I loved meeting the Hughes family for their newborn session! Mom Julie and dad Brandon found me through a referral from one of my existing clients. It was a hot, humid June morning when they drove down from West Palm with three-week-old Owen and two-year-old big sister Kayla. Both kids have the most gorgeous little cherub faces! I was so excited to welcome them to my Greenwood Photography newborn studio for their Coral Springs newborn photoshoot with me!
Sibling Shots First for This Coral Springs Newborn Photoshoot
Kayla had already been in the car for a little bit, so we decided to start with the sibling shot first. We wanted to give her something to do and not make her wait around any longer.
I pulled out my big cream flokati rug and put my big posing pillow underneath. I wrapped Owen up in my handmade knit cream wrap. Julie had followed my prep guide perfectly and dressed Kayla in the most perfect little cream dress with a textured bow in front. I love photographing siblings in neutral colors!
Candid Sibling Shots
Right off the bat, Kayla was the sweetest big sister. She wanted to help feed her baby brother with a bottle- so I had to document it. This photo was the sweetest candid shot I took that day.
After baby Owen was fed, you could tell Kayla was starting to get a little sleepy as she was getting into position for their sibling shots. And wouldn’t you know, how funny it was, when we came back with Owen, big sister had already fallen asleep! We just opened her little arm and placed baby next to her.
We ended up with not only one baby sleeping but two. I captured the most adorable image of both of them sleeping peacefully side-by-side. It was just the best moment during this Coral Springs newborn photoshoot and I have never had that happen again since!
And then I threw in mom and dad for the fun of it- because why not!?
Once siblings shots were done, Dad took Kayla out for a bit to Cypress Park, always a hit!
Color Palette, Poses, Props and Outfits
Julie requested neutrals, grays and blues for her baby boy and that is exactly what we did. Once we finished up the sibling shots, I moved on to the beanbag poses. I pulled out one of my all-time favorite gray fabrics. It is so peaceful and classic. Perfect for little boys and these Coral Springs newborn photos!
It is also one of the most requested colors here at Greenwood Photography! I feel like almost every home has a shade of grey now plus it looks beautiful in albums and wall art too.
Starting with the Head-on-Hands Pose
We started with the head-on-hands pose. Sometimes I start with other poses, but Owen felt a little wiggly. I like to tackle the harder things first. This pose can get their attention a little more than others. Luckily for us he was into it and gave us that adorable little head-on-hands pose with those perfect baby cheeks.
From there we worked on the side-lying pose. He had been a breech baby so his little legs weren’t quite as tucked or flexible. But I loved that little crossover and the pout of his lips just killed me.
We did the bum-up pose too and then moved on to props.
Pssssst…..if you have a baby girl, then you might want to take a peek at this Fort Lauderdale newborn photoshoot I did a few weeks ago to see how I style the girls! Cutest little one at just two weeks.
Gray Knit Romper, Hand-Knit Onesies and Wood Baby Bed
Props are always my favorite. I pulled out two of my most popular hand-knit rompers from my studio collection both in soft neutrals to match Julie’s color request. I especially wanted to use the gray one for Owen because he was a bigger baby. This one can be little big on some babies, but he was nice and beefy so it fit him perfectly.
I layered my wood baby bed with one of my favorite studio props a sheep stuffer that comes all the way from Wales, England. It is hand-dyed and handmade and is just a beautiful piece. He laid right in that little wood baby bed all propped up, with his cheeks being the star of the show as always.
And of course I had to capture a close up of those cheeks!
Pooh Bucket Pose and Bamboo Basket Awake Shots
From there we moved on to my Pooh bucket prop for this Coral Springs newborn photoshoot. He went right in with his little chin resting on his arms just the way I want to catch the light. Sometimes it takes some adjusting to get a baby settled in the bucket pose, but he went right in perfectly.
Then he woke up and decided he needed a little milk snack! Usually they go right back to sleep after a feeding break, but when Julie was done feeding him he was still awake. That is totally normal and expected with a three-week-old.
I went ahead and wrapped him back up to encourage him to go back to sleep, but he didn’t. Since he was calm, I was able to get these great awake shots of him in my bamboo basket. I swaddled him in a textured gray knit wrap and tucked in a tiny teddy lovey and he looked perfect.
Parents can not get enough of these open eye shots! He’s too cute!
Family Photos with Julie, Brandon, Kayla + Owen
Next it was time for family photos with all four of them together as a family of four for the very first time. Julie picked out a gorgeous white knit dress with a tie belt dress from my client closet. Brandon wore a flax linen button-down collared shirt. We rolled his sleeves for a more relaxed look. And Kayla was still in her sweet dress with a bow in front. Perfect outfits for their Coral Springs newborn pictures.
I always start with everyone together, and have them all look down at new baby.
Then a shot of just mom and dad and their new little boy.
We photographed Julie and Owen and then Brandon and Owen. I just always love the pose of dad holding baby in front of his chest. I especially love it in a black and white edit.
I just always love this pose of dad holding baby in front of his chest. I especially love it in a black and white edit.
Dads always say they’re not sure what to do during sessions but I always tell them exactly how to pose and just how to hold baby.
Three Weeks Old Is Not Too Late for a Coral Springs Newborn Photoshoot
No, three weeks is not too late for newborn photos! And sweet Owen’s Coral Springs newborn photoshoot is proof of this!
We photographed Owen when he was three weeks old and that was just fine! He was still every bit the sleepy newborn, just with a few extra stretches and some wide-eyed moments sprinkled in (and those always end up being some of the parents’ favorite shots!).
Traditionally we hear newborn photography takes place somewhere between five and 14 days old. I really don’t believe in that and often photograph babies that are already three weeks-old. And even up to even one month old. To me, that gives mom a little bit of time to heal. It gives the family time to get settled in and make sure all is going well with feeding.
Here is a blog post featuring a 4-week-old baby girl newborn session I photographed recently. A perfect example of why you shouldn’t stress if you’re past that 2-week mark.
Owen was super sleepy during his session and also was awake for some of it. So it was a really a nice combo for this Coral Springs newborn photoshoot!
Ready to Book Your Coral Springs Newborn Photoshoot?
If you’re looking for a newborn photo shoot in the Coral Springs area that can deliver photos that feel a lot like this newborn session, I’d love to chat with you! Let’s document this amazing time in you and your baby’s life!
Reach out here to book your session or ask a question- I’d love to hear from you!
If you’re curious about all of my sessions, you can visit my Coral Springs photography page.
