Welcoming a new baby to the family is such an exciting time, and one that deserves to be recorded in the most beautiful way possible. That’s easy enough to do when it’s just parents and baby. But what about when you add older siblings to the mix? We frequently hear from parents that they’re worried their other little ones won’t cooperate and that the newborn pictures they’ve invested in won’t turn out as well as they’d hoped because of it.

We’re not just photographers. We’re parents too, and we hear you. Fortunately though, there are some tried-and-true ways that are likely to make your newborn photoshoot a smashing success—and that will produce treasured images of every one of your children.

After years of documenting young families of all shapes and sizes, here are our tips for how to have a successful newborn photoshoot with older siblings.

Dos and Don’t of Including Siblings in Your Newborn Photo Session

Dos:

Do bring non-messy snacks like dry cereal, pretzels, or fruit snacks in case your kids get hungry partway through the session. You can even bring a favorite toy or comfort item from home if you think that will make them more comfortable.

Do give kiddos a responsibility. Most little ones love having a job, and when the focus is on your newborn, it’s even more important to help your other kiddos feel special too.

Do make sure to schedule your newborn photography session so that it doesn’t conflict with naps or mealtimes. Ideally, your children should be fed and well rested before you come to the studio, so that they are set up for success and ready to have the best time possible!

Do remember to be flexible and understanding with your kiddos. And have fun! We have designed our photoshoot experience specifically around young families, and we have lots of strategies for keeping little ones happy and engaged.

Don’ts

Don’t use bribery if you can help it. You know your kids best, but we’ve sometimes found that promising them a treat after the session just makes them more anxious to get out of the studio and to the ice cream parlor as fast as possible! Instead of acting like the session is something to get through, act like the session itself is going to be a super fun time. We’ll make sure it is!

Don’t have rigid expectations. You may have a vision in your head of the perfect baby-and sibling photo. Or maybe you want to recreate a pose you saw on Instagram. But the truth is, your baby and your family are beautiful because of who they are—not because of how they’re posed or how they’re dressed or how neat and tidy their hair looks. When you let go of expectations and let the session unfold the way it’s meant to, you and your children will enjoy it so much more. And your finished photos will be even better than that dream image, because the moments they capture are real and genuine.

Don’t stress out if your child isn’t being angelic. We’ve been documenting Boise families for years (not to mention raising our own) and we’ve seen it all. Trust us, we don’t need your child to sit still or say cheese to capture sweet moments for your family.

At Glean & Co. We Make Your Newborn Photoshoot with Siblings a Success By…

Keeping Your Session Relaxed

At Glean & Co., we’ve found that the best approach for a successful newborn photoshoot with older siblings is to keep it relaxed. Studio poses can feel strange and unnatural even for grownups—let alone for toddlers! Instead of trying to create cutesy poses, we like to let sessions unfold in our lifestyle newborn studio in a way that feels natural and fun for everyone.

Having Fun

We’ll provide gentle prompts when needed, but mostly we just want you to do what you would do at home. Snuggle and kiss you newborn. Laugh with your older kiddos, sing songs with them, tickle and cuddle them. Keeping it laidback helps everyone feel more comfortable and ends up producing lovely images that feel classic and real—because they are!

Taking Care of Details

Our team will do so much more than just work the camera. We are here to help with all aspects of your session. If you need help choosing outfits, we’re happy to provide a variety of options from our client closet, or a shopping guide if that’s your preference. Need styling assistance or professional makeup? We do that too! From planning your session to turning your images into heirloom artwork, we take care of all the stressful details so you can relax and enjoy the process.

Honoring Your Story

We have worked with so many young families in Boise, and we know that every single one is unique and amazing! Our photoshoot process truly is about capturing life’s best and most genuine moments in a way that honors your story and feels true to you.

Keeping the End in Mind

The photoshoot is not the end of the process. Believe it or not, neither is your digital gallery (as pretty as it is!) We love to provide each of our families with tangible artwork, like wall art or albums, so that these memories can be preserved for a lifetime and shared every day. This approach allows us to photograph differently, knowing that these images are destined to become forever memories, not just nice pictures to share on social media.

If you’re ready to experience a one-of-a-kind, luxury newborn portrait experience that really lives up to the hype, then book your consultation with Glean & Co. today! Whether it’s just you and your little one, or the whole big boisterous family with kids of all ages and personalities, we would love to welcome you to our lifestyle studio and create a truly unforgettable photo experience that you can look back on with joy again and again.