Newborn Photographer serving the Greater Salt Lake and Utah Valleys

Baby-Only or Family Newborn Photos? Choosing Your Newborn Session in Utah

October 5, 2026

When you picture your newborn photos, what do you hope to remember? Your baby’s tiny features and sleepy stretches? Your first portraits together? Or the moment your older child became a big brother or sister?

At my Bluffdale, Utah studio, I offer two newborn collections so you can choose the photographs that matter most to your family. Both include thoughtfully styled setups, gentle posing, and time to settle, feed, and comfort your baby.

Parents touching foreheads while holding their sleeping newborn against a warm brown backdrop.

The Essential Collection: All About Your Baby

If you’re looking for portraits focused entirely on your newborn, the Essential Collection is a lovely fit.

We’ll photograph your baby in a variety of setups using studio wraps, textures, and props chosen with your preferences in mind. These portraits capture the little things that change so quickly: soft cheeks, curled fingers, and the way your baby fits so snugly into a wrap.

Sleeping newborn wearing a floral headband, resting on pale blue fabric with hands tucked beneath their cheek.

The Essential Collection is $500 and includes:

Up to a three-hour studio session
Baby-only portraits
Three to four styled setups
Ten fully edited, high-resolution digital images

“Baby-only” describes the photographs, not who can attend. You’ll still be there with your little one, with space to relax while I photograph them.

Smiling newborn wrapped in sage green fabric, holding a knitted bear while nestled in a wooden bucket.

Sleeping newborn in a pink knitted outfit and bear bonnet, curled in a wooden bowl lined with soft pink fabric.

The Signature Collection: Your Baby and Your Family

If you want newborn portraits alongside photographs with parents and siblings, choose the Signature Collection.

There’s something special about seeing how small your baby looks in your arms. Family portraits also preserve your place in this season. The way you hold your newborn, lean close, and welcome them into your family.

Signature includes individual baby portraits, too, with more styled setups and a larger collection of finished images.

Parents and big brother cuddling their newborn together against a warm brown studio backdrop.

The Signature Collection is $750 and includes:

Up to a four-hour studio session
Baby portraits, plus parents and siblings
Five to seven styled setups
Twenty fully edited, high-resolution digital images

I’ll guide you through posing and help with preparation so you don’t need to arrive knowing what to do.

Mother lying on a cream rug, cuddling her sleeping newborn against her cheek.

Choosing the Collection That Fits You

The main question is whether you want parents and siblings included in your finished photographs.

If your priority is a collection of individual newborn portraits, Essential gives us time to create those images with care. If you’d also love photographs of your family together, Signature makes room for both.

The session lengths allow for your baby’s needs along the way. We take breaks as needed rather than expecting your newborn to follow a schedule.

Yawning newborn in a cream knitted outfit, lying on a soft cream rug.

Planning Your Newborn Session in Bluffdale

Newborn sessions are ideally photographed between 5-18 days old. You can reserve during pregnancy using your due date, then we’ll finalize the session date once your baby arrives.

My studio welcomes families from Bluffdale, Riverton, Draper, South Jordan, and throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

Explore the newborn photography experience or view the collection details.

Ready to start planning? Tell me about your baby and the session you have in mind. You don’t need to have every detail figured out before reaching out.

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When Should You Book a Newborn Photographer? | Salt Lake City Guide

March 11, 2026

Salt Lake City newborn photography studio baby wrapped in blue knit set in wooden box

One of the most common questions I hear from expecting parents is:

“When should we book our newborn photos?”

If this is your first baby, it’s a completely fair question. There are so many things to plan during pregnancy that newborn photography sometimes doesn’t make it onto the list until the last minute.

The short answer is that most families book their newborn session during pregnancy, usually sometime in the second or early third trimester. This simply ensures that your photographer has space reserved around your due date.

In my Bluffdale studio, many families travel from Salt Lake City, Draper, Riverton, and surrounding communities for their newborn session, and booking ahead helps make sure everything is ready for you when your baby arrives.

