Should Parents Be in Newborn Photos?

Dad and his newborn share a quiet moment during a newborn photography session. Including parents in newborn portraits captures connection, scale, and the relationship between baby and parent during these first weeks.

When parents plan a newborn photography session, most of the attention naturally goes to the baby. What colors should we use? Will the baby sleep? Which poses do we like? Should we use wraps or outfits?

Then another question comes up: Should the parents be in the newborn photos too?

My answer is usually yes, if you are comfortable with it.

You do not need to turn your newborn session into a full family portrait session. Even a few photographs with your new baby can become some of the most meaningful images from the session.

Quick Answer: Should Parents Be in Newborn Photos?

Yes, I generally recommend including parents in at least a few newborn photos. These photographs document how tiny your baby was in your arms and preserve the relationship between you at the very beginning.

You also don't have to feel completely camera-ready. Newborn photos with parents can be simple, flattering and focused heavily on the baby.

Why Include Parents in Newborn Photos?

Newborn portraits capture details that disappear surprisingly quickly: tiny fingers, curled-up legs, fuzzy shoulders, little lips and the way a newborn fits into your hands.

Including parents provides something else: scale and connection.

A photograph of a newborn alone shows how your baby looked. A photograph of that same baby cradled against Mom's chest or held in Dad's hands shows just how small your baby actually was.

Years later, your child also gets to see something they cannot remember for themselves: what it looked like when you held them as a newborn.

"But I Don't Feel Camera-Ready"

This is one of the biggest reasons parents hesitate.

You have just had a baby. You may be tired. Your body is recovering. You may not have slept much. Getting yourself ready for photographs may be fairly low on your list of priorities.

That is understandable, and it doesn't mean you have to skip parent photographs entirely.

I can photograph parents in ways that keep the emphasis on the baby. Images can be close and intimate rather than traditional portraits looking directly at the camera. A photograph might concentrate on your baby's face against your chest, your hands holding your baby, or your profiles as you look down at your newborn.

You don't need an elaborate outfit or complicated styling to create a beautiful photograph with your baby.

Do Both Parents Have to Be in the Photos?

No.

Every family is different, and newborn photography should reflect the family that is actually in front of the camera.

You may want photographs of:

• Mom and baby

• Dad and baby

• Both parents with baby

• Each parent separately with baby

• Parents, baby and siblings together

• A combination of these

There isn't a required formula.

If both parents attend the session, I generally like having the opportunity to create several combinations. That gives families more variety and documents the different relationships within the family.

What Do Newborn Photos With Parents Look Like?

There are many more possibilities than a traditional family portrait.

Some parents love a classic portrait with everyone looking at the camera. Others prefer something quieter and more connected.

We can create photographs of you looking at your baby, holding your baby close, touching noses, kissing your baby's head or simply cuddling together.

I also like detail-oriented images. These can be some of the most powerful parent-and-baby photographs because you don't need to be fully in the frame at all. Your baby's tiny fingers wrapped around Mom's index finger, a parent's hands gently surrounding those little feet, or your newborn resting in your hands can show both scale and connection in a very simple way.

At a minimum, I recommend creating a few of these detail photographs even if you decide you don't want traditional parent portraits. Think about your child seeing these images 15 years from now. They won't just see how tiny their fingers and feet once were. They will see your hands holding them, protecting them and being part of their story from the very beginning.

The goal isn't to force every family into the same poses. It is to create images that work for the people being photographed.

What Should Parents Wear for Newborn Photos?

Simple usually photographs best.

Neutral and muted colors tend to keep attention on faces and the baby. Cream, beige, gray, soft brown, black and other understated tones can all work depending on the look of the session.

You also don't necessarily need to buy something new.

Fit and simplicity are generally more important than having a special "newborn photography outfit." Clothing with large logos, busy patterns or distracting graphics can pull attention away from the baby.

I have a separate guide about what parents should wear for newborn photos if you want more detailed planning advice.

What If I Only Want a Few Photos With My Baby?

That's completely reasonable.

Being included in newborn photographs doesn't mean every image has to include the parents.

The baby can still be the focus of the session.

Depending on the newborn photography collection you choose, we can create the baby's individual portraits first and then incorporate parents and other family members into another portion of the session.

