How To Do Newborn Photography

Newborn photography or newborn photography is photography that is based on the very first days after birth. Although it may seem and be confused with baby photography, the truth is that newborn photography has unique characteristics that make it different from any other type of photography.

It is common for parents to find themselves saturated in the first days of a baby’s life with so much change, uncertainty, and lack of sleep, but it is highly recommended to take a breath, stop and reserve a morning to generate an absolutely unique and unrepeatable memory such as having beautiful images of this short stage.

So, whether you are the future father or mother photographer of the offspring, or if you are going to carry out a newborn photography session for some friends or acquaintances and even want to enter this world professionally, this complete guide is for you.

With it I intend to resolve any questions you have about it and guide you throughout the process. I really hope that it helps you in this photographic discipline.

Now, if you are late for the newborn session and what you need is a guide for the next stage, here is the complete guide to baby photography and for when they are a little older, this other one is dedicated to photographing children full of tricks and tips.

WHAT IS NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY?

Newborn photography is a photographic genre consisting of portraying newborn babies during their first days of life, that is, between 6 and 10 days, a maximum of 15 days.

Only 10 days margin? You will surely wonder why newborn photography is so limited in time, if a one-month-old baby, and even two, we see practically as a newborn.

But the truth is that it is not, because a newborn baby has special characteristics that last very few days and that is why you have to “hurry up” when taking photos in the first days of life. Next, I explain the reason for this limitation in time.

You may also like: Best Cameras Under $200

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEWBORN

During the newborn phase, the baby is characterized by:

• Being highly elastic, it still retains the natural postures it adopted inside the mother’s womb.
• The nails are extremely thin and brittle, also very characteristic of this stage.
• In many cases, it still retains the hair on its ears and back ( lanugo ) so characteristic of newborns.
• He sleeps a lot and deeply, which is very useful for the session. At 3 weeks the “infant crisis” can occur, which makes them more uncomfortable and irritable.
• After a few weeks, baby acne can also appear.
• After a few days they change the skin with which they are born, and they flake slightly, especially on the hands, feet, etc. It is also a typical (and photographable) detail of this phase.
• The hair is silky and the skin is very fine, if you have had a newborn baby close by you will know what I mean.

These characteristics are exclusive to the first days, then it is another stage that is highly photographable and equally beautiful, but different.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT FOR NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY

To photograph a newborn, the first thing to keep in mind is that, with some grace and a few tricks, you can do it with any type of camera. You can even achieve impressive results simply with your mobile phone’s camera. Now, it is clear that if you are accompanied by a good photographic team, then better. That said, this is the team I recommend:

• Camera with interchangeable lenses. Here are some good options for different levels and budgets.
• Tripod. It is not essential since you will surely make most of the images freehand. However, if you have one, it can help you in low-light situations, etc. If you are looking for one here we guide you in the purchase of your next tripod.
• Objective: Here you have detailed the best objectives for newborn photography.
• Continuous light. If you have a room with good natural lighting, take advantage of it. If not, you can resort to some type of continuous lightings such as umbrellas or light windows.
• white noise machine. It is not strictly photographic but if you want to calm the baby, it is an artifact that can be very useful. These types of noises mimic those that the baby feels in its mother’s belly and relaxes. Trick: at home, you can take advantage of the noise of the washing machine or a hair dryer, for example.

You may also like: Best Mirrorless Cameras

PROPS FOR NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY

The props in newborn photography are essential to obtain a good result in your images. Even if you are looking for a very natural result, investing in a couple or three accessories will help you finish beautifying your images.

• Flower, fabric, wool, or crochet headbands…
• Soft and tasty blankets of angora, cotton…
• cotton swaddling
• Wraps: ideal for wrapping the newborn.
• tulle fabrics
• Wool, crochet, or cotton hats
• Little baskets (beware of splinters or similar, always put a cloth lining the inside) bowls
• Hammocks. Keep in mind that security is above everything. Those photos that you see of babies suspended in hammocks are really held with their hands, underneath, only they are removed in Photoshop.
• Puff for newborn photography: try to make it comfortable, but at the same time rigid enough so that the baby does not sink. If not, there will be parts of the baby’s body that will not be seen correctly. Also, take into account the size, and regarding the color, since you will surely put some fabric on it, it is not something very important from my point of view. Here is an option for you.

