Photographing newborns is a delicate art that requires skill, patience, and meticulous attention to safety. Your tiny subjects, often just a week old, are incredibly sensitive, making their comfort and well-being the paramount concern for both parents and photographers . This guide provides essential tips to ensure a safe, smooth, and successful newborn photography session.
Prioritising Safety and Comfort
Before anything else, ensure the baby’s environment is safe and comfortable
- Hygiene: Sanitise your hands thoroughly before handling the baby . All equipment, including blankets, baskets, and props, should be clean and, if possible, new for optimal safety.
- Temperature Control: Maintain a warm room temperature to keep the newborn comfortable and safe, as babies are highly susceptible to changes in temperature.
- Continuous Supervision: Always keep a watchful eye on the baby and ensure parents are nearby for assistance.
- Prop Safety: Keep all accessories and decorative items away from the newborn’s face and ensure they are soft and secure . When using wraps, seek parental help and ensure the material is soft and the wrap is snug enough to prevent wriggling without being too tight.
Essential Preparations for the Shoot
Newborn photography sessions can last 3-4 hours, including breaks, so prepare thoroughly beforehand
- Pre-Session Readiness: Have all equipment and props ready before the baby arrives or before starting the shoot.
- Parental Involvement: Inform parents about the session length and ask them to be prepared to assist, especially with feeding and soothing the baby.
Photography Techniques and Equipment
- Camera Choice: While DSLRs offer excellent image quality and interchangeable lenses, mirrorless cameras are often recommended for newborn photography due to their quiet operation, which helps avoid disturbing the baby . The ability to change lenses is crucial for various shots.
- Natural Light is Key: Strictly avoid using flash as newborns are highly sensitive to bright lights. Position your setup near a large window to utilize natural light, which provides warmth and a realistic effect .
- Light Direction: Pay close attention to how light falls on the baby’s face. Position the baby at a 45- to 90-degree angle to the window, allowing light to flow across the face for flattering results. Avoid placing the baby directly facing or with their feet towards the window, as this can create unflattering shadows and distort features .
- Optimal Angles: To avoid unflattering shots “up the nose” or distorted proportions, always stand directly above the baby when shooting . Experiment with various camera angles, sometimes centering the baby and other times positioning them to the side.
- Accessorise Thoughtfully: Select small, new, and creative accessories like headbands, hats, baskets, and soft fabrics (cotton, wool) . Choose colours appropriate for the baby’s gender, such as pink and white for girls, and blue, yellow, and red for boys
- Posing for Success: Begin with simple poses that are easy to achieve.
- Simple Full Body Pose: Start with the baby awake and dressed in a comfortable knitted outfit.
- Natural Expression Pose: After the initial full body shot, remove the outfit and use a wrap to cover the nappy, capturing natural expressions.
- Parents Holding Baby: Always include shots of parents holding the newborn, even if it’s just their hands. This pose is deeply cherished and can be done with awake or sleeping babies.
- Wrapped Poses: Simple wrapping techniques are excellent for both sleepy and awake babies. Secure the wrap tightly but comfortably, and take shots from both the top and the side.
- Props (Baskets/Nests): Incorporate props like baskets or wool nests. These are easy to set up and work well with awake or sleeping babies, offering multiple angles (overhead, side, close-up) from one setup.
Creating a Relaxing Atmosphere
- Soothing Sounds: Play calming sleeping music or “womb sounds” from platforms like YouTube. These familiar sounds can help relax the baby and encourage sleep.
- Consistency: Maintain a calm and consistent environment throughout the session to keep the baby settled