The Best Time to Book Your Newborn Session

The ideal time to reserve your newborn photography session is between 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy.

At this point you’re usually feeling a little more settled into pregnancy, and it gives plenty of time to secure a spot on the calendar.

Because newborn sessions happen within a very small window after baby arrives, photographers typically schedule sessions based on your due date, not a specific day.

That way, when your baby makes their grand entrance — whether a little early or a little late — we can adjust the session date accordingly.

When Are Newborn Photos Usually Taken?

Most newborn portraits are photographed when babies are between 5 and 18 days old.

During those first days, babies are typically:

• very sleepy

• naturally curly and snuggly

• comfortable being gently posed

This stage allows for those soft, peaceful newborn portraits that so many parents love.

After those early weeks babies begin to stretch out more and stay awake longer, which creates a different style of portrait.

Both are beautiful — they’re just different experiences.

Salt Lake City newborn photographer baby wrapped in cream blanket studio portrait

What Happens If My Baby Arrives Early or Late?

This is something parents worry about all the time, but it’s completely normal and easy to plan for.

When you book a newborn session during pregnancy, the session is reserved around your due date rather than a fixed calendar day.

Once your baby arrives, you simply send a quick message and we schedule the exact session date based on when baby is here.

That flexibility is built into the process so parents never have to stress about timing.

sleeping newborn baby posed in wooden moon bowl newborn photography session

What If My Baby Is Already Here?

If your baby has already arrived and you’re just starting to think about newborn photos — don’t panic.

While the classic sleepy newborn portraits are usually done within the first 2-3 weeks, beautiful baby portraits can absolutely still be created after that.

Older newborn sessions often include:

• more eye contact

• sweet stretches and expressions

• more interaction with parents

Every stage of those early weeks is worth remembering.

sleeping newborn baby side pose professional newborn photography Utah

A Calm, Guided Newborn Experience

One of my favorite parts of newborn photography is helping parents relax and enjoy the experience.

Sessions in my Bluffdale studio are calm, unhurried, and fully styled with carefully selected wraps, textures, and heirloom pieces so you don’t have to worry about bringing anything.

Many families visiting from Salt Lake City, South Jordan, Draper, and surrounding areas say the session feels like a quiet pause during those busy early weeks of parenthood.

And the result is timeless artwork that preserves just how tiny your baby once was.

newborn baby groggy pose professional newborn photographer Utah

Planning Your Newborn Photography Session

If you’re expecting and beginning to plan your newborn photography session, booking during pregnancy is the best way to ensure availability around your due date.

You can learn more about the experience here:

[Newborn Photography Experience]

Or explore recent sessions in the

[Newborn Gallery]

I would love to help you preserve this beautiful and fleeting season.

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Motherhood | Utah Newborn Photography

April 7, 2021

The very fact that you worry about being a good mom means that you are one. – Jodi Picoult

I think the hardest job I’ve ever had is being a mother. I second guess every decision I make, I worry about my children’s happiness, and some days I hide in the closet because I just can’t take one more child asking me for something. My clients range from first time mamas to seasoned veterans. But I always feel each of these mama’s love for her newborn.

When my clients come in for their newborn sessions they each have their own set of needs. Some moms don’t want to leave their babies sides, some take a nap on the couch, some leave their spouse and go pick up lunch. And all of those things are ok. Self care is so important as you become a mom. When we can care for ourselves, then we can give 100% when we’re with our children.

I love hearing advice from clients on different topics and I’m always happy to give my advice on mothering even though I’m just limping along my own journey still. I don’t claim to know everything but when we can all share and help each other we can lighten each other’s loads and not feel as alone in this phase of life.

Let’s raise each other up in this sometimes lonely place we all motherhood. Because we all know it takes a village.