Choosing the color of the accessories is very important, I would always bet on raw, neutral, and smooth tones, which will serve you for most occasions. Think that any compliment should be aimed at embellishing the image but never stealing the spotlight (although that’s difficult 😉 ).

If you want to go deeper into this type of accessory, do not miss our article on the best accessories for baby portraits. And if you are looking for a place to buy them, you can take a look at this website, or search on Amazon where you also have a lot of options.

LIGHTING IN NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY

Although creativity is an added value, the truth is that, basically, to photograph a newborn, the ideal is soft and diffuse natural lighting.

• Soft light is the one that transmits harmony, softness, balance and tenderness to us and, therefore, the one that best suits this type of photography. Now, I recommend that you also encourage yourself to try different lighting techniques, such as high or low key.
• The angle at which the light falls on the newborn is also decisive when it comes to having good results, in this case, a light at a 45º or lateral angle.
• If you photograph in natural light, hold the baby close to a window. If the light is too harsh, place a light shade in front or semi-sheer fabric.
• Experiment with other lighting schemes, they can also give you good results. Take for example this backlight:

If you need to go deeper into this topic, take a look at this complete guide on lighting that I wrote for you.

You may also like: Best Camera For Shot Films

HOW TO PLAN A NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION

The first thing you should try, as I told you at the beginning of this guide, is to carry out the session during approximately the first 15 days of the baby’s life.

• Mornings offer more possibilities in terms of natural lighting. Also, babies at this time are calmer.
• Find a warm, well-lit place. If it’s not summer, you probably should have the heating on full blast, it should be very warm.
• Reserve at least 3 hours to do the session. Think that during this process the baby will eat, get dirty, cry… and have thousands of unforeseen events for which you have to have enough time.
• A comfortable place for the mother. Whether she breastfeeds or bottles, the mother will have given birth a few days, so she will also need her space, her intimacy and to feel comfortable. If the mother is calm and comfortable, the baby will be too.
• Have all the equipment ready and at hand, no losing the thread because you forgot to charge the batteries or empty the memory card ;).
• Also the props you plan to use. This point is decisive in the final result of your photographs. If it’s not your baby, you should agree with the family about what kind of photos they find funny (offer them only what you think can work well and choose what best suits their style and yours, of course).
• Also, have replacement fabrics ready, you will surely have more than one “escape” during the session.

NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY IN STUDIO

Newborn photography in the studio allows us to control all the important aspects of the shot to focus more on the specific ones. In this sense, the final result is more “professional” and “neutral” (the painting of the great-grandfather will not appear in the background 😉 ), which has its advantages.

• Decide on the type of lighting. I recommend that you opt for natural, soft, and diffused light to start with.
• It has many advantages, but one clear disadvantage to be aware of is that natural light changes quickly, so keep that in mind when updating your settings.
• Never use the flash, if you want artificial light, make it a continuous light.
• Remember aspects such as a good temperature for the newborn.
• Controls the white balance.
• RAW photography.
• Use a preferably plain and clear background. Or a dark one if you want a spectacular low-key photo.
• Try to photograph in manual mode, but if you do not master it, it is preferable that you opt for an aperture priority mode.
• Always have water on hand, for you and especially for the mother. Whether you breastfeed the baby or you need to prepare the bottle, in the first case you need to hydrate well, and in the second, prepare the milk.
• Have the studio well organized, everything in its place? It will prevent you from panicking, breaking the rhythm of the session, etc., when you are looking for something essential and do not remember where you left it.
• A recommendation if you have cold hands is to use cloth gloves to place the baby, also more hygienic.

