A Studio Newborn Session in Alexandria, VA

When this family came in for their studio newborn session in Alexandria VA, I had already met the big brother. About a month before his baby sister arrived, he came to the studio for his own heirloom portrait session — just him, at four years old, in that time just before kindergarten that goes by faster than anyone expects. So when his family came back with a brand-new baby girl sleeping in their arms, there was already a thread connecting the two sessions. That’s something I love about working with families over time — you get to see the story accumulate.

What the Session Looked Like

Baby girl slept soundly the entire session — one of those mornings where everything is seamless. She was content to be moved and settled and tucked into each setup without a fuss, which gave us the time to be unhurried and thorough.

Mom had told me that the photos she wanted most were of the family — the four of them together, and the two siblings together. She understood that her son at exactly this age, her daughter in those first days — is something that will never exist again in quite this way.

So we built the session around that. We started with the family together while everyone was fresh and the baby was deeply asleep. Then we moved into sibling portraits — big brother holding his sister, looking down at her, sitting beside her. Four-year-olds can be unpredictable in a studio setting, but he was so gentle and patient! And then, once he was done, we had the space for solo newborn portraits with mom and dad and just the baby.

My studio is on Saint Asaph Street in Old Town Alexandria, in a historic 1785 building that has been many things over the centuries and is now, in its current life, a calm and quiet space for new families.

For studio newborn sessions in Alexandria VA, the space is kept warm for the babies. The light is soft and consistent, which means the images don’t depend on weather or time of day. We can take our time. There’s no rushing because the sun is moving or the park is getting crowded.

Parents often tell me afterward that the session felt less stressful than they expected. Part of that is the environment — a contained, unhurried space where the only thing happening is your family. Part of it is the pace. I don’t work from a checklist, and I’m not trying to get through a set number of setups. We follow the baby and the family’s energy, and we stop when I know I have a set of images that mom and dad will love.

Including a Sibling in Your Newborn Session

One of the questions I get most often is how sibling photos work at a newborn session in Alexandria VA — particularly with toddlers and preschoolers who may not have much patience for being still.

The honest answer is that it varies by child, but I’ve found that most kids this age rise to the occasion when they’re given a role rather than just instructions. A four-year-old who’s told “hold your sister very gently” tends to do exactly that. The protectiveness kicks in. The tenderness is real, not performed.

I also try to do the sibling portraits early in the session, when the older child is still fresh and curious. Once we have those images, he’s free to step away and the pressure is off. It makes the whole session more relaxed for everyone.

Big Brother’s Heirloom Portraits

Before the baby arrived, mom brought her son in for his own portrait session — not a family session, not a milestone, just him. An heirloom portrait at four years old. The last chapter of being an only child is its own thing worth documenting. And now those portraits exist alongside the newborn session images — him before, the family after. Together they tell a complete story of that particular month in their family’s life.

During the newborn session mom mentioned that she wanted an individual portrait of her daughter to hang beside her son’s heirloom portrait — a pair, one for each child, in the same space. So we made sure to get that too.

If you’re expecting and have an older child at home, it’s worth thinking about. A brief portrait session in the weeks before a new baby arrives takes less than an hour and produces something genuinely irreplaceable.

Book Your Studio Newborn Session in Alexandria VA

My studio is in Old Town Alexandria, and I serve families throughout Northern Virginia and the DC area — Arlington, McLean, Falls Church, Fairfax, and beyond. Studio newborn sessions are available year-round and are best scheduled in the first two weeks after your baby arrives, so booking during pregnancy is ideal.

If you’re expecting and want to talk through what a studio newborn session in Alexandria VA could look like for your family, reach out through the contact form here. I’m happy to answer questions before you book.

Sarah Drewry is a portrait photographer and mom based in Old Town Alexandria, VA. She photographs newborns, maternity, and growing families from her studio in a historic 1785 building on Saint Asaph Street — serving Alexandria, Arlington, McLean, Falls Church, Fairfax, and families throughout Northern Virginia and the DC area.

For more natural newborn posing inspiration, check out Oklahoma City photographer Charis Elizabeth’s beautiful work in this post: OKC newborn photo poses!