Bay Area newborn photographer creating timeless, artful portraits.
Newborn
These early moments are tender, quiet, and all too fleeting. The way they curl into you, the softness of their skin, the love that feels bigger than words, it deserves to be preserved with intention.
Welcoming a new baby is one of life’s sweetest milestones, and your family deserves to remember it with timeless, heartfelt images. As a Bay Area newborn photographer, I specialize in creating natural, love-filled portraits that beautifully capture those first tender weeks, whether in the comfort of your home or in a relaxed studio setting. My goal is to help you preserve this fleeting season with photographs that feel genuine, connected, and filled with the joy of your growing family.
San Francisco Bay Area Newborn Photographer
Honoring the intimacy, softness, and wonder of your baby’s first days
signature work
Featured newborn photography portraits
You want to remember every detail of your baby’s earliest days, their tiny fingers, sleepy yawns, and the way they fit so perfectly in your arms. You want newborn photography in the Bay Area that feels natural and full of love, capturing the wonder of this fleeting season, even when the sleepless nights make it hard to take it all in.
The newborn days feel like a blur, sleepless, tender, full of love and change.
As a Bay Area newborn photographer, my role is to help you see the beauty you’re living, even if it’s hard to see it right now.
These portraits aren’t just about your baby. They’re about you, your connection, your quiet strength, and the love that’s already shaping your family’s story.
Let’s tell it in a way that feels like you.
What if these newborn photos could shape how you remember this?
In This Season of Becoming
What we create together will live far beyond the newborn stage. These images are for now, yes, but they’re also for her, years from now, when she sees how deeply she was loved from the beginning.
They’re for you, too. So you can see what everyone else sees: how much beauty there was in this season, even when you were too tired to notice.
Why newborn portraits Matter
From styling to location, from posing to the final artwork, guide you through it all.
As a Bay Area newborn photographer, I bring experience, care, and artistry to every session.
More than a newborn photoshoot,
this is a guided experience
timeless bay area newborn family photography
My role is to guide you with care, so you can relax into the moment, knowing I’ve thought of every detail. Clients often tell me how natural and intimate their newborn photography experience feels, and how seeing their relationships reflected as high quality art changes the way they see this season.
From the first conversation to the final artwork, I’m here to make sure you feel supported.
the white glove Experience
Your Bay Area newborn photography experience doesn’t end with a gallery. I walk you through your images and help you turn them into heirloom artwork—albums and frames that live in your home and tell your story back to you, every single day.
More Than a Gallery
Whether in my light-filled Dublin studio or the comfort of your home, everything is styled with intention. You’ll be wrapped in pieces that photograph beautifully and feel like you. The result: portraits that reflect the intimacy of this fleeting season.
Designed for Calm
Every detail is thoughtfully planned around your story, from wardrobe to gentle posing guidance, so you can feel confident and at ease. Clients often say how natural it feels. That’s the power of planning with care.
Collaborative, Not Complicated
She photographed my newborn pictures. Laurel was so patient, kind, and made my baby and me so comfortable. I plan on using Laurel for all future family pictures and will recommend her to all friends looking for maternity, newborn, or family pictures. Thanks for making the moment so special for my daughter and I, Laurel!"
"Laurel is truly an artist.
Bay Area newborn photography sessions begin at 290
Each session includes styling, posing guidance, and artwork design, so you can relax and focus on what matters most.
These portraits preserve more than how your baby looked. They hold the tenderness of this season, and help you see yourself in it, too.
Artwork that honors
the beginning of everything.
newborn Offerings
ARTISINAL. HANDCRAFTED.
MADE TO ENDURE.
The Artwork We Create with your bay area newborn portraits is
Each piece is thoughtfully designed, not just to preserve this season, but to shape how you see it. The artwork we create becomes part of your home, gently influencing how you and your children remember these early days, and how you see yourselves in them.
Her natural style, curated wardrobe, and calm demeanor made the experience effortless and enjoyable.
Laurel captured our daughter’s newborn stage with such grace.
She made my baby look adorable and my bonus son look like a star. She understands the highs and lows of early motherhood and brought out our joy. I’m so grateful we found her.
Even with our fatigue, Laurel made us look radiant.
Laurel made the session feel seamless and relaxed, capturing the purest moments of our newborn and family.
Every photo was perfectly lit, beautifully composed, and told a story. These will be cherished forever.
aurel made the studio session stress-free, even with breaks for feeding and settling our baby.
She helped us prepare and choose outfits, and her warm presence made the whole experience so easy.
The final photos are timeless, and we couldn’t recommend her more.
She emphasized natural, elegant simplicity and captured our newborn with such care.
Laurel is an absolute artist.
She was patient, kind, and her images are breathtaking. I’ll be recommending her for every milestone ahead.
Kind Words
ABOUT BAY AREA NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY
frequently asked questions
It’s best to reach out during your second or early third trimester to reserve your newborn photo session. Newborn sessions typically take place when your baby is 7–14 days old for those curled, sleepy images. I also photograph newborns up to six weeks old, which gives us beautiful opportunities to capture more awake expressions and sweet family connections. If your baby arrives early or late, don’t worry, your due date holds space on my calendar, and we’ll finalize once your little one is here.
Yes, I offer both options! You can choose between a session in my light-filled studio in Dublin, CA or in the comfort of your own Bay Area home. I regularly travel across San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Marin, and the greater Bay Area for lifestyle newborn sessions. Both settings are relaxed and designed to keep your baby comfortable.
Newborn sessions with Laurel Smith Photography begin at $290, with most families investing around $1,400+ once artwork and digital images are chosen. Many parents also choose the First Year Collective, which captures all the milestone moments in your baby’s first 18 months. To see a full breakdown of session options, including signature, petite, and first year packages, please visit my Offerings page.
More than a photoshoot, your newborn session is a full-service experience. From the moment you book, I’ll guide you through every step, helping you prepare, styling your family with wardrobe options, coordinating complimentary professional hair and makeup, and creating a calm environment where you can simply enjoy this fleeting season. After your session, I handle the editing, design, and ordering process so you walk away not just with digital images, but with finished artwork ready to display in your home. My goal is for you to feel cared for throughout the entire journey, so your newborn portraits are as meaningful and stress-free as possible.
You’ll view a minimum of 20 professionally edited images at your design and ordering appointment, usually scheduled 2–3 weeks after your session. We will sit down together and choose favorites to design your custom gallery wall, select images for your heirloom album, or the full digital gallery. Albums and framed artwork are delivered 8–10 weeks after you have approved your custom design.
Sessions typically last 1.5–2.5 hours. This allows plenty of time for feeding, soothing, and breaks so that your baby (and you) remain comfortable.
That’s absolutely fine! Every baby is different, and I follow their lead. If your baby is awake or older than two weeks, we’ll focus on eye contact, stretches, and family snuggles instead of posed, sleepy shots. The result is always authentic, meaningful images of your family.
You’ll have full access to my studio wardrobe of timeless clothing for moms, newborns, and siblings. If you prefer your own clothes, I’ll guide you toward soft, neutral tones that photograph beautifully. Please bring your diaper bag with essentials like extra outfits, feeding supplies, and a favorite swaddle or blanket if you’d like it included in photos.
Your baby’s safety and comfort are always the top priority. Sessions are baby-led and unhurried. I use safe, supportive posing techniques, and all wraps and wardrobe items are cleaned between sessions. Whether we’re in your home or the studio, I maintain a clean environment and prioritize gentle, natural interactions so you can feel at ease.
