I photographed a session a while back where the parents had lost three babies before this one.
When I arrived, they mentioned they wanted to include something meaningful…and what they brought out was a collection of framed pressed florals. One set for each baby they’d lost.
We arranged them around their rainbow baby during the session. Quietly. No explanation needed in the room.
That’s a photograph that is going to matter to that family for the rest of their lives.
It’s also one of the clearest examples I know of what heritage in newborn photos actually means. And why it has nothing to do with being trendy.
Heritage Isn’t Just Culture. It’s Who Your Baby Comes From.
When people hear the word heritage, they often jump to cultural traditions or historical heirlooms.
And yes, we’ll get there.
But the most powerful heritage element I see in newborn sessions? It’s people.
More and more families are inviting grandparents to their sessions, and I love it. There is something about watching a grandparent hold their grandchild for the first time that doesn’t photograph like anything else. That moment — the way a grandmother’s hands look wrapped around a newborn — that’s your baby’s story already being written.
Someday your child will look at that photograph and understand something about where they came from. That’s not decoration. That’s evidence.
Here’s how I handle extended family in sessions practically: the first part of our time together is for baby portraits and immediate family. Then grandparents or special family members join toward the end. This keeps the session calm and focused. And honestly, it protects you too. When extended family is present the entire time, their preferences can quietly start to override what you wanted from your session. You’re allowed to have this time be yours first.
I never charge extra for including grandparents. We just plan ahead.
The Difference Between an Heirloom and a Prop
A dad I photographed had played guitar for his baby throughout the pregnancy.
When the baby was born, he wanted a photograph with the guitar.
That photograph means everything to that family.
Now imagine a different family – one where nobody plays guitar, nobody has a particular connection to music – deciding they want a baby-with-guitar photo because they saw it on Instagram.
Same setup. Completely different photograph.
That’s the line between meaningful and trendy. And it’s not really about what the object is. It’s about whether it’s actually yours.
Some of my favorite sentimental elements I’ve incorporated in sessions:
A handmade quilt a mother sewed during pregnancy. A childhood stuffed animal. A framed photograph of a grandparent who didn’t live to meet the baby. The pressed florals I mentioned at the beginning of this post.
None of those were things I suggested. They were things families brought because they mattered. And because they mattered, they photograph beautifully. Every single time.
Why In-Home Sessions Make This So Much Easier
One of the reasons I photograph newborn sessions in families’ homes is that your home already contains your story.
I worked with a family once where quilting and sewing were deeply woven into the mother’s identity. She had handmade much of the nursery herself. When we photographed in that space, every direction we turned, something she’d made was already there. Nothing needed to be staged. The heritage was just present because we were in her home.
That’s the thing about in-home sessions that people don’t always realize until they’re in one: you don’t have to bring your story in with you. You’re already inside it.
Your rocking chair. The nursery your partner built. The dog who has no intention of leaving the baby’s side. The quilt your mother made. These things are already there, and they already mean something.
My job is to notice them and photograph them the way they deserve to be photographed.
One Meaningful Thing Is Enough
If you want to include something sentimental, my one piece of advice is: choose one thing.
Not because more is wrong — but because one meaningful heirloom says far more than a collection of items crowding the frame. The more objects we add, the more we start photographing things instead of people.
The center of your newborn photos should be your baby. Your connection to them. The feeling of these specific early days that will never come back.
The meaningful item gets to be part of that story. It doesn’t need to be the whole story.
Not Everything Has to Happen in the Newborn Session
I say this gently, because I know families sometimes feel pressure to capture every tradition in one session: you have time.
The newborn session is really about one specific thing — welcoming your baby home and documenting what these early days actually look like for your family.
Other traditions have their own perfect moments:
A baptism or dedication ceremony deserves its own session, in the space where it’s happening, with the people who should be there.
Extended family gatherings, six-month milestones, first birthdays — these are all opportunities to layer in more of your family’s story over time.
I’ve photographed sessions where a big sibling was so upset about the new baby that she spent the whole time sitting at the bottom of the stairs with the dog, refusing to come near anyone. Those photos are some of my favorites from that family’s collection — because a year later, they are hilarious and true. That was what it was like when baby came home.
Let your newborn session be what it is. Let it be honest. The rest unfolds over time.
Planning a Heritage-Focused Newborn Session in St. Petersburg
If you’re expecting and want to incorporate something meaningful — a grandparent, an heirloom, a family tradition — the single most helpful thing you can do is tell me in advance.
I send every family a planning questionnaire before their session specifically because these details matter. The more I know ahead of time, the more intentionally I can build space for it. And the more it’ll feel like it belongs there rather than something we tried to squeeze in.
I photograph in-home newborn sessions throughout St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, and surrounding areas — including neighborhoods like Crescent Heights, Old Northeast, Snell Isle, Shore Acres, and Historic Kenwood. Because we’re in your home, the environment is already working with us. Your space, your people, your story.
If you’re looking for a St. Pete newborn photographer who genuinely wants to understand your family before she shows up at your door, I’d love to connect.
