The first few photos of your newborn baby’s life are ones you will never forget. Whether you’re using your camera phone or a DSLR, from the moment your little one is born, you want to snap every single moment. The team here at the Daily Mom can all relate to taking hundreds of pictures the first few days. Today we offer five tips for photographing your newborn baby.
#1: Have Your Camera Ready
If you plan on buying or bought a new camera in preparation for your new baby to arrive, spend some time learning how to use it. Even better, learn how to use that new camera using the manual setting. Cameras don’t take great photos, people do.
#2: Find the Light…and Heat
Natural light is by far the most flattering light, especially for portraits at home. Turn off the flash. Find the best light in your home. It will typically be by a big window or glass door. Then, place your baby on a Boppy Pillow (or bean bag) and watch how the light falls over your baby’s sweet rolls. On a similar note, keep your home warm (80 degrees Fahrenheit) to keep baby in a sleepy state for photos. You can also use space heaters, heating pads and sound machines to keep baby nice and cozy.
#3 Capture the Little Details
Posing can be hard for non-professionals, but everyone can capture the tiny little details that make your baby so special. Sweet little toes. Pouty lips. Sleepy smiles and their sweet little baby rolls. You’ll want to remember it all so get in close. Once you’ve captured those details, consider putting the photos into a 3×3 collage for display in your home.
#4: Clear the Clutter
Pay attention to your surroundings before you snap. The biggest difference between a snapshot and a professional image is that professional shots typically don’t have any clutter in the background. Simply grab that shoe, toy or dirty diaper in the background and move it out of the way before you get started.
#5: Ask for Help
If your goal is to capture “portrait” quality shots at home, it’s helpful to have an extra set of hands to assist. Your baby may be an early roller, in which case you’ll need someone to make sure they don’t roll away; or you may just appreciate the additional help to grab blankets or burp cloths so you can focus on shooting. Moms beware that your “scent” can often make newborns want to be held or nursed as soon as they feel your presence. Additional help can go a long way towards helping you pose your baby to avoid this factor.
If all else fails, hire a professional. Chances are that you’ve seen a lot of images on Pinterest that you’d like to replicate. Photographers who specialize in newborn photography are very skilled in posing those squishy newborn shots. If you are interested in achieving that look, we recommend hiring a professional. Those first few weeks of your baby’s life are so precious that the investment is well worth it.
Make sure you check out this post on How To Take A Family Photo Like A Pro.
Photo Credits: Ashley Sisk
It is true that newborn photographs are very precious for the parents. From your post, they will get help to capture photograph of their newborn baby perfectly. Thanks for the amazing post.