Award-winning newborn and family photographer serving San Antonio, TX

What to expect at your Newborn Session | San Antonio newborn photography studio

May 17, 2021

Having a newborn- whether it’s your first or your fifth- is always a wonderful (yet exhausting!) time. Your newborn’s portrait session, however, shouldn’t be. My goal is to make every one of my clients’ newborn sessions as easy, enjoyable, and stress-free as possible. So If you’re wondering what to expect at your Newborn’s session, here’s a little preview!

How long does a newborn session last?

A newborn photo session doesn’t only involve shooting. In fact, my pressing the shutter is only a fraction of the time spend creating the image. Not only does it take some time and patience to wrap a newborn and position them properly for a photo- it also takes time to feed them, change, them, or soothe them if they’re unsettled.

I make time for ALL of these things whenever they’re needed. I NEVER rush a session or rush baby, and never try to push them into a certain “pose”. Because of the relaxed nature of the session, I always allow for about 3 hours for your visit. It may seem like a long time, but remember- this is a morning of relaxation for you! All you have to do is relax, put your feet up and enjoy the coffee, snacks, and Netflix!

What we have in the studio:

You can enjoy the private client lounge- complete with recliners, a changing table, and a a kid-sized table and chairs for brothers and sisters to read, play with toys, draw, or color. Moms can also use the lounge if they’d like to nurse or pump in private. And the coolest perk we recently added to the client lounge? A wall-mounted TV complete with Netflix and Disney+! (Go ahead, Mom. Watch Bridgerton on your phone while big brother sings along with Mickey Mouse). 😉

You’ll also have access to the full client bathroom- with stepstools for little ones, and built-in potty seats for brothers and sisters that might be toilet training. And yep- everything is fully cleaned and sanitized between sessions.

In the studio/shooting space, there is a small couch to watch all the action of the shoot, and a coffee nook with a Keurig for fresh coffee and tea, pre-wrapped snacks like granola bars, fruit leather, crackers, and instant oatmeal (if someone forgot to eat breakfast), and a fridge with water, juice, and cheese & crackers. Of course, you’re welcome to bring along any favorite snack for your family, too. (Just rememnber to stay away from messy things like Cheetos or colorful things like fruit punch!)

We are a FULL-service studio! Everything is designed so that exhausted moms and dads have a nice, relaxing morning!

So, hang out on the couch (or recliners) and catch up on Pinterest or IG. Relish in some quiet time while the kiddos watch a little TV in the lounge… Or even take a well-deserved nap. (And no, you won’t be the first!) I’m an experienced momma, so don’t worry- my priority is always that baby is safe and content. So when he or she needs momma, I’ll just wake you up! 😉

What to bring:

When I say you could forget everything except baby and we’d still be fine, I mean it! All you need to truly bring is yourself, baby & family, and whatever baby needs for feedings- whether it be breast or bottle. Even if you forget your diaper bag, I have extra diapers, wipes, clean burp cloths, blankets… You name it, I’ve got you covered.

Though you don’t HAVE to bring anything else, here are a few things that come in extra handy:

A sleeper (with zippers or snaps) for baby to arrive in
This is the easiest thing to get off of baby when they’re asleep and ready for photos! Then, I have lots of coordinated wraps to wrap/cover baby with, as well as some outfits specifically sized for photography sessions.
Your phone or iPad
The kiddos can enjoy Disney+ on the TV, so you might want your phone or iPad for yourself and catch up on your favorite shows!
Bottles/Formula/Pump
There’s filtered water for you if you use formula, and any nursing/pumping mamas can do so comfortably in the private client lounge. (Or you can do it right in the studio if you want- won’t bother me a bit!)
A Pacifier
If baby uses a pacifier, please bring it along! Oftentimes, when baby is slightly unsettled (yet still sleepy) a quick couple minutes on the pacifier is all they need to soothe themselves. If you don’t yet have one, but you’re fine with baby using one for a few minutes, I keep a couple brand-new (already sterilized and sealed) “Soothies” in my shooting space. And you’re welcome to take it home with you afterward!

Enjoy your session with your family!

