High Key Newborn Photography | Boise Newborn Photographer

What is High Key Photography?

High key photography is a style of photography that strives to eliminate dark shadows and usually has a blown out the background. High key portraits tend to be very bright, which gives them a positive and cheerful feel. For this reason, I think high key photography is excellent for newborn portraits. There is so much joy and excitement surrounding newborn babies, so a bright and happy lighting style can really help shape the mood of the portrait.

High key photo of a newborn baby. Notice the bright white background and soft shadows throughout the photo.

High key newborn family portrait. Notice that everyone is wearing white, which gives the photo an overall bright and clean appearance.

How is High Key Photography done?

High key photos are generally achieved by using a high powered strobe or flash to blow out the background. However, high key portraits can also be achieved in an outdoor setting using a bright background and making sure to expose correctly for the person whose photo is being taken. In the photos below, I placed the strobe behind my subjects, so they are actually backlit. High key photos look great in black and white and lend to a simple, timeless look.

If you look closely at this photo, you can see the highlights on the newborn baby’s head and on the swaddle near the baby’s back.

Here you can see the highlights (from the strobe light) are near the baby’s eye closest to his father’s face and just below the father’s beard.

Why is High Key Photography great for Newborn Portraits?

High key photography really allows for the emphasis to be placed on the subject matter being photographed - in this case, the newborn and his/her family. It gives a clean, simple, timeless, and classic feel to the portraits. No distracting backgrounds or other elements. Just the baby and the people that matter. I find that high key newborn portraits have an ethereal look to them - that is they look so delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.

Meet NICU Graduate Newborn Baby Kai | July Spotlight | Boise NICU Newborn Photographer

What was baby Kai’s gestation and size when he was born?

Kai is one of the bravest, strongest, little NICU warriors that I have met so far. Baby Kai was born at 25 weeks 6 days, weighing a mere 2lbs 2oz. He is considered a micro-preemie. Micro-preemies are babies that are born before 26 weeks gestation.

Why was baby Kai in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit?

Kai’s mother, Tawny, started having random cramping one day. She went in on the second day to get checked. She was having contractions, but wasn’t showing that she was dilated. However, within 30 minutes, she went from 0 to 100 and when they checked her, her water was bulging, and then it broke. The first 3 days in the NICU were very tough, trying to cope with the unexpected and gain an understanding of all the medical terminology. Baby Kai had two major brain bleeds (grade 3 and 4) on both right and left side of his brain. He also had lung hemorrhage and had pocket of air in his lung, which was fixed without major intervention. He was on the ventilator for 2 months. He had severe hydrocephalus which needed early intervention around 3 weeks to relieve the pressure. Then he had to get a drain to release excess fluid that was building up in his brain.

What kind of treatment and procedures did baby Kai have to undergo in the NICU?

Baby Kai was transferred from one hospital to the other for the drain procedure. They did not have good experience and believe medical mistakes were made that could have killed him if Mama wasn’t such a good advocate. The first hospital they were at had donor-based milk fortifier while the hospital they were transferred to had cow-based fortifier (Similac). Mama was not happy about that, but didn’t realize she had a choice to use just her breast milk. Poor baby Kai ended up getting NEC (Necrotizing enterocolitis), which is a common complication with preemies. Kai underwent 7 days of antibiotics and IV nutrition. He also had inguinal hernia and had to have surgery for that. When he had medical NEC, his intestines ended up sticking to the internal sac and they had to cauterize.

Kai was on the drain for hydrocephalus for about a week. They were taking about 5ml of fluid out of his brain. He started having Brady’s and dips with ventilation. Mom made call that they should take drain out or lower dose of fluid coming out (had had about 100ml taken out at that point). He then needed to have a subgaleal shunt. They were not able to make the CPAP work, so he was re-intubated for a few weeks until he could breathe better on nasal canula. Doctors put him on albuterol to help with bronchial inflammation. After the albuterol treatment, he was tachychardic for a long time (up to 240bpm). He was puffy from fluid retention and needed a diuretic. They gave him two rounds, which was probably excessive. Then he ended up needing a blood transfusion.

