Quick answer: Not in the traditional sense you might be thinking of. I don’t offer running-around-the-park sessions chasing toddlers, I’ll explain below. But older siblings are part of nearly every newborn and maternity session I photograph. If you’re looking for someone to capture your baby’s newness and the way your whole family is falling in love with them, you’re in the right place.
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I get asked this a lot, usually from a family who found my work through a friend and assumed I do everything — newborn, maternity, AND a full family session with the whole crew sprinting across a field in matching flannel every fall. So here’s my full answer, because you deserve one before you ever reach out.
Why don’t you offer “traditional” family photography?
Many years ago, I woke up unable to walk. It was pretty painful and pretty darn scary. I needed spine surgery, and afterward, eight months of healing before I could even think about picking up a camera again.
It changed things. Before I went back to work, I made some serious promises to my surgeon and care team about protecting what I’d just gotten back.
Newborn and maternity work has never asked me to sprint after anyone – lol! It’s seated, kneeling on a cushion, moving one gentle inch at a time. My duck-dive-and-negotiate-with-a-running-toddler skills, on the other hand, had to retire before I did. Bending, crouching, and chasing a herd of wildly wonderful kids across a park just isn’t something my back signs off on anymore.
Rather than offer a watered-down version of a full family session, I made a choice: go all-in on what I do best, newborn photography, maternity photography, and baby’s first year milestone photography in my Louisville, KY studio.
That’s not a workaround. Eighteen years in, I know exactly how to help a tired mom feel at ease, comfort your new baby, and pose you naturally. That kind of steadiness only comes from doing one thing, over and over, instead of everything a little.
Do you include siblings in newborn and maternity sessions?
Yes! And this is where the “family photographer” label gets a little confusing. I don’t book standalone family sessions. But if you have an older child, they’re not an add-on to your newborn or maternity story, they are part of your family’s story and of course are included. So I build time for them into nearly every session I photograph.
What does that actually look like?
In practice, sibling time is built into the session, not squeezed in at the end:
- We keep it short and simple – a few genuine, unposed minutes, not every images is a the forced sit-still-and-smile setup you might be thinking about
- Older kids are welcome to be exactly as wiggly, shy, or excited as they actually are that day
- I guide gently, the same way I do with newborns, so nobody feels like they’re performing for the camera
- The focus stays on connection — hands, glances, the real relationship — not a perfectly matched outfit lineup
Want to talk through how your family fits into a session?
Is this the right fit for your family?
If you’re looking for a full family session with several outfit changes, extended family, a couple hours dedicated just to that… I’m probably not your girl.
BUT if what you want is your baby’s newness beautifully, with the people who already love them woven naturally into the story, pull up a chair. That’s exactly what I do best.
FAQs – Including Siblings During Maternity and Newborn Photos
Do you offer family photography sessions in Louisville? Not as a standalone service. I focus on newborn and maternity photography, but older siblings are welcomed and included as part of those sessions.
Can my toddler be part of our newborn session? Yes! I build time into nearly every newborn session for siblings to be photographed with the new baby, kept short, simple, and low-pressure for everyone.
Why don’t you offer full family sessions anymore? After back surgery, I made a quiet but firm promise to myself and my care team to protect what let me walk again. That meant choosing to focus fully on newborn, maternity, and your baby’s first year milestones, instead of everything. It’s let me pour that focus into creating magazine-worthy portraits filled with your baby’s sweet details, the kind that make your heart (and your home) happy.
What if I only want photos of my older kids, not a newborn or maternity session? That’s outside what I offer right now, but I’m happy to point you toward a few wonderful family photographers if that’s what you’re looking for.
Julie Brock Photography is a Louisville, KY maternity and newborn photography studio with over 18 years of experience creating joy-filled, natural, relaxed portrait sessions for families. She’s best known for her timeless images and a done-for-you experience that includes wardrobe, styling, and artwork for your home. Serving Louisville, LaGrange, Prospect, Crestwood, Mt Washington, Simpsonville, Shelbyville, Ft Knox, Sellersburg, KY and New Albany, Georgetown, and Charlestown, IN
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