This gives you both kinds of memories: beautifully styled photographs of your newborn and photographs documenting your family at this particular moment.

What About Newborn Photos With Siblings?

If your newborn has an older brother or sister, family photographs can become particularly meaningful.

I typically photograph the newborn portion first. Sibling photographs are done afterward, followed naturally by parent and family photographs when those images are included in the session.

For younger toddlers, I use positioning tools such as supportive pillows and wraps when appropriate so we can create sibling images safely. Older children generally give us more posing possibilities.

Toddlers can also be unpredictable. Sometimes we get the sibling photograph immediately. Sometimes it takes patience.

I discuss this in much more detail in Newborn Photos With Siblings: What Parents Should Know.

Should Mom Be Photographed With the Baby?

If Mom is willing, I strongly encourage it.

Mothers are often the people taking photographs rather than appearing in them. After a baby arrives, that can become even more pronounced.

You may have hundreds of photographs of your newborn on your phone and surprisingly few photographs showing that baby in your arms.

You don't have to love having your picture taken. You don't have to feel like you look exactly as you did before pregnancy.

These photographs aren't really about documenting how you looked on one particular day. They document your relationship with your child at the beginning of their life.

What About Dad?

Dad-and-baby photographs can be equally important.

One of the things I particularly like about these images is the difference in scale. Photographing a tiny newborn in Dad's arms or hands can emphasize just how small the baby was.

Dad doesn't need to know how to pose or what to do with his hands. Direction is part of the session.

Do We Need a Traditional Family Portrait?

No.

I usually like to create one when possible because traditional family photographs have long-term value. But it doesn't have to be the only type of family image we create.

Some of my favorite newborn family photographs are more connected: parents looking at the baby, standing close together or interacting rather than looking directly at the camera.

Having both styles gives you options.

Think About the Photograph 20 Years From Now

When you're planning newborn photos, it is easy to think about what you want to post, frame or put in an album right now.

There is another audience for these photographs: your baby.

Someday your child may look through these photographs and see how tiny they were, what their parents looked like, how they were held and what their family looked like when they first arrived.

That's one of the reasons I encourage parents to step into at least a few photographs.

Your newborn won't remember being this small.

The photographs will.

FAQs About Parents and Newborn Photos

Do parents have to be in newborn photos?

No. Parents do not have to participate. Baby-only newborn sessions are an option, and the amount of family photography depends on the session you choose and what you want documented.

What if I don't like having my picture taken?

Tell your photographer. There are many ways to create parent-and-baby photographs without making them feel like formal portraits. Close compositions, profiles and photographs focused primarily on the baby can be good options.

Can we take newborn photos with just Mom and baby?

Yes. Newborn family photographs don't require a specific family structure. Mom-and-baby photographs can be created on their own or as part of a larger family gallery.

Can Dad and baby have separate photographs?

Yes. I recommend photographing each parent individually with the baby when time and the selected session allow.

Should siblings be included too?

If sibling and family photographs are important to you, they can be incorporated into the session. Age affects the posing options available, particularly with toddlers, so safety always determines how sibling photographs are created.

When should we plan newborn photos?

It is best to begin planning during pregnancy when possible. Newborn sessions are generally photographed during the first few weeks after birth, although older newborns can still be photographed successfully.

Continue Learning About Newborn Photography

Planning a newborn session involves more than deciding who will be in the photographs. These guides cover other questions parents often have as they prepare:

• When Should I Schedule Newborn Photos in Los Angeles & Glendale? — Learn when to reserve your session and why planning during pregnancy can make scheduling easier after your baby arrives.

• How Long Do Newborn Photos Take? — See why newborn sessions can take time and how feeding, soothing and baby's individual needs affect the pace of the session.

• Can I Still Take Newborn Photos After 2 Weeks? — Find out what changes as babies get older and why beautiful newborn portraits are still possible beyond the traditional two-week window.

Newborn Photography in Los Angeles

At my Los Angeles newborn photography studio, newborn sessions are designed around the baby rather than forcing every family through an identical set of poses.

Some families want mostly baby portraits. Others want photographs with parents, siblings and the entire family. Many want a combination.

The important thing is deciding what you want to remember.

If you are considering newborn portraits, you can explore my Los Angeles newborn photography sessions to see the different session options and what is included.