Elena​ ​S​ ​Blair​ ​Photography 

5​ ​Steps​ ​To​ ​Get​ ​Started​ ​With​ ​Lifestyle​ ​Newborn​ ​Photography  
 

 
Two​ ​years​ ​ago​ ​I​ ​gave​ ​birth​ ​to​ ​my​ ​third​ ​precious​ ​baby.​ ​At​ ​that​ ​time​ ​I​ ​was​ ​still​ ​posing​ ​newborns
and​ ​marketing​ ​toward​ ​parents​ ​who​ ​were​ ​seeking​ ​traditional​ ​newborn​ ​portraits.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​rarely
satisfied​ ​with​ ​my​ ​newborn​ ​work​ ​and​ ​usually​ ​left​ ​newborn​ ​sessions​ ​feeling​ ​exhausted,​ ​sweaty,
and​ ​defeated,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​didn’t​ ​know​ ​why.

The​ ​newborn​ ​side​ ​of​ ​my​ ​business​ ​was​ ​thriving​ ​but​ ​it​ ​was​ ​not​ ​satisfying​ ​me​ ​as​ ​an​ ​artist​ ​and​ ​it
was​ ​not​ ​in​ ​line​ ​with​ ​my​ ​connected​ ​lifestyle​ ​family​ ​work.​ ​ ​When​ ​my​ ​baby​ ​was​ ​a​ ​few​ ​days​ ​old​ ​she
was​ ​sound​ ​asleep,​ ​the​ ​perfect​ ​opportunity​ ​for​ ​posing​ ​her​ ​in​ ​my​ ​best​ ​newborn​ ​poses.​ ​I​ ​got​ ​out
my​ ​bean​ ​bag​ ​and​ ​blankets,​ ​stripped​ ​her​ ​down,​ ​and​ ​posed​ ​her.​ ​And​ ​I​ ​hated​ ​it.​ ​I​ ​stood​ ​back​ ​and
looked​ ​at​ ​her​ ​all​ ​posed​ ​on​ ​the​ ​bean​ ​bag​ ​and​ ​literally​ ​didn’t​ ​snap​ ​one​ ​photo.​ ​ ​It​ ​felt​ ​so​ ​wrong​ ​to
see​ ​my​ ​perfect​ ​baby​ ​posed​ ​and​ ​out​ ​of​ ​my​ ​arms.​ ​I​ ​scooped​ ​her​ ​up​ ​in​ ​my​ ​arms​ ​and​ ​had​ ​a​ ​little
cry.​ ​Tears​ ​of​ ​relief​ ​and​ ​joy.

This​ ​was​ ​a​ ​huge​ ​“a​ ​ha”​ ​moment​ ​for​ ​me.​ ​I​ ​realized​ ​that​ ​the​ ​reason​ ​I​ ​felt​ ​my​ ​newborn​ ​work​ ​was
lacking​ ​was​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​lacking​ ​passion​ ​from​ ​me.​ ​My​ ​favorite​ ​part​ ​of​ ​every​ ​newborn

 
 

session​ ​was​ ​when​ ​I​ ​was​ ​capturing​ ​the​ ​connection​ ​and​ ​emotion​ ​that​ ​is​ ​present​ ​when​ ​a​ ​new​ ​baby
enters​ ​a​ ​family.​ ​I​ ​dreaded​ ​the​ ​time​ ​I​ ​spent​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of​ ​a​ ​heater​ ​posing​ ​the​ ​baby​ ​on​ ​the​ ​bean​ ​bag.

I​ ​have​ ​so​ ​much​ ​respect​ ​for​ ​the​ ​genius​ ​traditional​ ​newborn​ ​photographers​ ​out​ ​there​ ​but​ ​in​ ​this
moment​ ​I​ ​realized​ ​that​ ​I​ ​wasn’t​ ​one​ ​of​ ​them​ ​and​ ​that​ ​lifestyle​ ​newborn​ ​photography​ ​was​ ​what
spoke​ ​to​ ​me​ ​as​ ​an​ ​artist.

