Traditional vs Lifestyle Newborn Photography: Which Style Suits You Best?

When booking your newborn photo shoot, you have the option to choose between two distinct styles: Traditional and Lifestyle. Each offers a unique approach to capturing those precious early moments with your baby.

Traditional Newborn Photography

Traditional newborn sessions have been popular in the UK for about a decade and you’ll have seen a lot of photos from this style of newborn photography on my website and social media as well as out in the world in general. For this type of session, we work on my giant posing beanbag along with including props that you would like from my range.  Your baby is typically posed although of course this is done very gently and with your baby’s comfort levels as the first priority.  They can be naked if you’d like those natural sleepy shots. It’s a versatile type of session in terms of colour scheme and style so you can choose to keep it plain and simple and stick to the beanbag or add props, accessories and themed ideas.   Parents and siblings can of course get involved in the session.

Lifestyle Newborn Photography

A lifestyle newborn session makes use of my bed set up and Moses basket to create images with a more lifestyle feel.  Your baby won’t be naked in the finished photos (although we might strip them down to their nappy for some shots or in order to swaddle them).  I suggest that the majority of their photos are in a plain sleepsuit and / or vest and although there will be an element of posing, we try to keep it as natural as possible.  These are ideal for parents and siblings to be more involved with and because we are not intervening as much with your newborn, it’s better suited to older babies who’ve passed the traditional newborn window.

a newborn sleeps on her tummy wearing a sparkly crown
Lifestyle Newborn
a view from above of a newborn asleep tucked up with a pair of tiny angel wings on their back
Traditional Newborn
Regardless of the style you choose, sessions are designed to be relaxed and enjoyable. Just because it’s called a Traditional Newborn session doesn’t mean that it’s stiff and formal – I just  had to call it something to distinguish it and the name does technically fit!
The little graphic below should be a helpful guide to the main differences between the two…
Newborn Photography East Grinstead West Sussex
a sleeping newborn baby girl wrapped in pink and her new rabbit toy
a newborn sleeping on a basket with a tall toy giraffe standing behind them
A newborn dressed in a grey romper sleeping on a white bed
a sleeping newborn sitting on a swing and holding onto the strings
a black and white image of a big brother looking down at their newborn sibling
Newborn Photography East Grinstead West Sussex

Everything You Need to Know About Newborn Photography

Welcoming a newborn is one of life’s most incredible moments, and capturing those early days with professional photography ensures you have beautiful memories to cherish forever. Whether you’re wondering when to book, how to prepare, or what to expect at your session, I’ve created a collection of helpful guides and resources to answer all your questions.

From safety in newborn photography to including siblings or pets, explore these expert articles to help you plan the perfect newborn photo shoot. Click below to find out more!  If you don’t find the answers to your question here, of course I’m always happy to help so just get in touch

Newborn Photography in East Grinstead

Newborn photo shoots are best when your baby is between 5 and 10 days old—this is when they’re at their sleepiest and curliest, perfect for capturing those beautifully serene images. To ensure you don’t miss out, I recommend booking while you’re still pregnant—we’ll set a provisional date for a week after your due date and adjust if needed once your baby arrives.

Your session takes place in my warm and cosy studio in Crawley Down, designed for your baby’s comfort. The shoot is relaxed, unrushed, and includes three digital images of your choice, all for £95. There’s no sales session—just a private online gallery where you can view and select your favourites at your own pace.