I love nothing more than watching new parents as they come to my studio to see their newborn images for the first time. They get to see the finished product from their session, and it is literally my favorite part of the process. Sometimes tears of joy are shed and who can blame them, there are hormones and sleep-deprivation involved. Although I’m not sure what my excuse is since neither of those apply to me. I guess it is the fact that I love being able to capture such a special and fleeting time in their life. Those newborn days go so fast and their baby changes so much in such a short amount of time. 

Unfortunately, during the current state of events I am unable to capture these special moments for families. I am a non-essential business, but babies are still being born and children are still hitting milestones. So, until I am able to get back to work and capture all of these special moments for my clients, I would like to help you with some tips and tricks to help you photograph your own babies during this time. That said, newborns by definition are considered newborns until 6 weeks. I’ve photographed babies well past the usual 14 days most photographers use as a benchmark and have captured beautiful images. So please keep that in mind for when this is all over, I would be happy to capture those professional photos for you!

Please realize as with learning anything else, your photos will not look like mine in the end. I have been doing this for 10 years and have different equipment, knowledge, editing programs, etc. HOWEVER, no one is able to get professional photos done at this point, so ANY are better than none!! 

Here are my tips to help you get the best images possible of your newest family member!

SAFETY FIRST

Do not attempt to do the newborn poses you see on my page or other newborn photographer pages. NONE of our poses should be attempted by someone who is not trained. You could absolutely hurt your baby. Do not try to balance their chins on their hands. Do not attempt to scrunch them all up and fold them inward. Do not balance them on stuffed animals, or balls or guitars. Don’t put them in a lab coat pocket or firefighter’s coat. If there is a risk of them falling over/sliding out of position don’t do it.  Do not try anything advanced unless you have the knowledge of how to do it properly without putting the baby at ANY risk. None. Zero. These shots are done by trained photographers as composites (two or more images merged into one) or with a spotter who is removed with the magic of photoshop.

NEVER leave a baby unattended. 

If you are using a camera, make sure to use the safety strap.

Okay now that that is out of the way…

You do not need a ‘nice’ camera, your phone camera will do just fine, especially in Portrait Mode. However, if you do have one feel free to use it! It’s honestly not so much the quality of the camera but the knowledge of how to use it, and more importantly how to properly and safely light and position your baby. 

Babies are usually the most content when they have a full tummy, so I recommend trying to capture these images right after a feeding. I always tell parents that my sessions are baby-led and yours should be no different. They run the session and if they aren’t happy it’s not going to be easy. (White noise is helpful – you can use the white noise app on your phone.) A bed or a padded surface, like an ottoman or beanbag, are great options. Blankets make great backdrops – you can use one based on color or texture…or try a couple different option!

TEMPERATURE

Babies like to be warm. I recommend making sure your thermostat is at 75-80º if you are going to have them naked. Go on the low end if you are going to use wraps as you also don’t want to overheat your baby. 

LIGHTING

You will want to find the best possible natural light in your home. Bright, direct sun is not good. If the sun is too direct and bright, you can use something to diffuse the light – a cheap shower curtain or sheer curtains taped to the window will work great. Honestly the cheaper the better, just something to cut down the harshness. You will also want to make sure to turn off any overhead lights or lamps that may cast an orange shadow in your image.

The position of where you put your baby is also important. You want to make sure that the light is spilling over the baby’s face, so from the side (around where 10-11 to 1-2 on a clock would be.) You want to avoid having the light go up a baby’s face (image putting a flashlight under your chin…. not super flattering!)

Whether you are using a camera or your phone, make sure to disable your flash. If you don’t know how to do that on your camera you can tape the flash down. There is not enough evidence to know a direct flash is safe or not, so err on the side of caution. I use a light modifier in the studio.

SWADDLING

You will probably find it best to start with them swaddled. You can capture some shots while they are awake but still nice and calm. A nice tight, but not too tight, swaddle is best – it’s easiest to use a swaddle that has a little give to it. Lay them on their backs with the swaddle mostly to one side. Take the short side, and with the baby’s arms down to their side pull it across their body and tuck under their back. Take the other side (longer side) and pull across the opposite way and then wrap that under and around the baby until you run out of material. 