Right​ ​then​ ​and​ ​there​ ​I​ ​rebranded​ ​and​ ​redirected​ ​my​ ​business​ ​to​ ​be​ ​only​ ​lifestyle​ ​newborn
photography.​ ​I​ ​gave​ ​away​ ​my​ ​bean​ ​bag​ ​and​ ​most​ ​of​ ​my​ ​blankets​ ​and​ ​never​ ​looked​ ​back.
Naturally,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​worried​ ​I​ ​would​ ​have​ ​trouble​ ​getting​ ​business​ ​but​ ​the​ ​opposite​ ​happened,​ ​my
newborn​ ​business​ ​exploded.

It​ ​just​ ​goes​ ​to​ ​show​ ​you​ ​that​ ​having​ ​passion​ ​and​ ​putting​ ​your​ ​whole​ ​heart​ ​into​ ​something​ ​will
make​ ​it​ ​thrive.

 
I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​share​ ​with​ ​you​ ​five​ ​tips​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you​ ​transition​ ​from​ ​traditional​ ​newborn​ ​photography​ ​to
lifestyle​ ​newborn​ ​photography​ ​or​ ​to​ ​get​ ​you​ ​started​ ​with​ ​lifestyle​ ​newborn​ ​photography.

1. Complete​ ​any​ ​newborn​ ​sessions​ ​on​ ​the​ ​books​ ​in​ ​a​ ​traditional​ ​way​ ​while​ ​letting​ ​them
know​ ​of​ ​the​ ​upcoming​ ​switch.​ ​ ​When​ ​I​ ​made​ ​this​ ​transition​ ​I​ ​honored​ ​my​ ​old​ ​style​ ​for​ ​the
handful​ ​of​ ​sessions​ ​I​ ​already​ ​had​ ​booked.​ ​I​ ​explained​ ​to​ ​those​ ​clients​ ​that​ ​they​ ​would​ ​be
among​ ​my​ ​last​ ​traditional​ ​sessions.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​it​ ​is​ ​important​ ​as​ ​a​ ​business​ ​owner​ ​to​ ​deliver
what​ ​is​ ​expected​ ​and​ ​promised.

2. As​ ​soon​ ​as​ ​possible,​ ​refresh​ ​your​ ​online​ ​portfolio.​ ​Your​ ​online​ ​presence​ ​is​ ​your​ ​first​ ​line
of​ ​communication​ ​with​ ​future​ ​clients.​ ​You​ ​have​ ​to​ ​display​ ​photos​ ​of​ ​what​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to
attract.​ ​This​ ​can​ ​be​ ​painful​ ​because​ ​it​ ​can​ ​be​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​take​ ​down​ ​photos​ ​you​ ​are​ ​proud​ ​of
and​ ​posed​ ​newborn​ ​portraits​ ​are​ ​beautiful,​ ​but​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to.​ ​Chances​ ​are,​ ​even​ ​if​ ​you
were​ ​posing​ ​newborns​ ​you​ ​were​ ​also​ ​capturing​ ​moments​ ​and​ ​connection​ ​during​ ​those
sessions.​ ​Scour​ ​your​ ​archives​ ​and​ ​gather​ ​images​ ​that​ ​speak​ ​to​ ​you​ ​as​ ​an​ ​artist​ ​and​ ​I
assure​ ​you​ ​clients​ ​who​ ​appreciate​ ​connected​ ​lifestyle​ ​photography​ ​will​ ​come​ ​your​ ​way.

3. Seek​ ​out​ ​opportunities​ ​to​ ​build​ ​your​ ​lifestyle​ ​newborn​ ​portfolio.​ ​Even​ ​though​ ​I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of
great​ ​lifestyle​ ​shots​ ​in​ ​my​ ​archives,​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​some​ ​fresh​ ​images​ ​with​ ​my​ ​new​ ​found
passion.​ ​I​ ​put​ ​out​ ​a​ ​model​ ​call​ ​and​ ​photographed​ ​a​ ​handful​ ​of​ ​newborns​ ​and​ ​their

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

families​ ​for​ ​free​ ​so​ ​that​ ​I​ ​could​ ​really​ ​let​ ​my​ ​creative​ ​juices​ ​flow​ ​and​ ​get​ ​my​ ​groove​ ​in
lifestyle​ ​newborn​ ​photography.​ ​These​ ​sessions​ ​yielded​ ​images​ ​that​ ​are​ ​still​ ​among​ ​some
of​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​images​ ​I​ ​have​ ​ever​ ​made​ ​because​ ​I​ ​felt​ ​so​ ​free.

