How to photograph newborn babies - 13 tips

Tell us how your first commercial newborn shoot went?

I looked at the photo with a wide smile on my face))) 7 years ago! It was very exciting, and since there were no master classes at that time, I did only the simplest things so as not to harm the baby, that is, I filmed as is, without much posing. Here are a couple of photos from the shoot. I chose the best shots)))

Photo: Olesya Fetisova, first photograph of a newborn (7 years ago)

What you will need for a photo shoot

More information about what you need to take with you to make the newborn photo session go smoothly is described throughout the article. This list includes a basic list of the most important things that parents should take care of:

• for bottle-fed children, you need to take a sterilized bottle and a sufficient amount of formula;
• for joint photographs of parents and children, clothing should be chosen in calm pastel shades; bright colors should be avoided in the images;
• for babies suffering from colic, you should take special medications;
• removable diapers made of flannel or chintz;
• hypoallergenic wet wipes;
• 2-3 pieces of diapers;
• nipples;
• for babies with hair, it is recommended to take a special comb for babies;
• baby oil for skin if there is peeling;
• a light snack for parents, as the photo session will take at least 2-3 hours;
• change of clothes for children and adults.

Source: ishestakova.ru
Depending on individual characteristics and situations, this list may be supplemented. It is best to agree on a complete list with the photographer in advance.

What is included in your range of equipment and accessories that you use for filming?

Photographing a newborn is not only the most important, sweetest and most sensitive type of photography, but also the most financially expensive. For a comfortable photo shoot and to achieve the desired result, a huge number of different devices, props and accessories are required.

I shoot in my own photo studio, which has everything necessary for a comfortable shooting process:

• disposable diapers, diapers, pacifiers, personal hygiene products;
• antiseptics for processing props;
• beanbag (posing pillow);
• fan heater;
• poser beans,
• poser bowl (or sausage);
• leveling blankets;
• background fabrics;
• various buckets (baskets, basins, buckets) of different shapes and sizes;
• hats, bonnets, headbands;
• suits, panties, bodysuits, windings;
• toys, rugs, furs;
• decorative flowers (both live and artificial).

Preparing for a photo shoot

Preparing for a photo shoot with babies does not require much time and effort. There are 5 rules, the implementation of which will guarantee a pleasant process for the photographer, mother and baby:

1. Choose a warm, cozy room or sunny, comfortable weather (ideally May-June) if the shooting will take place outside.
2. Establish a source of constant “white noise”. A cyclical, monotonous and pleasant sound will calm the child. To do this, you can place a fountain, a player with classical, calm music, or even a hair dryer at the venue.
3. Feed your baby before the photo shoot so that he feels good, sleeps soundly and is not worried. Mom should always have a bottle of food on hand in case the baby wakes up and gets hungry.
4. Take a warm blanket (if the shoot will take place outside), spare diapers, a napkin and a pacifier. It is also advisable to take a waterproof lining so as not to spoil the props in case of a “childish surprise”. There is no need to worry about this. Professional photographers have encountered different situations and this case certainly won’t surprise them.
5. There must be things familiar to him next to him. Every newborn has items that soothe and help them feel safe. This could be his favorite rug or blanket, toy or pillow. It is important to make sure that this thing is near him. It’s even better if it becomes a detail of the shoot, adding variety to the shots.

Moms also need to prepare for the process. The day before the shoot, they are not recommended to experiment with new products if the baby is breastfed. This can negatively affect the child – his appearance and health. New foods in a mother's diet can cause allergies, colic, or bloating. In this case, the photo session will most likely have to be rescheduled because the baby will feel unwell. It is also necessary to free up at least half of the day, a little more than the planned time, since the process of the photo shoot itself may drag on.

Source: newborndreams.ru

Which photographer, other than yourself, would you trust to photograph your newborn baby?

At the beginning of her creative career, she adored Ana Brandt. I learned from her videos) Now there are quite a lot of photographers whose work I like, whose style is close to me. From foreign countries I like Jade Gao, Paola Alduli, Natalya Ignatova, Claudia Aguilar, from the CIS countries I like Anastasia Kondratenko. I hope I named everyone correctly))) For my little one, I would choose from Belarusian photographers. You can’t travel far with a 14-day-old baby, and a flight from Israel, Canada or Australia will cost a pretty penny))) And we have many photographers with an excellent level of work. For example, I like the works of Minsk resident Varvara Sergeeva.

