In-Home Photography VS Studio Photography in 2023
Family and baby session captured in SW Sydney at the family home. ©Grain&WeavePTY
When was the last time you went into a photography studio to have your family or newborn baby photographs taken?
Regardless of when it was, I’m sure it was an ordeal and effort just to have everyone ready, packed and in the car for your appointment.
Well, there is another alternative which may just well be the better alternative – a photography shoot in your own home.
And why not? Your home is most likely the ideal studio for your newborn and family photo shoot – after all, it represents you and your family!
At Grain & Weave, we do this every single day and we don’t assume you know what to expect; so here is a comprehensive outline of a typical in-home family photography session.
Have the experience you deserve; this is what a typical in-home family photography session looks like.
Have the experience you deserve; this is what a typical in-home family photography session looks like.
All sessions run pretty much the same, with a few tweaks. For example, newborn photography and older baby photography sessions would run at a more relaxed pace allowing everyone a chance to take in every precious moment and enjoy the session without the hurry of a studio shoot and then having to get back home. A teen/adult family photography session is more about interaction and capturing the family bond between the generations of parents, grandparents or older and adult kids.
We give you lots of information to work with as we guide you through the process to keep it as easy and fuss-free as possible.
Now, on to the guide.
Baby and lion in-home newborn photography session in Sydney ©Grain&Weave
The first steps
Booking in is so simple and starts with an enquiry that is obligation and sales-free.
After you’ve checked dates and availability, you will be given a reservation for 24hours and asked to purchase the package of your choice to confirm your booking.
(Most people who are new to us choose the basic $295 package, whilst returning customers often go for the higher packages as they know what they would like already).
Once purchased, your package will match up to your reservation and be confirmed by our team, who will send you a confirmation email.
Along with your confirmation email you will also be given a link to a ‘session-brief’ where you will be guided through a series of options to help both you and us understand what you would like to achieve.
Another baby and lion! Older baby photo session in home, Sydney. ©Grain&Weave
Arrival/setup
We will arrive up to 10/15 minutes before your session (traffic depending). We will be carrying lighting and camera equipment, so will require parking with easy access to your home.
Please provide us with clear instructions on how we enter your building, if there is a building number/keycard required for the lifts etc. Setup takes approximately 15 minutes.
For baby shoots we will bring a small selection of blankets and wraps for texture and colour, but you can also use your own if you want to.
We are low maintenance, but if possible please ensure we have access to the following:
Bed with clean sheets and doona cover - plain is best
Plain wall space to shoot in front of (about 1.5m wide+)
Newborn babies require a warm room as they can’t regulate their own temperature. Between 24-28 degrees is optimal. In winter it will need warming, in summer it may need a fan for cooling.
A spare plug socket in the room if we need to charge our lighting equipment
Access to soap and water to clean our hands on arrival.
Huddle
Before we start shooting, we’ll get together with you and run through a brief plan, your session brief and some examples of our hand-made artwork, so you have all the information you need. This is a great time to ask questions!
Older baby and family photo session in home, Sydney ©Grain&Weave
The photo shoot
We’re aiming to create some great content for you to choose from - here’s a few tips:
Clothing
Please be ready to shoot before we arrive - simple is best. Keep it comfortable and something that is ‘you’. Neutral tones work well - grey, cream, navy, white or black.
Tip - If you wouldn’t put it on your wall, maybe leave it off. If you are still not sure, show your photographer a couple of options and they will guide you.
Read this guide to what to wear during my photo shoot.
Personal items/toys
Have a blanket that Grandma knitted, or maybe a teddy bear that was given as a gift? Maybe you still have something that was given to you when you were a baby?
Have them close at hand - it may be a great way to add something personal to your images.
Space at home
We really don’t need a lot of space - we’ve worked in every type of home you can imagine all over Sydney. Usually, we use one space to create our style; the bed and the bedroom wall. We can also work in other rooms if preferred, with a little creativity!
Don’t think your space is not good enough - we promise it is!
Types of images
We want to tell your story and keep it personal, however there are a few restrictions to ensure we can guarantee the look and the quality we are known for; the main one being that we must shoot inside - outdoors is unpredictable and also not good for babies.
Other than that, we can create a range of images that suit your family; from fun, playful, intimate, storytelling, dynamic loving, natural - you get the idea.
Mother and baby in home photography session, captured in Sydney. ©Grain&Weave
Huddle & Follow-Up
After the session we will require about 5 minutes to go over the next steps with you.
We will give you a booklet which includes all our current options and prices as well as heaps of information on how to print your own images or design your wall-art.
We will have some examples of our hand-crafted wall-art on site so that you can see and touch them and appreciate the high quality and workmanship that has gone into making them.
The Online Image Design Consultation
We will have already pre-booked a follow up online for you whilst booking your session.
This appointment is an opportunity to choose your favourite images and crop/adjust them to your liking before they are produced, as well as design collections and groupings for your wall-art collections or digital album.
This is quite often our client’s most favourite part of the experience. You can read more about an Online Image Design Consultation here.
So that’s it - we hope you have a wonderful experience and please remember to enjoy the moment as it goes by in a flash (pun intended).
