Newborn photography is wonderful if you are a parent because your little ones grow so quickly in their first year, so capturing them as a newborn is a special memento that you will treasure forever. As a photographer, working in the newborn photography business can also be very fulfilling as you are helping to provide families with magical keepsakes for families. It is especially enjoyable if you like working with little ones. Whether you’re a parent or a photographer who is wondering how to make the best newborn photos, you’ve come to the right place.
Today we will dive into the following aspects of newborn photography:
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- Keeping the baby happy
- Lighting
- Photography gear and tips
- Experimenting with perspective
- Posing
- New-born photography trends in 2021
- Getting the family involved
- Taking it easy
Keeping the baby happy
Happy baby = great photos. Because babies don’t adhere to the rules of adults, you will have to work with your baby’s needs. Here are some of our tips for keeping the baby content.
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- Heating: It’s important to keep the room temperature high to keep your baby warm, especially if your baby is only partially clothed for the shoot. Turn up the thermostat or bring in a portable electric radiator. If you’re shooting outdoors you can use an electric patio radiator.
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- Age: The earlier in their infancy the baby is, the sleepier they are likely to be, making them more compliant with the photoshoot. They will also be more likely to curl up in the pictures. Having your photoshoot within the first few weeks of being born can be convenient as your baby is more likely to be snoozing away during the photo session.
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- Timing: Shooting earlier in the day is a great time for a newborn photoshoot, as newborns are generally less alert in the mornings. Shooting earlier is also great if you’re using natural light in your photographs, as the sun is lower in the sky will produce a softer quality photo.
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- Feeding: This one may seem obvious but it’s worth mentioning that babies are happier on a full stomach which is a good idea to ensure fewer interruptions during the shoot. Consider this when booking your session.
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- White noise: While newborns are dozier in the early weeks, every baby’s temperament is different. If you’re dealing with a fussy baby, playing some white noise can do wonders for soothing them.
Lighting
As with any kind of photo, lighting is important. When taking a picture of a precious newborn you want to highlight all their unique features, so lighting is especially important to make sure the baby looks as angelic on camera as they do in real life. So natural lighting or professional lighting? It all depends on the type of photo you’re looking to create.
It’s on-trend to have newborn photographs shot artistically in black and white. Using studio lighting would be advantageous in this situation, as you can create a high-contrast dramatic picture with strobe lights.
However, it’s also on-trend to take beautiful, naturalistic style photographs shot using natural lighting. If you do decide to use natural lighting, it can be beneficial to shoot by a window as this ensures the baby will be well–lit. The window has the effect of filtering the light, almost like an organic softbox, creating an airy light casting a soft glow on the baby. However, natural lighting can be difficult to manipulate, especially during the day, so studio lighting may be a more convenient alternative.
Photography gear and tips
When photographing a baby, you want to make sure you have all the right tools at your disposal to get the perfect photos.
DSLR Camera
DSLRs are amazing for photographing newborns as you can shoot in RAW which means you will have more raw image data, which comes in useful for post-production editing. DSLRs also have a high ISO range, which is handy for getting around underexposed images. Don’t be afraid to bump up the ISO if you’re shooting in dim conditions. DSLRs are perfect for shooting newborns as you can use lenses interchangeably.
Macro lens
When photographing newborns, because they grow so fast, you want to capture all of their special features that the parents will want to remember like their eyelashes, rosebud lips, and tiny fingers and toes. Using a macro lens is perfect for this as it produces more detailed images, which is an important consideration as parents love to have physical prints of their little ones.
One of our newborn photography tips for pros is to take closer shots as opposed to wide shots, as this will give you a smaller depth of field. Also, consider switching to manual focus for even more detailed shots.
Collapsible reflectors
Reflectors can be useful in helping you to manipulate natural lighting. Using a reflector allows you to determine whether your lighting is soft or harsh, or warm or cool. A collapsible reflector is a good investment for photographers as it is lightweight and portable for shoots.
Experiment with perspective
Some of the best advice we can offer is to experiment with angles as trying a new angle might just take you by surprise. Try taking a mixture of photographs, with some at a distance and some closer-up. It’s always recommended to take a variety of photographs as this is pleasing to the clients.
Posing
When it comes to posing, a baby’s safety is always the main priority. As the baby is brand new, the best thing to do is show this off! Take photos of the baby in their cot, all swaddled up. It’s also lovely to get some shots of them curled up in the fetal position before they grow out of this habit.
New-born photography trends 2021
Another wonderful suggestion is to take lifestyle photographs of the baby, as lifestyle photography is all about capturing life in the moment and doesn’t rely heavily on conventional posing. Lifestyle photography is also on-trend at the moment.
Some more newborn photography trends in 2021 are posing the baby in the parent’s hands. The use of the parent’s hands not only creates a sense of intimacy between parent and child, but the use of scale shows how tiny the newborn baby is.
As aforementioned, black and white newborn photos are very on-trend at the moment, which might be your cup of tea if your home has a minimalist, artistic feel to it and you’re planning to hang your photographs.
Close-up shots are also very popular in new-born photography as it captures all the special details of the baby, like dimples and chubby cheeks.
Get the family involved
If you want to create a truly special newborn photograph, get the family involved. Getting the siblings in the photographs will create a special snapshot for the family to cherish, but also allows the siblings to bond with their new sister or brother. It can be fun for a photographer to play with this dynamic.
All the best examples of newborn photography show babies bonding with mum or dad, so encourage them to get involved. A photo of parents with their infant captures that wonderful heartfelt emotion of welcoming a special new member into the family.
Taking it easy
Finally, if you’re the parent of a newborn baby it can be extremely overwhelming trying to balance everything, so you mustn’t put too much pressure on yourself with your photoshoot. The post-natal process is extremely exhausting, especially for the mum, so if you’re feeling stressed; consider taking some time out for yourself before you have your photoshoot. You can always reschedule! If you’re the photographer, be easy-going and accommodating as possible with the family as you want the session to be an enjoyable experience for them to remember, as well as the photos.
We hope you enjoyed our inspiring ideas for newborn photography!
If you require a photographer for your newborn photoshoot, book with Splento today to acquire a reliable, on-demand photographer, at a fixed, affordable rate, for an amazing photo session. If you have any questions, be sure to contact a member of the Splento team.
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