Lighting

Daylight from the window. This is the most gentle option - you do not use any artificial lighting. To get the right effect, the photographer needs to stand between the newborn and the window opening. Backlight is less common when you shoot towards a lit window. Moreover, it will be necessary to somehow highlight your model so that the shadows do not fall through. The poses for a newborn photo shoot also depend on this. Working with window light is not as easy as it might seem. But this is beyond the scope of the article. Here are pictures with light only from the window:

I must say that the photographer didn’t do a good job on the first shot. There is a bright spot on the baby’s cheek, already on the verge of overexposure, the shadows are too dark, there are unnecessary elements in the background (this picture on the wall could have been “bracketed”). You should have at least used a reflector. The second picture is better, although it is no longer a baby.

As an alternative, you have soft lighting. It is quite possible to achieve such an effect even with the help of amateur technology: to do this, you need to direct the light of the illuminator to the ceiling or curtain the window with a transparent fabric. Sometimes you can even use a table lamp. But here you need to be careful with the white balance.

Special mention should be made about artificial lighting. The eyes of very young children are not adapted for bright light, and even less so for pulsed light! Therefore, it is believed that it is impossible to use flashes or, especially, studio monoblocks! I talk about this separately here.

How do you even choose a photographer for your baby and how do you know if you can trust him with your baby?

First of all, of course, I advise you to look at the photographer’s portfolio: you should like the shooting style. It’s best when parents start looking for a photographer in advance for the first photo shoot of the baby, then there is an opportunity to get to know the photographer better, see how he works with the kids and how the photo shoot goes in general. It is mandatory to clarify that the photographer is trained, although all professional photographers post their certificates, awards and achievements on social networks or on their website, if there are any, of course, and there is no need to ask.

Features of a photo shoot with newborns

When planning a newborn photo session for the first time, it is natural that parents will have many questions, concerns and prejudices about it. However, most of parents' fears are unfounded. In order for the shooting to go smoothly, it is necessary to take into account the following features of the process:

1. Age. Experienced photographers recommend conducting 4 shoots in the first years of a child’s life. The optimal period for the first photoset will be the most “magical” age - from the day of birth to one month of life. Moreover, most of the time babies sleep, which means it will be convenient to put them in the desired position. After this, it is advisable to repeat the shooting at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Children grow and change quickly, and it is important to capture these happy stages of a little person growing up.
2. Location. It is best if the pictures are taken at home - in a familiar environment for newborns. In addition, there are all the amenities and essentials in case of various incidents. Alternatively, shooting can be done at home or outdoors. However, this implies nuances - the weather outside should be good and warm, and the studio should be rented for at least 2-3 hours. If the shooting takes place at home, the brightest place (daylight sources are required) with a temperature of around 24°C is selected as the location.
3. Time spending. A children's photo session can be carried out at any time of the day. The optimal time is selected based on the baby’s biorhythms. If he sleeps more after lunch, then you can safely book an evening shoot. If, on the contrary, he feels better and falls asleep soundly in the morning, then it is worth carrying out the process in the first half of the day.
4. Type of photography. Conventionally, photo sessions with newborns are divided into two types: everyday and staged. The first option is suitable for babies who are awake. It allows you to take sensual pictures of a baby in the arms of its parents: mom and dad. Staged photographs involve posing and surroundings. While the baby is sleeping, you can put him in a pose and dress him up in a suit.
5. Props. Accessories are an important part of shooting. However, at this point no intervention will be required from parents. A professional photographer always has the necessary things in his arsenal: various poufs, themed costumes, hats, baskets, etc. Mom or dad definitely needs to check the items for cleanliness. A conscientious specialist puts things in the wash after each shoot.

Source: like.sumy.ua
By considering all the features of this type of photo shoot, you can insure yourself against force majeure and surprises that may arise during interaction with the baby.

Source: style-gift.ru

Set up your camera

Set your camera to portrait mode. This will help blur the background and smooth out skin and hair tones.

If you're using a DSLR, open the aperture all the way (set to its lowest number) to get a soft, blurred background. Pair it with a portrait lens (about 85mm). When taking pictures, focus on your baby's eyes.

Necessary equipment

As with any portrait photography, when photographing babies it is not just the camera that is important, but the lens. The best option would be a 50mm fixed. Try choosing one of these lenses with an f/1.8 or faster aperture (i.e. f/1.4 or f/1.2) - this will allow you to use faster shutter speeds and get sharper images.

To stabilize the camera, use a soft pouf instead of a tripod; it will also allow you to shoot from the height of the child.

A silver or white reflector will also not be out of place - it is optimal for creating soft lighting.

Capture the details

The faces of newborns deserve a huge amount of photographs. But there are details you need to focus on: the curl of hair at the back of your head, your perfect tiny toenails, your baby bump, and your crazy cute belly button. Be sure to get close-ups of those cute little body parts. Camera phones generally aren't great for close-ups, but even without a zoom lens, you can take photos that highlight your baby's hands, his profile, his nose, his lone first tooth. Even when there are a lot of photos of the child, you will be happy to review the photos of sweet, beloved fingers and curls.