The short answer is that it doesn’t differ much. Twin newborn lifestyle photography is quite similar to singleton newborn lifestyle photography. Sessions still take place in your home. Posing is still comfortable and relaxed. The focus is on the comfort of your babies and the flow of the session is still child-led.

Timing Your Twin Newborn Session

The timing for a twin session is largely the same, 90 minutes on average. Sometimes twin sessions take a little bit longer because there are two babies to photograph. However, most of my posing is family-focused so the majority of my galleries have the whole family together or mother/father with both babies. We will be sure to get each child’s individual details as we go but the focus is on this monumental “family” event.

Which Areas of the Home are Used?

Just like when photographing a singleton, the focus is on the areas of your home that have the best light. The master bedroom, the nursery (if there is one) and the family room are my favorite options for comfort and ease of posing the whole family. One of my favorite aspects of lifestyle sessions are that they are done in your personal space. I am also documenting what your life and home looks like when you welcome your new babies home.

Which Poses Work Best for Twins?

I do not do anything differently in my posing work for twins than I do for a single baby. Instead of one baby in their parents arms, there are two! When I take an overhead shot of your laps as you admire your baby, there are two instead of one. The picture I take of your crib may have two infants in it at once…or if you have two cribs, there will be two in the photograph. When I take solo portraits of your baby on your bed, a portion of them will have your babies together but it’s still the same pose/location I would photograph one baby in. Hearts full, hands fuller!

What Should Twins Wear?

The “rules” for outfit selection with twins are by and large the same as a singleton baby. Newborn babies look best when the focus is on their beautiful details and not on their outfits. Outfits should be well-fitting (this is the time for premie or newborn sized clothes!) and without large patterns. Lighter skin tones should avoid red/yellow tones if possible as it can accentuate the tricky parts of newborn skin. If you have identical twins, I would suggest not dressing them in matching white onesies. Even though twin parents can usually easily tell their children apart during their session, it will get harder as years pass and they look back upon their pictures. I sometimes find it hard to tell the difference between some of my boys’ pictures and they are not identical twins! This family chose matching dresses in different colors for their girls. Even though they are not identical, this makes it easier in the future to immediately tell the girls apart even in photographs where their faces are not showing.

How Do You Get Twin Newborns to Sleep at the Same Time?

This is easy, I don’t! Getting your baby to sleep is not my priority in a lifestyle newborn session. If they happen to fall asleep during a session– great! We will capture pictures of them sleeping. If they don’t, however, that’s okay too. My goal during your newborn session is to preserve the memories of your child as they are, taking into account their unique personalities. If you have a sleepy, snuggly newborn, they’ll likely sleep during our session. If you have a wide awake inquisitive newborn, they may not sleep at all. During this session, each girl’s personality was already shining through as one was calm and sleepy and one very awake and curious! In my experience with photographing babies, it’s actually quite likely that twins will eventually sleep at the same time. Caring for two babies at once can be such an overwhelming process that twin parents usually have an organized schedule for feeding and sleeping.

It Can Be Helpful to Have a Helper Present for Twin Sessions

During a traditional newborn session, I don’t usually recommend having grandparents or other family members present. It’s easier to keep a low-key and relaxed flow to your session without additional stimulation, especially with older siblings. With twins, an extra helping hand (or two!) can be beneficial. This mother’s parents were living with them after the birth of the girls and really assisted during their session. With someone to help change diapers, soothe, burp, and feed one baby or the other, this freed up mom and dad to be more relaxed and present with each twin separately.

Comment below if you have any other questions about photographing twins!