Tips For Taking Your Own Newborn Photos
Life with a newborn is exciting, exhausting, peaceful, stressful..you name an emotion and you’re probably experiencing it right now if you have just added a brand new baby to your family. Throw in a global pandemic, and you’ve undoubtedly got some extra anxiety on top of all that. You’re also realizing those tiny features are changing so much even over just a couple of days, and you’re wanting to freeze time as much as you can, right? You may have even had professional newborn photos scheduled that have been cancelled or postponed. While taking your own photos may feel a little daunting, I’m here to offer you a few tricks to help you get the best DIY newborn photos possible!
1. Make a Plan
I want to make this as easy as possible. As a new parent, you have a lot on your plate right now. By having a loose plan prior to your “session”, this will help things go a little smoother. Remember, newborns are unpredictable. If you get started and your baby is extra fussy or you begin getting frustrated with how things are going, take a break or try again another day.
Choose a time of day that works well for your schedule while also keeping in mind when you will have the best light. I typically like to start my newborn sessions late in the morning (around 10AM depending on baby’s feeding schedule). At this time, the sun is higher in the sky and the light is a little more even coming through the windows.
Have your outfit for baby (and yourself/siblings/etc) ready to go prior to your chosen time. You’ll want to be able to feed baby then be ready for photos while baby still has a full tummy. You could even have baby dressed prior to your feed, just make sure to keep him or her wrapped with a bib to help prevent any messes. If you have any certain blankets or props you’re planning to use, make sure you have them clean and ready in your designated area so you aren’t having to search for them at picture time.
Pro-Tip: Bump up the heat! I know postpartum mamas typically like it cold, but if you keep the temp warmer, it will be much more comfortable for baby (especially if you plan to do some photos unwrapped).
2. Finding the Best Light
When I arrive to a newborn session, the first thing I like to do is take a little tour of my client’s home to seek out the best light. I encourage you to take a walk around your house a day or two before you plan to do photos and see where the light is coming through best. This is usually the living room or master bedroom where there tend to be larger windows, but not always!
Turn off all of the overhead lights and open the blinds and drapes. Look for light that isn’t too direct. If the window is creating dark shadows or lines on the floor, try finding another window or checking at a different time of day. If it’s unavoidable, plan to setup a little further away from the window and outside of the bright spots you see on the floor.
Pro-tip: Using white or light colored blankets/wraps/clothing will help you achieve a brighter look in camera.
3. Positioning
Once you are ready to get started, place your blankets or basket on the floor close to the window. Always check with your hand to make sure your basket lining is cushioned and cozy and that there is nothing that could potentially poke baby. Position baby with his or her head pointed toward the window at about a 45 degree angle. See the photo below to see what I mean.
Plan to do natural posing only. This is NOT the time to experiment with studio posing. Poses seen in studio photos are done by trained professionals with a spotter and are typically a combination of multiple photos put together with editing in Photoshop.
I usually like to do both swaddled and unswaddled poses. If swaddling, wrap baby snug in a stretchy blanket or two. Using two blankets will help keep baby nice and snug, but try to choose thin blankets that aren’t too bulky.
Pro-Tip: Rules are sometimes meant to be broken. Keeping baby at this angle is not a “hard and fast” rule. Feel free to rotate the baby’s position and experiment with how the light is falling on baby’s face.
4. Time to Start Shooting!
*Very important. If you are using a DSLR camera, don’t forget to put your neck strap on!
Try getting shots from all different angles. Shooting from the top of baby’s head and pointing down the bridge of the nose makes for a more flattering angle than up the nose. Try some from above and holding your camera parallel with baby. If you need some extra height you can stand on a step stool, but always have someone spotting you so you don’t lose your balance.
Step back and get some of the scene, especially if you’ve chosen to take your photos in the nursery. Don’t forget to get some close up shots of those details like toes, eyelashes, etc.
Pro-Tip: Get in the frame! Get a few shots with your partner holding baby, then hand the camera over and jump in for a few. Your child will want to see photos of you with him or her in the future, I promise!
5. Editing
You can choose to edit your photos a little if you want to but isn’t necessary. I typically up the brightness (exposure) and shadows. I’ll also adjust baby’s color with tint and temperature (this might be important if baby is a little jaundice). You can play with clarity or contrast to bring out some of the details that might get lost with brightening.
Overall, just try and keep baby looking as natural as possible! What I love about lifestyle newborn sessions is the raw and natural look that captures the details of those first few weeks of life.
If you are using your phone for photos, there are plenty of free apps you can download and edit with like Snapseed and VSCO. On a computer, I personally use Adobe Lightroom for most of my editing which is affordable at $9.99/month and also includes Photoshop. However, there are free programs GIMP and FOTOR that are popular and free.
I hope that this will help you get started with taking your own newborn photos! Keep in mind that a professional photographer has years of practice and education, along with a great understanding of manual camera settings. Don’t get discouraged if your photos aren’t turning out exactly like the ones you see on Pinterest. Do your best, take your time and enjoy it!
Malorie is a Baton Rouge, LA area photographer and focuses on maternity, birth, newborn and young family photography. If you would like more information on how you can book your session, please click here or you can e-mail me directly at maloriesitarphoto@gmail.com.