4. Notify​ ​your​ ​existing​ ​clients​ ​of​ ​the​ ​change.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​so​ ​very​ ​appreciative​ ​of​ ​my​ ​loyal​ ​families
and​ ​my​ ​biggest​ ​worry​ ​was​ ​letting​ ​them​ ​down​ ​as​ ​they​ ​had​ ​come​ ​to​ ​expect​ ​posed​ ​newborn
images​ ​from​ ​me.​ ​I​ ​sent​ ​out​ ​a​ ​newsletter​ ​to​ ​all​ ​my​ ​families​ ​letting​ ​them​ ​know​ ​that​ ​I​ ​was
changing​ ​my​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​newborn​ ​photography.​ ​I​ ​let​ ​them​ ​know​ ​that​ ​I​ ​would​ ​still​ ​be
honored​ ​to​ ​capture​ ​their​ ​future​ ​newborns,​ ​however​ ​that​ ​my​ ​approach​ ​was​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be
different.​ ​Guess​ ​what?​ ​I​ ​have​ ​had​ ​dozens​ ​of​ ​old​ ​clients​ ​come​ ​to​ ​me​ ​with​ ​their
subsequent​ ​babies​ ​even​ ​though​ ​my​ ​style​ ​is​ ​different.​ ​They​ ​appreciate​ ​my​ ​new​ ​style​ ​too!

5. Give​ ​yourself​ ​the​ ​freedom​ ​to​ ​let​ ​moments​ ​trump​ ​perfection.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​have​ ​been​ ​posing
newborns​ ​and​ ​making​ ​traditional​ ​newborn​ ​portraits​ ​your​ ​brain​ ​is​ ​trained​ ​for​ ​perfection.
The​ ​truth​ ​is,​ ​having​ ​a​ ​newborn​ ​is​ ​far​ ​from​ ​perfection.​ ​Allow​ ​yourself​ ​to​ ​break​ ​rules​ ​in
order​ ​to​ ​capture​ ​what​ ​you​ ​are​ ​feeling.​ ​Let​ ​go​ ​of​ ​smooth​ ​blankets,​ ​perfect​ ​light,​ ​and
sleeping​ ​babies​ ​and​ ​instead​ ​embrace​ ​natural​ ​baby​ ​movements,​ ​moody​ ​light,​ ​and​ ​lots​ ​of
newborn​ ​snuggles.​ ​You​ ​might​ ​find​ ​yourself​ ​chopping​ ​heads,​ ​staring​ ​into​ ​the​ ​eyes​ ​of​ ​a
wide​ ​eyed​ ​newborn,​ ​capturing​ ​a​ ​daddy​ ​soothing​ ​a​ ​fussy​ ​baby,​ ​or​ ​zeroing​ ​in​ ​on​ ​a​ ​tiny​ ​had
curled​ ​around​ ​her​ ​mommy's​ ​finger.​ ​The​ ​moments​ ​are​ ​endless​ ​during​ ​a​ ​newborn​ ​session.

I​ ​hope​ ​your​ ​takeaway​ ​from​ ​this​ ​message​ ​is​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​your​ ​bliss.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​love​ ​traditional,​ ​posed
newborn​ ​photography,​ ​that​ ​is​ ​wonderful!​ ​But​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​wondering​ ​why​ ​you​ ​aren’t​ ​enjoying​ ​it​ ​and
are​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​throw​ ​in​ ​the​ ​towel,​ ​rethink​ ​your​ ​approach.​ ​Lifestyle​ ​newborn​ ​photography​ ​might​ ​be
just​ ​what​ ​the​ ​doctor​ ​ordered.

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