How To Get Light and Airy Images For Your In-Home Session

Light and airy images don’t happen by accident. As an in-home newborn and family photographer, I spend a lot of time considering the lighting when taking photos, as well as timing and location. If you’ve ever wondered how to get light and airy images, it really comes down to a few key items. One important point I want to make first though is that creating that soft, airy look isn’t about having a magazine-worthy home or doing anything complicated! Here’s what to expect and how to get light and airy images for your in-home session.

1. Natural Light Is Everything

When booking an in-home session, the very first thing I look at is lighting in your home. Beautiful, natural light is what gives images that soft, airy, glowing feel that is my specialty. If you’re ever worried about whether your home has “good enough” light, I always offer to hop on a FaceTime call with you before your session. We’ll walk through your space together, look at windows, and decide which rooms will photograph best. This alone tends to ease so much anxiety. Also, you don’t need floor-to-ceiling windows in every room. Just one or two well lit areas in your home is all we need!

2. Clothing Makes a Difference

What you wear for your session has a big impact on how light your images feel, which might be something you’ve never considered before; however, it makes sense when you think about it. Wearing darker clothing naturally makes your images feel moodier and heavier, which can be beautiful, but it’s not the light and airy look most families come to me for. That’s why I always suggest leaning towards lighter colored clothing.

That said, lighter clothing does not mean boring! I HEAVILY encourage soft, neutral, or pastel tones, textures, subtle patterns, and everyone dressing in their own style that still coordinates, but not perfectly matching.

Some of my favorite galleries are when each family member dresses in their style, but everything still flows beautifully together creating dynamic portraits.

3. The Time of Day Matters

If you’re dreaming of that bright, clean, airy look, then you’re going to want that soft morning light, which is always the prettiest for in-home sessions.

East-facing windows give the most gorgeous light, especially in the morning hours, so I always head for those windows first. The soft light wraps gently around your family creating the sweetest images in my signature light and airy style. That’s not to say that we can’t do afternoon sessions, because we absolutely can while still get those sought after images. However, morning light is always my first recommendation when possible.

Light and Airy In-Home Newborn Session

Baby Cuatro’s newborn session is a perfect example of how all of this comes together, even when conditions aren’t “perfect.” We were in a bit of a time crunch because I was heading out for our family trip to Big Bend, Texas (read about my family vacation and everything we did here!) and mama didn’t want Cuatro to be much older for his newborn photos. The day we chose ended up being extremely overcast, which would typically have me recommending a reschedule.

(If you’re curious about how weather impacts sessions, you can read more in my blog: Rescheduling Due to Weather | Why Natural Light Matters for In-Home Newborn Sessions.)

We really did not want to reschedule if possible, so mom and I talked things through and she sent me photos of the windows in different areas of the home. After seeing photos of the windows in their master bedroom, I knew we would be 100% fine. Those windows were letting in beautiful, soft light even on this gloomy day, allowing me to still work my magic! With large windows like these, I’m able to get away with photographing in a less sunny situation.

This gorgeous family of five was just so sweet. With two big sisters who are clearly already smitten by him, Cuatro is in good hands. I absolutely adored seeing them interact with him. This sweet newborn session was a beautiful example of how the right location in the home, light clothing, and calm energy impacts a session. It allowed me to create the light and airy images mama was hoping for.