How to Prepare for Your In Home Newborn Session in Houston

Preparing for your in home newborn session in Houston can be simple and enjoyable, not another thing to stress about on your to do list. After photographing hundreds of families in their Houston homes, I’ve learned that the best sessions happen when families feel comfortable and know what to expect.

This post will walk you through what to expect, how to prepare your space, and a few simple ways to make the most of our morning together. I’ll handle the photography details so you can relax and just be with your baby. 

Why Houston’s Morning Light Works Best

After years of photographing in Houston homes — from high-rise apartments in the Galleria to bungalows in the Heights — I’ve found that 10 a.m. provides ideal lighting conditions. Morning light has a soft quality that photographs well, particularly for newborn skin and tired parent eyes.

Morning sessions work because the light through your windows creates natural, even lighting without harsh shadows. Whether you have floor-to-ceiling windows or smaller ones, every Houston home has usable light. It’s my job to find the best pockets of light in your home. 

When I arrive, I’ll walk through your space and identify the spots where the light works best. Sometimes it’s by your bedroom window, sometimes it’s a corner of the nursery or the living room. I will choose 2-3 spaces that we will work in based on the light and your preferences. 

Creating a Comfortable Morning

It’s important to keep in mind that I’m coming to photograph your family, not your house. While I understand the impulse to deep clean, it’s not necessary for our session, nor do I want you worrying about that!

Before we begin, I’ll help you clear any small areas we’re using — moving a laundry basket or shifting some baby gear or a chair either out of the frame or into better light. Often what I see and how I am composing a certain scene may need a little adjusting of your space to create. All of that said, your home should feel like your home and any adjustments will be minor. 

Simple Ways to Prepare Your Space

While you don’t need a perfect home, these suggestions help create can help the session flow easier and more efficiently:

The morning of your session:

• Open your blinds before I arrive for so that I can find the best soft, diffused light
• Turn off overhead lights and lamps — we’ll use natural light
• Keep one spot relatively clear (like your bed or a chair) where we can start
• Play quiet music or keep things quiet — whatever your family prefers

Have these within reach:

• A burp cloth and a pacifier (if you use one with your baby)
• Whatever you need for feeding if baby gets hungry

Your Home, Your Story

In-home sessions capture your family where you are right now. We generally spend time in the living room, nursery and your bedroom but each home and family is different. The light and your preferences really dictate where we take the photos. 

You don’t need a designer nursery. Some of my favorite sessions have happened in the simplest spaces. The rocking chair by the window where you nurse works well. So does the bed with your everyday comforter, or the living room where grandparents first met baby.

These spaces matter because they’re yours. In a few years, you’ll look back at these photos and remember not just how small your baby was, but where you spent those early days together.

Your Morning Checklist

Here’s a simple checklist for the day before and morning of your session:

The Day Before:

• Do a light pickup of the main rooms
• Make sure that your outfits are chosen and ready to put on 

The Morning Of:

• If possible try to feed baby around 9:30-9:45 a.m. so they’re content when I arrive
• Open blinds in the main rooms
• Turn off ceiling lights and lamps
• Keep diaper supplies and a couple swaddles nearby

That’s it. No need to organize closets or tackle that pile of thank-you cards. 

The Photo Session 

Once I have determined the places where we will be photographing in your home and baby is fed I will wrap and soothe your baby. Most often at this time I’m able to get your baby to drift off to sleep, but if not we work with your baby as they are. Some awake photos are just as sweet and it will be only a matter of time until your baby sleeps. Typically we start with family photos first and end with the photos of baby alone, but flexibility is important depending on everyone’s needs. 

The photo session will last about 1.5 to 2 hours. The time is less relevant than getting what we need. I’ve had some newborn photo sessions that are completed within an hour, and some that are around 2 hours when a baby needs to be fed or soothed a little more. We work with your baby that day and my job is to get the photos that you hired me to create. 

What Happens After Our Session

After our time together, I will work on carefully editing your photos to create a beautiful gallery that you will love. Your full gallery will be ready within two weeks. At that time you’ll receive a link to your online gallery where you can download all your high-resolution images, share with family, and order prints or albums. 

After all of the effort that we have put into the process of creating these photos, most families choose to culminate the experience with a professional photo album or framed fine art print to enjoy. Your photos are part of your family’s legacy and deserve to be cherished in a tangible form that can be passed down through generations.  

If you have questions before our session, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to make this simple and enjoyable for you. 

At Moments in Light Photography, I specialize in creating relaxing, meaningful in-home newborn photography experiences for Houston families – ones that honor your unique dynamic, your parenting style, and each child’s tender place in your story.

If you’re ready for timeless images that feel gentle, warm, and true to your life right now, I’d love to connect.

Reach out today to start planning your newborn session – I’ll be with you every step of the way.