Swaddling Tips: 

• Make sure to not bunch the fabric under the chin or it will look bulky

• Make sure to not restrict the airway, i.e. not too tight. As long as you can fit your fingers in between the baby and the swaddle you should be okay.

• You want to make sure the end of your wrap is at the back. If you have a little left over at the end, you can just tuck that in the back/underneath baby.

POSING

In addition to the placement, you will also want to pay attention to some other details. You will want to make sure their head is a little higher than their bottoms – you can use washcloths, hand towels or even socks to help if you need to. Just put under any blankets you are using so you don’t see them! A boppy underneath is also a great tool.

Now you are ready to start photographing them! When you are photographing the baby, watch your angles – it’s super easy to shoot ‘up the nose’. If you can see up their nostrils you are too far down. Move yourself to that you’re slightly above, looking straight at baby as if you didn’t have a camera. That being said, don’t move TOO far over and have their forehead staring you in the face, either. Their feet should never be closer to the camera depth-wise than their head – unless you are photographing their feet. Usually a step to the left or right will fix that.   Don’t be afraid to move all around! Take images from different angles (watching your light at all times) – you’ll be amazed at how different it can look. Be in front, overhead, close, etc.  Again, make sure the light is not going up their nose – remember, no Blair Witch Project flashlight look going on!

If you want to brave it and take some of those cute naked baby photos be sure to be very gentle as you adjust the baby’s arms and legs. The placement will make a huge difference in the photos. While you pose the baby on their back or side, gently move their arms and legs into a snuggly position. Remember: never force a baby into a position. Always move them slowly and gently. 

Take feeding and cleaning breaks when needed – they’re totally normal. Only unicorn babies can last an entire session without needing to stop. It’s rare, I promise. I ALWAYS urge mom to get in the photos. We are SO HARD on ourselves because we have all seen the photos where mom is already back in her pre-pregnancy jeans looking rested. Yeah…guys, that’s like 2% of the time and a LOT of concealer. Don’t miss these photos. It’s literally a one-time shot with your baby. It is completely fine to take five minutes to apply lip gloss or concealer or something, and you should feel beautiful, but GET IN THE IMAGE. I promise you a million times over, you will never ever regret it. Hand over your camera and get in there. Use the timer on your phone for a family shot. 

ADJUSTING AND EDITING ON YOUR PHONE

The camera on a smartphone has come such a long way over the years. On most smartphones, tapping on the screen changes what the camera focuses on. It’s OK to get creative with the focal point of your photos. There are also several apps that can help with editing these photos. A little editing goes a long way! When editing newborn photos, keep it simple. Avoid blurring any skin on an app as it may make it look too fake. Many photo editing apps offer color tools to reduce redness, brightening a photo or adjusting the exposure, highlights and shadows. Editing apps such as VSCO, Snapseed, Lightroom and Afterlight 2, can help make your photos look professional with little effort! Or, if you prefer, I am offering editing services for a minimal fee so feel free to contact me.

Here are some specific image ideas to help you:

• Full baby – overhead or from the side, but all of their body
• Profile from above or from the side
• Shoulders and up
• Swaddled 
• Wrinkly and flaky hands and toes.  Take off the socks or gloves for just a few minutes, it’s worth it
• Lashes / lips / ears – get close!
• Their hair – newborn hair can be awesome especially if there is a cowlick
• Overhead or through the slats of the crib / overhead in a bassinet
• Parents hands holding their hand or around them – anything that shows just how tiny they are
• Each parent holding baby – put them by a window for the most light
• Sibling photo (make sure that an adult is within arm’s reach to ensure everyone’s safety)
• Family photo on a bed or couch (use your timer!)

Bonus Images:

• Yawns
• Crying (can be cute!)
• Eyes open / awake
• Breastfeeding

I hope this helps and if you have any questions, please feel free to call me (708-359-8881). I’m happy to help answer any questions! 

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michele@micheletaylorphoto.com   |   708-359-8881   |   newborn + children + family + pet photographer