Photographing one newborn keeps me plenty busy. Photographing two? That’s a whole different kind of fun.

I recently had the sweetest identical twin girls in the studio for their newborn session, and they came with quite the crew — three older brothers! So not only were we photographing two brand-new babies, we were documenting a family that had just gone from three boys to three boys and two baby girls.

As you can imagine, there was never a dull moment.

Twin newborn sessions are a little different from photographing one baby, but not necessarily in the ways you might think. There’s more feeding, more soothing, more diaper changes and definitely more coordinating, but the overall goal is exactly the same: keep babies safe and comfortable and create beautiful photographs of this incredibly short season.

If you’re expecting twins and wondering what a newborn session with two babies actually looks like, here’s what you should know.

When Should You Book Newborn Photos for Twins?

If you’re expecting twins, this is one thing I would definitely recommend taking care of before your babies arrive.

I typically book newborn sessions based on your due date rather than an exact session date. Babies aren’t exactly known for respecting our calendars, and twins can be even less predictable.

Once your babies arrive, we’ll check in and decide when everyone is ready for the session.

Booking while you’re still pregnant means your spot is already reserved and we can take care of the planning ahead of time. Once you’re home juggling feedings, diapers, sleep schedules and two tiny humans, you’ll probably be pretty happy this is already checked off your list.

When Should Twins Have Their Newborn Session?

There isn’t one magical day when newborn photos have to happen.

You may have seen recommendations online that newborn sessions absolutely must take place within the first 7, 10 or 14 days. While younger newborns are often sleepier and naturally more curled up, I don’t want parents stressing over an arbitrary deadline — especially parents of twins.

There are several things I consider when we’re deciding when to schedule a twin newborn session, including when the babies were born, their gestational age and how both babies and Mom are doing.

Sometimes that means photographing them fairly soon after birth. Sometimes waiting a little longer makes more sense.

We’re going to work around your babies, not the other way around.

Is Photographing Newborn Twins Different?

Definitely.

Mostly because there are now two tiny bosses in charge of my studio.

One baby might be completely asleep while her sister is wide awake and wondering what we’re all doing. One might need another feeding right when the other finally settles. They may like different positions or settle differently even though they’re identical twins.

That’s all completely normal.

I leave plenty of room in newborn sessions for feeding, soothing, changing and just figuring out what each baby needs.

I’m never watching the clock thinking, Okay babies, we need to move on to the next setup.

Sometimes we change the plan. Sometimes we wait a few minutes. Sometimes a baby decides she absolutely does not approve of something I had planned, so we do something else.

That’s newborn photography.

With twins, there’s just twice as much personality involved.

How Do You Safely Pose Newborn Twins Together?

This is probably one of the most important things for parents to understand when they’re choosing a newborn photographer.

Newborn posing should never be about getting the shot at all costs.

I’ve photographed newborns for more than a decade, and I’m trained in newborn safety. Throughout every session I’m paying attention to things like positioning, breathing, circulation, temperature and baby’s overall comfort.

With twins, I’m also paying attention to how the babies are positioned in relation to one another.

If a baby isn’t comfortable in a pose, we don’t force it. It really is that simple.

You can absolutely bring me inspiration you’ve found online, and I’m always happy to see what you’re drawn to. But every newborn is different, and I won’t force your babies into a particular pose just because we saw another baby do it on Pinterest.

Fortunately, twins really don’t need anything elaborate to make a beautiful photograph.

Put two tiny babies who have spent the last several months together next to each other and they’re already pretty adorable.

Photographing Identical Twins as Individuals

One thing I really love about photographing twins is making sure we don’t only photograph them as “the twins.”

Yes, I want plenty of photographs of them together. Their relationship is a huge part of their story, and those images are incredibly special.

But they’re also two separate little people.

So during a twin newborn session, I also like creating individual portraits of each baby.

This is especially fun with identical twins because when you slow down and really look at them, you start noticing all those tiny differences. Their expressions might be different. One might have a slightly fuller cheek. One might curl her hands differently. And Mom and Dad can usually tell them apart approximately 700 times faster than the rest of us.

Those individual photographs give each baby something that’s completely her own while still allowing us to create matching portraits that look beautiful displayed together.

Can We Include Older Siblings?

Please do!

These girls have three older brothers, so sibling photographs were an important part of their session.

And I’ll be the first to say that when you’re photographing five children — including two newborns — I’m not expecting everyone to sit perfectly still, look directly at me and produce a flawless smile on command.

That would be lovely.

It would also be a minor miracle.

My approach to sibling photographs depends on the children’s ages and personalities, and most importantly, what we can do safely with the baby (or babies).

Sometimes we sit. Sometimes we lie down. Sometimes we cuddle. Sometimes I have to completely change what I had planned because one of the kids isn’t feeling it.

That’s okay.

The reason I want siblings included isn’t because I need one technically perfect photograph of every child looking at the camera.

I want to document what your family looked like when your new babies came home.

For this family, these photographs aren’t only about two newborn girls. They’re also about three boys becoming big brothers to two little sisters.

Ten or twenty years from now, that’s going to matter a whole lot more than whether everybody was looking at the camera.

