Follow these wardrobe tips!

1.  Define your palette

 
Your home’s colours will dictate the look of your photos. If your home is darker with rich tones of wood, then play off that with warm colours, and rich greys in your outfits. If you’ve been blessed with large windows, then go light and airy. You can do this with translucent whites that allow light to come through your outfits. If your home is bright and patterned, then go bold and colourful in similar tones.
 

If your home is darker (Dark coloured walls, a minimal amount of windows. Like a typical New England home):

Darker New England Homes lifestyle at home newborn session

Darker New England Homes lifestyle at home newborn session

Darker homes look rich and full of warmth.  Feel free to play off this direction with a similar palette such as jewel tones, and other colours inspired by nature. Think fall colours, rustic influences.

If your home is somewhere in the middle (can get dark on gloomy and overcast days, or you have chosen darker wall colourings):

lifestyle at home newborn session in Boston home

lifestyle at home newborn session in Boston home

If your home is somewhere in between dark and rich, and bright and airy then feel free to play in either direction. Whites reflect light and bring attention to you and fill in any dark shadows you might have from being a parent to a newborn. It’s also quite forgiving and looks great against backlight of a window. I adore patterns, so mix things up and go bold with something unexpected if you have a feature in your home, such as some stunning wallpaper.

If your home is fun and poppy (taking chances – bravo!):

Fun and bright homes for at home newborn sessions

Fun and bright homes for at home newborn sessions

Fun and colourful is where you can play. If your home has fun elements, then embrace them either with complementary shades or brighten things up more with playful elements such as socks. Look to your home to inspire you. If your home is fun, don’t wear something stuffy like business shirts. My preference actually is for t-shirts and casual wear.

If your home is light and airy (new build, suburbs, loft):

bright and airy homes for lifestyle newborn sessions in Boston

bright and airy homes for lifestyle newborn sessions in Boston

Light and airy is the easiest. If you have white walls they can act as a blank canvas. Feel free to either introduce colours, or keep the tone the same by matching with lighter toned clothing. Look at how the families have matched tones and fabrics, but not to the point of being matchy-matchy. Subtle patterns can be introduced to make the look more casual, or go bold with bright colours.

2.  Plan to build your outfit around the expectant mom for newborn photos

 
Clothing will be tough to fit. Plan on not much of a change from pre-baby to post-baby within the first 2 weeks of life. Before the baby arrives, have outfits built around a fabric that flows. This can be like a top or dress that you love and feel confident in. I emphasize flowy. Boxy items, such as business shirts or shift dresses are sometimes very unforgiving. You don’t want the shirt to puff out at the most unflattering point. It can also hold that shape extrapolating outward. You want it to skim your figure and drape nicely. You don’t want it to draw attention to any parts you don’t want attention being drawn to.  Please do ask for help if you have any questions! I’d be happy to help you narrow down outfit choices. Don’t wait until the day before the session. You’ll find out what you have chosen doesn’t fit, or doesn’t look the way you want it to, or you discover it’s stained and needs to be sent to the cleaners.
For 2021, I will be carrying a Client Closet for my new moms. Have a browse to see what you can borrow for your session HERE.

3.  Expect the temperatures to be 85F for the newborn

 
They’re used to body temperature so we want them to be comfortable when they’re lightly swaddled. Get them to be happy and sleepy. The thermostat should be set as close to 85F as you can tolerate. This may mean preparing hours in advanced. Especially, if your home is huge and it takes a while to heat up, or if you have the air conditioner blasting. Some babies may be ok at cooler temperatures. Leave your baby unwrapped and bare for even 5 minutes. Then, you can see if your baby is tolerant to the cold next time you do a diaper change. Now picture them bare for about 2.5 hours. I am sure you can extrapolate their mood. When picking outfits, plan to be in these outfits for the duration of the session in 85F. Also, plan lots of iced drinks at the ready so you can stay hydrated. Please eat whenever you feel the need and take breaks anytime.

To see some of my at-home newborn sessions, be sure to visit my blog!

Summary of Three Tips On How To Dress For A Newborn Session

If you read the above three Tips On How To Dress For A Newborn Session, you are well on your way to being well prepared for your newborn photo shoot. If you have any questions, please send me photos of your outfits laid out during DAYLIGHT hours and I can give feedback. Taking photos under orange light at night in your closet will not help me see the colours nor the textures of your fabrics.

Once you’ve booked your session, I’ll send a styling tool to help you to prepare for your shoot. It’ll guide you based on your taste preferences. Hope these tips on how to dress for a newborn session at home were helpful!

“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.”

-Bobby Unser

bright and airy homes for lifestyle newborn sessions in Boston

bright and airy homes for lifestyle newborn sessions in Boston

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About me

My path here is a bit different than most. I have a background in engineering and accounting/auditing. Like every good Asian daughter, I wanted to make my parents happy. With my first paycheck I bought a camera. I was instantly addicted to capturing life's details and observing people's interactions. When I moved from Toronto to Boston, I found myself without a job but with a fresh start. I got my first gig off Craigslist (crazy!) and have been fully booked ever since. The family that had booked me on Craigslist still keeps in touch with me to this day and I've photographed them quite a few times since. I've been featured in numerous publications both online and in print (Martha Stewart Weddings, Boston Magazine, The Knot). 8+ years later, you've stumbled onto my page.  

I am candid, communicative and caring. For those that know me, they know I have a pretty wicked sense of humour to get people to relax. My goal always is to ensure you are heard and that you are comfortable throughout the process. In my portfolio you can see each family's genuine happiness and comfort in their body language. It takes a lot to create the environment of trust. The rave reviews from my families afterward show you how much they care about me in return. This environment of trust builds from the beginning and I honestly attract the kindest families that allow me to create consistently strong images with heart in order to tell their story.

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