Planning for Newborn Photography with Stephanie Lozano, highly rated Hudson Valley photographer
Creating naturally beautiful newborn memories
Newborn photography was the natural transition for me, coming from being a neonatal ICU nurse. The connection I felt to new mothers transcended the hospital setting. I found myself drawn into lifestyle newborn photography. My location focus has been in the Hudson Valley, but also I work in the Catskills, Westchester, and all over NYC.
It was always about the natural setting for me. The genuine emotions, and the authentic state of your baby is always what I was attracted to. When I had my own children, I paid attention to how I wanted to document them. I began to bring that approach to families.
When I started offering professional photography, I really didn’t know the term “lifestyle newborn.” I just knew what I liked. When I found out that there was a genre of photography that encompassed this philosophy, I was hooked. I took classes, learned from other photographers, and most importantly, I paid attention to my intuition.
When I visited a home with new life, what interactions did I notice? How did things look, without my prompt? I would linger there. But also, I learned over time, to creatively lean into home sessions. They don’t have to be a one size fits all. Was there interesting light coming through a window? Let’s lean into that. I became more comfortable with focusing on elements like harsh light or different angles to further tell your story.
So, how best to plan for a natural home session like this?
- Lean into your natural state- You just had a baby, so I recommend not to get too caught up in styling details. Keeping it simple will make it easier on yourself. If you feel up for hair and makeup that is great! But if not, simple things to make you feel overall good and happy are more than enough. Your joy and happiness will easily come through
- There is no right or wrong timeline- Some birth stories are as smooth as can be; while others can be difficult, and even traumatic. This is why I don’t set a date for these until after baby is born. It is impossible to know how you will feel, so there is no pressure on a certain timeline for newborns. It can be within the first week or within the first few months. We chat after your delivery to see what is best for you.
- You don’t need a perfect home to make a home session- Some families are just moving into a house with nothing on the walls. Some families have no nursery, and just a few baby things set up. Some families have big homes, while others are in smaller apartments. Do you have windows? Then we can make a beautiful home session! If you have concerns over your space I am happy to chat with you about it. For what it is worth, I have never been to a home I can’t work in!
- Session timing will always take place mid day- between 11a-1pm ideally. This is for natural light purposes. I love using natural light in my work, and there is an abundance at this time!
If you are interested in planning a newborn session, I would love to chat with you! Drop me an email at info@stephanielozano.com, and let’s connect!
xo, Stephanie