This is not only how I create heirloom portraits for you of this amazing- yet fleeting- time, it’s also a well-deserved break for you! If you’d like to see a virtual tour of our studio, click here!

by Sarah Lake

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Studio or Lifestyle Newborn Photography? San Antonio Newborn Photographer

May 11, 2021

Why I photograph newborns in a studio…

Though “lifestyle” newborn sessions in clients’ homes are absolutely lovely (and there are some amazing lifestyle photographers in San Antonio!) my favorite way to capture a newborn is by creating a beautiful classic and timeless portrait of their precious face- the face that will all-too-quickly grow and change. I LOVE the details that you can only capture with a thoughtfully composed traditional portrait- both beautiful close-ups and peaceful, story-like pulled-back shots. Photos of their tiny little fingernails, pudgy little toes, squishy little rolls. Some with sweet little baskets, props, or lovely soft textures. Some just simple and minimal, with nothing but beautiful light.

In my NE San Antonio home studio, I have all of the posing and lighting equipment I need to create all of these kinds of images with ease.

interior of newborn photographer Sarah Lake's home studio

My studio has EVERYTHING you need for beautiful portraits!

I have every piece of professional equipment that I need in my studio to create a gorgeous portrait of your newest addition and your growing family. I have professional studio lighting and modifiers, a backdrop system with dozens of backdrops and floor drops, multiple lenses, and countless curated fabrics, outfits, props, and wraps. In short, I have EVERYTHING I need to create a variety of gorgeous images for my clients here in my home studio. If I shot sessions in my clients’ homes, I would never be able to bring along all of these essential items (my vehicle simply isn’t big enough!)

Shooting in a private studio space is the perfect way to create consistently beautiful galleries for each and every one of my sweet clients. You don’t have to worry about de-cluttering your house (which is often necessary to create well-shot lifestyle portraits at home), and if it’s gloomy outside, it won’t affect your session! My studio is my Always-Ready and Perfectly-Consistent place for making beautiful art for my families!

Furthermore, having a studio in my home allows me time- even in my off hours- to begin prepping for your session (which I often excitedly do days before you arrive!) I love custom styling beautiful sets for my clients- it’s when I get to be creative with colors and textures and design elements. And I often will think of an idea for styling a session at strange times (before I go to bed, or first thing in the morning) and I can pop into my studio whenever I want to, to try things out!

Though you have to drive here, consider it a little restful getaway!

I get that leaving the house with a newborn can be a challenge- I’ve been there, too! (In fact, 8 years later, I’m still struggling to get out of house on time.) 😛 That’s why I’ve made certain that the studio is a perfect place for moms and dads (and siblings) to relax, put their feet up, and have a lovely morning of down time. So, the only work you really have to do is get in your car to drive here! Once you arrive, just relax. I’ll take care of the rest.

There is a private client lounge in the studio- complete with recliners, a changing table, Wi-Fi, and a TV with Netflix and Disney+ !) and a little spot for brothers and sisters to read, play with toys, draw, or color. Moms can also use the lounge if they’d like to nurse or pump in private- or just take a well-deserved nap!

Client lounge at Sarah Lake Photography's Studio in San Antontio, TX

And in the shooting space, there is a couch to relax on if you’d like to watch your baby in his or her photo debut. And I didn’t forget about the most important part of every morning: COFFEE. I have a Keurig for fresh coffee and tea, along with snacks like granola bars, fruit leather, crackers, instant oatmeal… and a fridge with water, juice, and lunch-y snacks like cheese and nuts. Everything is here for you to enjoy!

San Antonio Newborn Photographer Sarah Lake's home studio

This is not only a way to create heirloom portraits of this fleeting, incredible time, it’s a well-deserved break for you!

If you have any specific questions about the studio experience, please get in touch!

by Sarah Lake

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Simple Minimal Cakesmash || San Antonio Cakesmash photographer

April 13, 2021

There seems to be a trend lately in the baby photography industry- or maybe it’s been the norm all along- toward really elaborate, theme-specific, highly decorated sets for cakesmash sessions. And those sets are usually adorable- they really are!! I’m amazed at what some photogrpahers can create for their tiny clients. And I too have created some themed cakesmash sessions that I adore! But hands-down, my favorite way to capture first birthdays here in my San Antonio studio is a simple minimal cakesmash session!