I’ve written more about preparing older kids for newborn portraits in my guide to newborn photos with siblings, especially if you’re wondering how on earth we’re going to convince your toddler to participate.

Spoiler: I have tricks.

Should Mom and Dad Be in the Photos Too?

Yes. And I know some of you are already thinking, Absolutely not.

I hear this all the time.

You just had a baby — or in this case, two babies. You’re tired. Your body has been through a lot. You’re probably running on caffeine and whatever amount of sleep your newborns have decided you’re allowed to have.

I completely understand why being photographed might not be at the top of your wish list.

But I still encourage you to do it.

You don’t have to spend the entire session in front of my camera, and we don’t have to do anything elaborate. I want photographs of you holding your babies, looking at them and loving on them.

That’s it.

I also help with styling before your session, and my studio wardrobe is available so you don’t have to panic-buy an outfit at the last minute.

Years from now, your kids aren’t going to care that you didn’t feel completely put together that morning. They’re going to see how tiny they looked in your arms.

And you’re probably going to be really glad you got in the picture.

What Should Twins Wear for Newborn Photos?

You don’t need to go out and buy matching newborn outfits.

Actually, please don’t feel like you need to buy much of anything specifically for your newborn session.

My studio has wraps, blankets, props and other newborn essentials available, and we’ll talk about colors and styling before your session.

With twins, I usually like things to coordinate without feeling overly busy. Sometimes that means matching. Sometimes we use slightly different tones or textures. It depends on the babies, the setup and what you want the finished images to look like.

Keeping things simple also makes sure the focus stays on the babies rather than what they’re wearing.

Because honestly, when you’re approximately seven pounds and have cheeks like these, you don’t need a lot of accessories.

Don’t Skip the Tiny Details

One of my favorite parts of newborn photography is capturing all the little things you don’t think you’ll ever forget.

Their toes.

Their fingers.

Those tiny eyelashes.

The little rolls.

The flaky newborn skin.

The way their entire hand wraps around one of your fingers.

Right now, those details are part of your everyday life. But newborns change so quickly.

This is one reason I don’t want every photograph in your gallery to be a perfectly posed, looking-at-the-camera portrait. I want the details, too.

And with twins, I especially love the photographs that show how they fit together.

They’ve spent their entire existence next to each other. There’s something pretty amazing about getting to photograph that connection once they’re on the outside.

Do Twin Newborn Sessions Take Longer?

They can.

I’m not trying to race through a newborn session, and I’m definitely not going to rush two babies because we’re trying to stay on some arbitrary schedule.

If somebody needs to eat, we stop.

If somebody needs a diaper, we stop.

If somebody needs a few minutes with Mom, we stop.

And if one twin is asleep while the other needs something, sometimes that’s the perfect opportunity for me to photograph the sleepy baby individually.

There’s a lot of adjusting as we go, and that’s completely normal.

You don’t need to worry about getting your babies “ready” for me or somehow getting them both on the exact same schedule before you arrive.

Bring me the babies.

We’ll figure out the rest.

What If My Babies Don’t Sleep?

Then we photograph awake babies!

Seriously.

Sleepy babies make certain newborn poses easier, but your session isn’t ruined if your babies decide they’d rather hang out with us.

Some of my favorite newborn photographs are of babies looking around the studio with those huge, curious newborn eyes.

I’ll soothe them and give them plenty of opportunities to settle, but I’m not going to spend an hour fighting a perfectly content awake baby just because I decided she was supposed to be asleep.

This is another reason experience matters.

Newborn sessions require flexibility. Twin newborn sessions require even more of it.

And I’ve learned over the years that babies usually give us something beautiful when we stop insisting that they follow our plan.

Your Twin Newborn Photos Aren’t Really Just About the Newborn Stage

Of course, the obvious reason to schedule newborn photographs is because you want photographs of your babies while they’re tiny.

But I think the real value of these photographs shows up later.

These girls will never remember being this small.

They won’t remember fitting next to each other in my newborn setups. They won’t remember their brothers holding them. They won’t remember Mom and Dad somehow managing those first weeks with two newborns and three other children at home.

But they’ll be able to see it.

And their brothers will be able to see themselves at this age, too.

That’s what I love about photographing growing families.

We’re not only creating something for Mom and Dad to enjoy right now. We’re creating part of your family’s history.

And I think that’s pretty cool.

Looking for a Twin Newborn Photographer in Oklahoma City?

If you’re expecting twins in Oklahoma City or anywhere around the OKC metro, you can reserve your newborn session while you’re still pregnant.

We’ll start planning before your babies arrive so we can talk about colors, family and sibling photographs, what you love, what you don’t love and how you ultimately want to enjoy your images.

Then, once the babies make their debut, we’ll check in and decide when everyone is ready to come see me.

Your twin newborn session can include photographs of the babies together, individual portraits of each baby, siblings, parents and your entire family.

You don’t need to know how to pose.

You don’t need to know what to bring.

And you definitely don’t need to figure out how to make two newborns cooperate at the exact same time.

That’s what I’m here for.

You just bring me the babies.

Ready to start planning? Get in touch to reserve your newborn session, and we’ll take it from there.