Tips to help you take better photos of your newborn baby

I can't tell you how heartbreaking it has been having to postpone my upcoming newborn sessions due to the current health crisis and social distancing rules. I wanted to put together some tips for my beautiful clients who are missing out on their newborn sessions, but I wanted to share it here too as I really want to reach as many new & expecting mummas as possible, because I know so many mums will be going through the same thing.

I really hope these tips help you with capturing some beautiful images of your newborn baby!

1. LIGHT

Light can truly make or break a photo – flash & overhead lights can create unflattering shadows and colours. The best thing to do is turn off the lights and your flash and move your baby as close as you can to natural window light. If it’s a bright day and there is a lot of direct sunlight coming through the window, move them out of the patches of direct light as that will be too bright.

Turn off all the overhead lights in the room, turn off the flash on your camera/iphone & move your baby close to natural light (ie. WINDOWS!)

2. COMPOSITION

If you’re using your iphone, try to avoid using the zoom function– the quality of a zoomed in image on your iphone is pretty rubbish and so you’re much better off just moving yourself and moving your phone/camera closer to your baby. Even with my camera, I don’t use any zoom lenses as I prefer to just get closer! Also, think about how your camera is angled toward your baby, you want to try and stand so that your camera is pointing straight down over their face & body (don’t forget to make sure your camera is securely strapped around your neck!!). Oh and make sure don’t point your camera up their body - unless you’re specifically wanting to photograph the inside of their nostrils. 

You want to try and stand over your baby and point your camera down at them, rather than up their body !

3. DISTRACTIONS

Think about what might be a distracting element in your photo – I’m all for capturing real life, but if you’re wanting to capture a simple portrait of your newborn, sometimes it’s worthwhile moving things like phone chargers / breast pumps / water bottles, out of the frame first - that way the focus is on one thing only… your baby!

4. POSING & SAFETY

Unless you have been trained in newborn posing, seriously don’t even try to pose your baby. I know the temptation is there to recreate images you see on pinterest – especially if you had a posed newborn session booked, but it’s not a good idea!  Posed newborn photographers train extensively to learn posing techniques and how to do it safely and attempting some of these posed positions without training can be downright dangerous!

5. KEEP IT SIMPLE

I am a big believer that the focus of your image should be on your baby and not on what they’re wearing.

Bold & bright colours and prints/patterns are often distracting which can take the attention away from what you really want to focus on YOUR BABY!

An outfit like a plain singlet onesie in a soft, neutral colour is perfect!

You can add more texture/personality with gorgeous muslins or blankets.

6. DETAILS

Don't forget to capture detail shots. Your babies fingers & toes, lips, hair etc. I love to get either mum or dad to hold bubs feet in their hands, as that is a great way of capturing just how tiny they are!

7. EXIST IN YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS

This is hands down, the most important tip I can share with you.

Please, please, please make sure you exist in your children’s memories!

Forget how you think you look or how sleep deprived you feel and just give your phone to whoever is closest to you and ask them to take a photo with YOU in it.

You don’t need to smile and look at the camera - in fact, try purposefully not looking at the camera and just look at your baby to capture that beautiful connection!

I know you might not love looking at yourself in photos, but here’s what I can tell  you – while you might not LOVE looking at yourself in that photo right now, in a few years time, when your babies aren’t so little anymore, they are going to be so so precious to you. Your future self, AND YOUR CHILDREN, will thank you for it!!

The most IMPORTANT tip I can share, is to make sure YOU exist in the photos with your babies!!

If you have any questions at all, PLEASE don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m more than happy to help and answer any questions you might have!