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How to Choose Colors for Your Newborn Photography Session

March 30, 2021

Planning a newborn photography session often includes choosing colors that will complement your baby’s features and the style of your home. In my Bluffdale studio, many families visiting from Salt Lake City, Riverton, Draper, and surrounding Utah communities enjoy selecting soft, timeless color palettes that help create beautiful newborn portraits.

newborn baby girl yellow wrap studio portrait Salt Lake City newborn photographer

Nothing excites me more than when a client tells me I can choose whatever colors I want for their baby’s newborn session. My Bluffdale, Utah studio is stocked with every possible color you could imagine and I love letting my creativity soar with this kind of open mindedness. I also understand that some parents have a general color scheme in mind to match baby’s nursery or just have colors that they really love. If you’re planning a session and want to see how these colors come together in finished portraits, you can explore my newborn photography gallery here.

newborn photography color palette sage green wrap baby portrait

Oftentimes though, I think new mamas and daddy’s just aren’t sure what to choose so I get a lot of the typical pink/cream and blue/gray requests. I love those colors as much as the next girl but there are so many beautiful colors in the rainbow! Sometimes a color you would never think to select is the one you love the most.

Because your session includes a proofing gallery you get to choose the final images to be edited. If a color I add in for your baby is one you end up not liking that is perfectly ok! You get to choose! But if I had advice to give I would say choose unique for your baby.

newborn portrait color inspiration soft pink tones

Bright sunshiny yellow (my favorite). Raspberry pink. Jade green or deep merlot. I have something for everyone. Or should I say every-baby? And if you can’t choose, maybe just choose them all.

newborn baby in yellow prop bucket photography studio bluffdale Utah

Planning Your Newborn Session

If you’re expecting and starting to plan your newborn photography session, color selection is one of the most fun parts of the process. Sessions are fully styled in my Bluffdale studio with a wide collection of wraps, textures, and heirloom pieces to create timeless portraits.

You can learn more about what to expect here:

Newborn Photography Experience

or explore recent sessions in the

Newborn Portfolio

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Cake Smash Inspiration | Utah Child Photographer

July 15, 2020

I have been doing a lot of cake smashes in the studio recently. Can’t blame parents for wanting a fun bright shoot with their littles to document that first year of life! Some parents come to me with an exact idea of what they want for their shoots and others are a little unsure. I also get a lot of the same requests and I’m not sure if that’s because they just can’t think of anything else or because it’s all they can really find on Pinterest (or maybe it’s just what they really love). I thought I would put together a helpful guide to get those creative juices flowing and inspire a unique birthday shoot for your toddler!

The Cake

Is there anything more important to a cake smash than the cake? There are so many amazing cake ideas and finding a great one can help you create the theme for the entire photo shoot. The animal circus cookie one speaks to me on so many levels. Just the cutest!

Sources: Lady in the Wild West, Sugar and Sparrow, Frosted Fuji Cakes

The Decorations

Some people like it simple and some like it as loud as possible. Really, just have fun with it. Maybe you want it a little more simple because your baby is a little shy and timid. Maybe they like a certain color. Or maybe it’s just something you really love and just want to do! These pictures are just some jumping off points to what your cake smash can be! I can’t get over how dang cute the rainbow and space ones would be!

Sources: Richelle Bergen, Vroom Vroom Balloon, Party & Confetti, One Stylish Party, Anna Claire Tadlock, Balloon Therapy, Poppies for Grace, Glitter and Glue Parties and one of my all time favorite instagram accounts for cake smash inspiration ML Handmade

If you’re planning a first birthday session and looking for cake smash inspiration, these setups are a great place to start. Every session is designed around your baby’s personality and the style you love most.

You can learn more about my baby milestone and cake smash sessions here.

My sweet friend Turia with Sugar Kisses Cakes lives right in my neighborhood and I am not lying when I say her buttercream frosting is OUT OF THIS WORLD. The balloon banner I provide may be taken home at the end and used for future birthday parties etc.

Contact me to start planning your baby’s first birthday photos.

Jessie Oberg is a newborn and baby milestone photographer serving Bluffdale, Riverton, Draper, South Jordan, and the greater Salt Lake Valley. Her studio specializes in newborn, sitter, and first birthday cake smash sessions.

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