Sweet, simple, and minimal. It might sound boring, but a clean, minimal set design makes for even MORE beautiful baby portraits. Because the focus of the session isn’t to capture a backdrop and matching props, but to capture baby and all of their awesome expressions!! That sweet face is the most important part of any portrait and I want that to always be the focus.

That’s why I was SO excited when Blake’s mom booked her cakesmash session and basically told me that I had free reign to design whatever I wanted! (Woo-hoo! Music to an artists’ ears!) I asked her if she loved simple, minimal designs and she said yes immediately. I knew right away what was going to make for gorgeous 1 year portraits for Blake.

And that sweet girl could not have made her photos any more perfect. She was an absolute DOLL!!!

I think it’s pretty clear what this girl REALLY loves. Cake is good, but balloons are way better! The faces that she made were just pure joy! And I loved how she looked at big brother when he was showing her how it’s done. Although I knew it’d be a simple yet sweet way to decorate these beautiful first birthday images, I had no idea the balloons would be SUCH a blast for them! I may be on to something here…. 😉

Check out the details of everything that’s included in an SLP Cakesmash session here!

by Sarah Lake

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DIY Newborn Photography during Covid-19, San Antonio Newborn Photographer, Sarah Lake Photography

March 4, 2021

I am so thankful to be able to start booking Newborn Sessions once again! (A year with a deployed husband and “remote learning” led to a forced hiatus in 2020 for the SLP studio. So happy that year has passed and that I can once again start serving San Antonio families doing what I love!!

My previous experience as an early childhood care and education consultant has served me well in regards to properly maintaining a hygenic space for my clients during this pandemic! As always, SLP Newborn Sessions are by appointment only, and in addition to sanitizing all fabrics and props used during shooting, we do additional deep-cleaning and sanitizing throughout every space in the studio as well. We wear masks throughout the entire session, frequently wash hands or use hand sanitizer, and make both available for clients as well.

However, there are many families with newborns that are choosing to stay home during this time and postpone the newborn photos that are typically done during baby’s first few weeks of life. For those of you that are missing that early window that’s perfect for newborn photography, I’ve compiled a few tips that can help YOU capture their newness in the comfort of your own home!

Of course, a DIY newborn photography session doesn’t compare to a professional portrait session. (After all, we newborn photographers spend thousands of dollars and years to hone our skills and perfect our craft!) But there ARE some basic fundamentals of lighting and photography that can be used immediately, by anyone, with any kind of camera!

I’m hoping that these tips can help you take beautiful photos of your brand new addition!

Tips for a DIY newborn photography session:

Use window light.

The light that comes through the windows of our homes is soft, diffuse, and (usually) indirect- the perfect light for a portrait. (In fact, when I first began photographing newborns, I used window light! Here are some examples:)

Some of my older sessions shot using only window light

Make sure to use a window that has indirect (not direct) sunlight. If possible, hang a sheer white curtain in front of the glass. Even a sheer shower curtain would do! Have your subject (e.g. Daddy with baby, bid brother or sister with baby) sit as close to the window as possible, with their shoulders perpendicular to the wall/window, and with most of the window in front of their face, not in back of them.

Like this:

My super artistic sketch of a dad sitting for proper window lighting!

Don’t “uplight” baby.

“Uplighting” refers to having any subject being lit from underneath their chin upwards. One classic example of uplighting: holding a flashlight under your face when telling ghost stories by the campfire! This is also called “ghoul” lighting for that reason- lighting a person from underneath simply isn’t flattering! In fact, it often looks just plain weird.

Same goes for a newborn! If you baby laying next to your window (say, on your bed, or on a newborn pillow) and the light from the window is going UP their nostrils, it will not be pretty. Turn them around so that they’re lying with the window light falling DOWN from the top of their head toward their toes, It will be a much more beautiful portrait of their sweet face.

Here’s an example with Crazy-Hair Baby (my daughter’s very old and well-loved doll) 🙂

Declutter the room.

I know… The last thing I should suggest to exhausted parents of a newborn is to clean the house. But really, if you’d like to take some great photos of your new baby at home, simply moving visual clutter out of the way can make an unbelievable difference in how your photos look! What’s visual clutter? Just hold up your camera or phone and look through your frame… Do you see anything that’s movable? Meaning: toys, hand sanitizer, magazines, cups, mail, dirty socks, baby blankets… Find anything that stands out or looks messy and simply shove it all behind you. 😆

Move around!

