Wondering what are the benefits of a studio vs in-home newborn photoshoot? You know you want to capture the early days of your newborn’s life on camera, but you don’t know whether you should start cleaning your house or if you should just book in with a studio, let a professional newborn photographer walk you through the pros and cons of each photoshoot location.

Just remember that there are benefits to both in-home and studio sessions, and what’s important to your friend who just had a baby may not be important to you during your family session. So here’s everything you need to know about newborn portrait locations. 

These photos were taken at Panther Studios in Amsterdam West.

Here are all the reasons you may want to make a trip to the studio:

In my work as a newborn photographer, I’ve done both in-home newborn sessions and studio sessions. Studio sessions are great if you want a specific studio look. The bright white walls, the hand-painted artisan backdrops, which I happen to have two of.

Especially in Amsterdam, where apartments can be especially cramped, where you may have family visiting currently, studios can be a very editorial and chic option. You don’t have to worry about what your house looks like, although I do help with this when you book your newborn session in-home.

And if you’ve always pictured your newborn photoshoot with you in a flowing tulle dress and your partner in a smart slacks and button up outfit, then definitely book the studio. These kinds of outfits make more sense in a studio setting than it does snuggling up on the couch with your partner.

Cons of booking a newborn studio session

Some cons of booking the studio is the studio price and the time limits. While I one day do want to have my own studio, the reality is that most of my clients prefer to shoot in their own homes and in other locations. I do have to rent a studio for our session. This means that I cannot be as flexible as I usually am with my other newborn sessions unless you want to pay to book the studio again. The studio that I use costs €121 for two hours. While I’ve never run out of time, it is something to consider.

Another con, of course, is not having all of your home comforts right at home with you. And with that, we can dive into the benefits of an in-home newborn session.

Reasons to stay home for your newborn photos:

Your personality shines through your home.

In-home sessions are so much more personal, and I love that. I love taking a family photo of you and your newborn in front of your gallery wall that tells your whole story. Your wedding photos, your travel photos, even a little framed sonogram photo. That sort of generational heirloom is priceless. This is your space, your story, your decor.

And of course you won’t have to clean the entire house. I will have you send me some iphone photos of the space before our session, and I’ll let you know where we’ll be photographing. I usually help dad move some stuff as well while mom gets ready.

But a photo of mom rocking baby in the chair that was bought specifically for this moment, the chair that you’ll read them hundreds of story books in snuggled up with them until they can barely fit into your lap but they hold on so tightly and you sit that way until your legs fall asleep. I definitely want to get a photo of that. (Can you tell my baby is seven years old now?)

Older children do better at their own house.

Another great reason to have your newborn session at home is if you have older children. Older children are always welcome in newborn photos. In fact, we treat this photoshoot as more of a family photoshoot with a focus on the new addition. But they get to get photographed in their new role as “Big Brother” or “Big Sister.” They can also show me their new skills (I’ve photographed many a breakdancing toddler). And then they can go play with their toys when they get tired of photos. Older kids are way less likely to have a breakdown when you are in your home.

You have all the comforts of home at your fingertips.

And lastly, in-home photoshoots are great for newborns because it is so hard to get a newborn out of the house. When I took my newborn to his week old check up at his pediatrician’s, I’m pretty sure I cried when I got back home. It was awful. Remembering where my keys were and trying to gauge how many diapers I needed, getting down the stairs, and then the stress of putting him in the carseat on the road—it was too much for me.

When I come over to your house to do a newborn session, you don’t have any added stress. We take a pause if the baby needs to feed. We take breaks to change baby’s diaper. It’s whatever you and the baby need. A photography session is a luxury. And it should be a luxurious experience for you where you aren’t rushed either.

Cons of an in-home newborn session:

I really don’t think there are any bad aspects of an in-home session, as long as your photographer knows how to use light to their advantage. Amsterdam, especially in the winter, can be dark and dreary. But that’s no reason why you can’t have gorgeous images of your newborn in your home any time of the year, it may just take a little extra planning to time your session so that we maximize our natural light. I usually photograph you near windows anyway, and even though you may not be able to tell when it’s cloudy, you will still have peak light hours in your home and I can help you figure this out.

More Information About Newborn Photoshoots

Please visit my main newborn page for more information about my newborn sessions, from everything from my current pricing to what to wear and how to book. I have a great Maternity + Newborn Bundle, so keep an eye out for that on my page.