A Newborn Lifestyle Session in Pittsburgh: Capturing Magic on the First Snow Day of the Year

There’s something truly magical about the first snow of the season, especially when you’re capturing the tiny moments of a newborn’s first days of life. I recently had the privilege of photographing a beautiful family in Pittsburgh after the season’s first snowfall, and the experience couldn’t have been more perfect—despite a certain little one’s determination to stay wide awake!

The Cozy Setting of a Pittsburgh Home

The session took place in a charming Pittsburgh home covered in its first light snowfall of 2025. There’s an undeniable warmth in newborn sessions—soft blankets, beautiful light streaming through windows, and the quiet hum of a household settling into a new routine with a brand new family member.

Watching the snow gently fall outside while inside the baby’s family was surrounded by love and warmth—there’s no better setting to capture the beauty of a newborn.

The Baby That Didn't Want to Sleep

While the weather outside was peaceful, inside the little one had a different agenda. It’s a common expectation that newborns sleep through most of their early days, but not this baby for her photo shoot! She was wide-eyed and alert, looking around at the world with curiosity. Of course, it made for a bit of a challenge as we tried to coax her into those dreamy, sleepy moments we so often crave in newborn photography.

But the thing about lifestyle newborn sessions is that they’re all about real moments. And when the baby is awake, those are the moments that tell her story in such a beautiful way. We captured those big, bright eyes taking in her new surroundings, the soft touches of her parents holding her close, and those quiet, tender moments of love between mother and father. Even though sleep eluded her, she still gave us so many precious, natural shots that captured the essence of her personality.

Embracing Imperfection and the Unexpected

I always tell my clients that one of the most beautiful parts of a lifestyle session is the unpredictability. There’s no need for everything to be perfectly posed, no requirement that the baby be asleep. The true beauty of these sessions lies in the authenticity—the connections between family members, the realness of the moment, and the joy that a new baby brings into the world.

After feeding and gently rocking the baby in my arms, she finally started to relax, her little eyelids fluttering and gave the long blinks that parents often look for and eventually she was fast asleep and ready for the wrapped portion of her newborn session.

A Lasting Memory

If you're planning a newborn session don’t let the unknowns or the little things—like a baby who doesn’t sleep—stop you from capturing the beauty of your family. These are the moments you’ll look back on and treasure forever. And who knows? That wide-eyed baby might have been awake to help you embrace the magic of a Pittsburgh winter in a way you’ll never forget.