When you look through your frame to capture your baby, don’t be afraid to move yourself around- to the left, to the right, more overhead, lower, higher… until you see baby’s face is portrayed in the frame in a pleasing way. You’d be surprised how often we’ll look through our camera viewfinder (or phone screen) and simply click the shutter- without ever considering if what we’re capturing is pretty/interesting/true to life. Move all around until you like what you see! One simple way to start is to try to capture baby’s face by shooting more from slightly above their eyeline, instead of below it. You might feel like you’re oddly hovering over your baby’s head, but just try it and see how baby’s face looks completely different than if you’re, say, standing by their feet and shooting upwards toward their chin. The difference is unbelievable!

I hope these tips will be helpful for those of you having to postpone a portrait session until baby is a bit older. For those of you who ARE planning to have professional newborn photos done for your little one, take a look at the sessions we offer here at SLP!

by Sarah

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Totally useless baby gear (according to moms!) San Antonio Newborn Photography

January 25, 2021

This list has been a long time in the works! If you’re a new parent, or have even recently visited the baby aisle and Target and are wondering if ANY of the new baby gear or gadgets are worth buying, look no further. I recently asked parents on our Facebook page to share their ideas of the “most useless baby gear/baby gadgets ever.” And did we hear a LOT of them.

So, here is the definitive, scientifically gathered list* of useless baby gear you really don’t need:

*(It’s totally not. I’m only kidding.)

1. Diaper Genie

Oh boy what a controversy this thing is! I myself had a diaper genie, used it, and loved it. (As much as one can love a vessel for holding poopy diapers.) However, the reason I liked it was because it allowed me to dispose of dirty diapers right next to our changing table (which yes, we actually used!) instead of putting them in the bathroom or kitchen trash. (To me, the smell of dirty diapers and banana peels is the stuff of nightmares.)

However, if you are one who would prefer to change diapers on the floor or couch (and there are a lot of you out there!) it is likely just as easy to toss the nappies into whatever trash can is nearby. Just make sure your dogs can’t reach it. 🤢

2. Bottle Warmers

Although bottle warmers are a relatively safe way to warm a bottle without overheating, creating potentially dangerous hot spots, or destroying critical proteins in breastmilk, one can safely do the same without any fancy gadget. For us, we heated water in a pyrex measuring cup (as hot as water for tea) and dropped in the bottle.

Futhermore, bottle warmers aren’t really necessary after the first couple of months. Newborns need warm fluids, but many older babies are perfectly content to drink tepid or even refrigerated breastmilk or formula. (I know this because we had to supplement formula with both of our kids and they didn’t bat an eye at drinking it at room temperature, and didn’t even care when they had breastmilk straight from the refrigerator! One point for tired parents!

3. Wipes warmers

I haven’t met a parent yet that says this gadget is actually necessary. Perhaps nice for a couple of weeks… but beyond that they seem completely pointless. Not to mention that the heat quickly dries out the wipes.

Also, when babies are a few weeks old, most of them start to love diaper changes… mostly because they love looking up at mom and dad’s face while they talk to them! Trust us, at that point, they won’t care what the temperature of the wipes are.

4. Baby Food Makers

Seriously, don’t bother with these super expensive appliances! I may be voicing only my own opinion here, but I now consider myself the expert. 😉 With both of our kids, I made all of their baby food. And it’s NOT hard. At all.

Here’s the way I did it:

Microwave/steam some veggies.
Use a “stick blender” (aka an immersion blender) to puree them. You can move the stick blender around until everything is smooth- even easier to use and clean than a food processor or blender!
Proudly present the healthful fare to your little one so they can dump it on the floor.

5. Pajamas with snaps

This suggestion is from my oldest childhood friend. She has a seething disdain for pajamas with buttons or snaps. 😆 And I know why.

When you’re deliriously tired, changing a newborn at 3:00 AM, this maddening test of manual dexterity is just NOT welcome.

New parents: Avoid the snaps. Go with zippers. You’re welcome.

If you’re curious about baby gear that parents actually find useful, check out this blog post!

by Sarah

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