I knew before I was even pregnant that I wanted to take the first photos of my baby. I’m not a pro by any means, but I wanted to have that experience of capturing my little one in all her newness. I studied up, ensured I had a white fluffy blanket at hand, and planned on snapping the pics between 4 and 10 days after birth. Here’s what I learned:
- Be patient, it might take a couple sessions to get a good shot.
- Keep shooting (or try continuous mode) to catch the best looks.
- Some newborns dislike being on their tummies without much incline.
- Don’t forget to make sure the eyes are in focus.
- Plan to photograph baby when she is contented, but not likely to fall asleep.
- Because personally I think closed-eye baby photos look a little creepy.
- You might reconsider nude photos if your babe has a full body newborn rash.
- Choose neutral outfits that will not distract from the baby’s face.
- Save some of those baby-item boxes to serve as your backdrop.
Do you have any tips for photographing newborns?
I would add: Make sure that the temperature is warm enough for baby to be comfortable. Two of my girls hated to be cold as tiny babies and would scream their heads off if they started to get chilly.
Something funky is going on…I’ve tried to comment and it keeps disappearing so if you end up with several just delete…sorry.
I love your photo. It’s adorable. She looks just awesome.
Two things I’ve seen. Don’t have a toy with the baby that is as big as she is and don’t necessarily try to get a full body shot. This photo is a perfect example. Just her head and shoulders is super.
Congrats on your little one.
I would also add to this: don’t have a bow on the baby’s head that is as big as she is!
Thanks for these tips. I might try baby photography soon.