One of the most common questions I get before an in-home newborn session is:
“Which room should we use for the photos?”
The answer might surprise you.
The best room in the house for newborn photos is usually the room where your family is actually spending most of their time.
When people imagine newborn photography, they often think we need the room with the biggest windows or the most beautiful décor. While good light is important, it doesn’t have to dictate where your session happens.
These days, I bring professional lighting with me that allows me to create soft, natural-looking images in almost any room of your home. That means we’re no longer restricted to whichever room happens to have the best natural light.
Instead, we can focus on the spaces that tell your family’s story.
Why the “Best Light” Isn’t Always the Best Room
In the early days of newborn photography, photographers often relied entirely on window light. This meant sessions were limited to a small number of rooms, usually whichever space had the brightest windows.
But life with a newborn doesn’t happen in just one room.
Maybe you’re spending your mornings cuddled on the couch while your toddler watches cartoons. Maybe you’re feeding your baby in your bedroom. Maybe the nursery is beautiful, but you actually spend most of your days together in the living room.
Those everyday moments are often the memories you’ll want to look back on.
By bringing additional lighting that mimics natural light, I can photograph your family where life is really happening.
Your Home Doesn’t Need to Be Perfect
Another concern many parents have is whether a room is “photo worthy.”
The truth is, newborn sessions aren’t about creating a magazine-perfect home. They’re about documenting this season of your life.
I often photograph families in spaces that are filled with all the things that come with a new baby: blankets, books, toys, bassinets and half-finished cups of coffee.
These details become part of the story.
When you look back at your photos years from now, you’ll remember what life actually felt like during those early newborn days.
The Rooms I Most Commonly Use
Every home is different, but some of the spaces we often use include:
The Living Room
This is often where families naturally gather together. It’s perfect for cuddles on the couch, reading books with older siblings, or simply relaxing together.
The Main Bedroom
Bedrooms can be wonderful for newborn photos because they feel intimate and calm. They also tend to be where parents spend a lot of time feeding, settling and snuggling their new baby.
The Nursery
If you’ve spent months preparing a nursery, we’ll absolutely include it if you’d like to. The nursery often contains meaningful details that are worth remembering.
Anywhere Your Family Feels Comfortable
Some of my favourite images have been created in unexpected spaces — on the floor of a playroom, in a parent’s favourite armchair, or even gathered together on a family bed.
The best location is always the one that feels most like you.
A More Relaxed Experience for New Parents
Having flexibility with location doesn’t just create more meaningful photographs. It also makes the session easier for you.
You don’t need to move furniture around the house or worry about keeping one particular room spotless.
Instead, we can move naturally through your home and adapt to whatever your baby, toddler or family needs on the day.
Newborn sessions should feel relaxed, not stressful.
My goal is for your session to feel less like a photoshoot and more like a slow morning at home with your family.
The Best Room Is the One That Holds Your Memories
At the end of the day, the best room for newborn photos isn’t necessarily the brightest room.
It’s the room where you’re rocking your baby to sleep.
The room where your toddler climbs onto your lap for cuddles.
The room where you’re learning what life looks like as a family of three, four or five.
Those are the spaces that matter.
And those are the spaces worth remembering.
I’d love to be welcomed into your home for these special moments. To book your newborn shoot you can contact me here, find out more information about newborn sessions here and don’t forget to follow along on instagram here.
