8 tips for photographing your newborn yourself in 2021.
If you are planning to photograph your newborn on your own, here are a few tips and tricks to help you get great shots.
1. Use proper lighting
Lighting can make or break a picture. You want the lighting you use to mimic natural sunlight as much as possible. This means no light coming from weird angles.
To get the best shadows and highlights, let the light flow across your baby’s body at 45 degrees from the top of their head. See where the light is bouncing off bub and work with this to capture sweet little details like the top of the head, the toes and fingers. Experiment with this, of course, until you find something that you are happy with.
2. Keep your baby happy
First, make sure the room is warm. Get a heater if you need to. Also, be sure to have a warm blanket nearby so your little one doesn’t stay uncovered for too long. We have some great organic options to choose from that are delicate on a newborn’s sensitive skin.
Babies also love white noise. If you can, get a white noise machine to help them stay asleep during the shoot. Or play a white noise video on YouTube or Spotify.
Finally, make sure your little one is very full. You do not want to deal with a hungry baby during your photoshoot!
3. Safety is key
If you are working with props, you’re going to need to have a spotter with you to ensure that the baby is safe at all times.
Do not attempt to force your baby into difficult poses. Remember that most professional studios work with composite images to make the baby look a particular way. Those cute baby photos in weird poses are rarely single pictures.
4. Take it slow
If you are photographing your newborn, it means you’ve just had a baby! You need time to recover and recuperate. The good news is that your little one is not going anywhere, so you can spread the photography session over a few days.
Do one or two setups every other day for about a month or so. This way, you will capture the subtle changes your little one goes through over those first few weeks.
5. Shooting with an iPhone?
If you are shooting on an iPhone make sure you hold the phone flat above bub and be sure not to tilt the phone so you don’t distort their head or body. If you would like a closer shot, move closer with your phone instead of zooming in with your fingers, this will ensure a clearer image. Try some photo editing apps that you can easily download from your App Store.
6. Get in the picture
Give the camera to someone else and get a few photos of you and your little one. No one cares how you look, it’s the moment that counts. In a few years, that picture will become a treasured memory that you’ll look back on and be grateful it was captured.
7. Go outside
If the weather permits, take your baby outside and get a few pictures in nature. Being outside will open up your mind and you will feel your creative juices flowing. Who knows, you might end up taking some of your best pictures here.
Don’t forget to bring a few props to make things even more fun! Our gender neutral and textural range of blankets make for the perfect photo backdrops and our timber moon announcement plaque would be perfect to capture a newborn announcement photo.
8. Print the pictures
The final step is to print out the pictures. Digital images are nice, but when you can actually hold the printed pictures in your hands, it takes everything to a whole other level. You will appreciate everything more.
Final thoughts
Getting an elaborate professional photoshoot may not always be possible, so doing it yourself is the next best thing. Just remember to take your time with it, pay attention to lighting, and keep your little one happy as you shoot. While photographing your newborn can be challenging, it can also be extremely rewarding. Good luck!