When first transferred to the other hospital, he was out of the incubator with humidity, but they put him back in just because that’s what they typically do until 34 weeks Gestational Age. They said the benefit of the incubator is to help with dry skin. He ended up getting overheated and getting a fever because he was too hot.

Kai was transferred back to the first hospital after the subgaleal shunt was installed, where he stayed for 9 weeks until they went back to the other hospital for a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt. They were there for a few weeks and then hey got discharged.

How is baby Kai doing now?

Kai came home on a feeding tube and he pulled it out just days before his photo shoot. They are currently evaluating how he handles feeding without the tube to see whether he can keep it out. He was technically just over 4 months old when I went to take his photo, but very much still a newborn at only 1 month gestational age.

This family has been through so much during their NICU journey and they are some of the strongest people. It is clear that Kai is incredibly loved and he is lucky to have such fierce parents advocating for him.

In-Home Newborn Photography in Star, Idaho | Boise Newborn Photographer

It was such a privilege to be allowed into this family’s home during the first weeks of their precious baby girls new life to capture newborn photos for them. She was such a great little model and didn’t pee on my blanket until the very end of the photo shoot! Her big brothers were just smitten with her, especially the youngest, who is 8 years old and super excited to be a big brother.

There is something so intimate about an in-home newborn photo session, about being let into someone’s home in the midst of their sleep deprivation and the huge adjustment to having a new member of the household. However, it’s also super convenient not just for new moms, but for families with older kids as well. When the kids are at home, they can run around and play in their natural environment in between being called in for pictures. Mom can relax and even wait to freshen up until I am there and setting up. If the family wants to use any special props, like outfits or blankets that have been gifted to the baby, they don’t have to worry about gathering everything up and bringing it to a studio, or even worse, forgetting something at home! Yes, you can get professional newborn photos in the comfort and convenience of your own home.

Did I mention another benefit for new families to have newborn photography done in the comfort of your own home? You don’t have to worry about bringing snacks for your older kids or for Mom/Dad! Most newborn photo sessions run 2-3 hours long, so if someone gets hungry, it’s pretty quick and easy to run into the kitchen and grab something to eat!

What happens if it’s an overcast day or you don’t have great natural light in your house? You don’t have to worry! I bring external photography lights. These newborn photos were all taken on a very dark and cloudy day. You know, one of those weird summer days where it just rains and rains? Yep! It was one of those days and we still got beautiful portraits.

So, if you’re in the Boise metro area and interested in getting in-home newborn portraits, let’s chat!

In-Home Studio-style Newborn Portraits | Boise Newborn Photographer

Yes, you can have professional newborn photos taken in the comfort of your home!

In-home studio-style photos are the perfect option if you want clean and timeless newborn photos without the hassle of traveling to a studio or having to clean and organize your house for a lifestyle portrait session.

Photo of a newborn baby lying tummy down on a white blanket, with a white swaddle draped over her back. Baby has her eyes closed and a big smile.

How does it work?

We bring our traveling photography studio to you! We just need a clear floor space approximately 8’x6’ in a room with a window where we can set everything up. You get to sit back and relax in the comfort of your own home. No more worrying about packing a diaper bag, getting everybody ready and out the door in time, driving through traffic and being on time, or forgetting a change of clothes when baby spits up on you or you has a blowout. A what?? It’s ok, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, just keep reading. We make it simple for you. All you have to do is be there and be ready for photos. You don’t even have to worry about outfits for your baby (although if you have a special one picked out, we are happy to incorporate it into some of the photos). So, sit back, relax, and let us come to you!

Photo of a newborn baby wrapped in a white swaddle with toes peeking out.

Worried about your home not being perfectly decorated, clean, or organized?

There is no need to worry! With a studio-style photography session, we set up a backdrop and voila! Your home is not photographed in the background, so you don’t have to worry about it being clean or perfectly decorated like a magazine. Because who really has a house like that anyway? I know I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I love my house, but it is not picture perfect like a magazine. With studio-style in-home portraits, you would never know if the photos were taken in a small manufactured home or a large mansion (yes, I’ve done both)!

Photo of mother holding and kissing newborn baby