JESSICA NIP PHOTOGRAPHY

Is an in-home session for you? | Picking a location for your photoshoot | Toronto lifestyle photographer Jessica Nip

January 26, 2021

Lifestyle newborn session at home in Toronto | www.jessicanip.com

The majority of newborn sessions that I do take place in my clients’ homes. If I were to break it down into a percentage (for newborn sessions), 70% are in-home sessions and the other 30% take place in my studio. Today I’ll share some of the benefits of having an in-home session (I’ll post about the benefits of having it in-studio in a future post!)

You don’t need to pack up and get in the car. Newborn babies come with a lot of accessories – bottles, blankets, clothing, car seat, wipes, diapers, soothers – and packing it all up along with all your own items can be exhausting. If not physically, then mentally! If your session is at home, there is nothing to pack!
You might have worked hard (and spent a good amount of money) on decorating your home. Even if not every room is fully finished, there may be areas that you absolutely love like your baby’s nursery, your bedroom, or your kitchen. Having a session at home means we can capture your family spending time in these beautiful spaces!
Toddlers. I feel like this probably doesn’t need an explanation, but I’ll provide one just in case! If there are young siblings (especially toddlers) that will be a part of the session, being at home means they will be comfortable (and thus hopefully in a good mood). They have their own toys, they can escape to their favourite space in the house if they’re feeling overwhelmed, and all their snacks are just a few minutes away. And for those extroverted siblings, I know they’ll have a ton of fun showing me their favourite _insert toy/room/activity/clothes/hiding spot/pet/snack_! It’s like a mini playdate inside a photo session and it puts everyone at ease!
Storytelling and candid moments. We can focus on the new baby for a series of photos, and the rest of the time can be spent doing activities that your family enjoys. You can read aloud a favourite book, play hide-and-seek, have a snack in the kitchen, or even build a fort. If this new baby is your first, then we can focus on all the experiences that new parents go through so that this special time can be documented and remembered: changing diapers, giving baby a bath, snuggling in bed, feeding, and cuddling on the couch together.
I can help you pick out your outfits right there on the spot. This is something I can do with you prior to your session on a separate date, or on your date before we start shooting!

What about the light?

I recognize that some days may be cloudy and some rooms that you’d like photographed may not receive a lot of natural light. For these situations, I utilize a flash or other source of artificial light to boost the light levels in the room. At times, it can be so dark that my flash is used as the main light source. For these images, I position or modify it in a way that mimics the look of natural light so that all your images, no matter which room they were made in, have a consistently bright and airy feel!