You may also like: Best Camera For Food Photography

NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY AT HOME

A baby born a few days ago has left the comfortable world of his mother’s tummy in which he is protected and isolated from noise, light or cold. For the baby to be comfortable, you must create an environment in which both mother and baby feel perfectly comfortable.

• The temperature of the room you have chosen must be quite high, think that you will surely represent the baby with little or no clothes and also regulates the temperature much worse than us, has less fat, muscle, etc.
• Find a room with good natural light.
• Pay attention to the background, the more minimalist it is, the better.
• Find a place to put the baby. It can be a puff, a bed, an armchair…
• Play with blankets or textures in neutral tones on which to place the baby. This way you can embellish surfaces that are not very photogenic while not detracting from the newborn.
• Forget about circus compositions with the newborn. Nothing is more important than the safety of the little one. Look for safe and comfortable places, no matter how many bizarre images you have seen on networks, and keep common sense and safety above all else.
• The baby is the protagonist but also looks for a photo of interaction with the different members of the family. That memory is highly valuable.
• In newborn photography at home, you have the opportunity to get more documentary and personal images of the family in question. Your furniture, your corners, etc. will be seen. That is also part of the life of the new baby, so do not discount the environment, at least in some photos.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEWBORNS

Beyond everything I’ve covered so far, I have a few tips and tricks that I think can help you have a successful baby session.

• Forget the rush. If the rush is not good in general, in this case, it is fatal. An atmosphere of nervousness from both the baby and the mother predicts a failed session ;). Try to redirect the situation by giving them the time they need and all the encouragement and help they need.
• Adapt to the rhythm of the baby and his mother, especially if he is breastfeeding.
• After eating they usually go to sleep and it is the ideal time to start the session, so before the shot, undress him, cover him well with a blanket and wait for him to eat and go back to sleep.
• Make the breaks that are necessary and some more :).
• Less is more. Newborn babies are so fascinating that they need little else around them.
• Get very, very close: the details of a newborn are something fascinating, the little fingers and toes, the ears, the eyelashes… Hit the macro if you have one and, if not, get as close as you can.
• Photograph his gestures, not only when he is sound asleep, but photograph him awake too.
• Photograph with manual mode or, failing that, with aperture priority.
• Use large-diaphragm apertures to bring out details and blur the background.
• An ISO value is as low as possible guarantees maximum sharpness.
• Photography in RAW (if you can) to be able to process the image in the best conditions.
• Try different angles and perspectives, zoom in, zoom out, and turn around…
• Once you have taken all the photos in that position, try a new one, delicately and gradually so that you do not notice a sudden change. Here is a link to Pinterest where you will find a lot of pose ideas.
• Use protectors under the first decorative blanket to protect the puff/sofa or place where you are going to place the newborn and the rest of the filling.
• Bring your photos to life and print them. Nothing to leave them on the hard drive.
• Learn to “swaddle” the little one. Not only to take beautiful photos but also because it helps them calm down and fall asleep. In this video, you can see how it is done.

You may also like: Best Cameras For Movies

EDITING IN NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY

To edit a newborn image, I advise you not to get carried away by excessive retouching. Sometimes it is easy to fall into it without realizing it and end up with unnatural images.

A newborn baby doesn’t need too much retouching, it’s perfect just the way it is, at least in my opinion. In this sense, I recommend:

• Do not abuse clarity, but neither do the opposite effect.
• Keep the colors true to reality.
• If you need a little more saturation, add it through tools like Vibrance (in Lightroom), which adds punch only to low-saturated colors and not all. The result is much more natural.
• Work exposure through light and shadow.
• Above all, be careful with the skin tone, it is easy that by “touching” we end up with skin that pulls towards oranges or reds.
• Adjust the white balance well.
• There are no flaws in a newborn baby 😉 so please don’t take anything away from her, not the lanugo or the little wrinkles, or the skin she may have. It’s all part of the magic of photographing a baby just a few days old.
• Go ahead with black and white, it offers timeless, serene, elegant images that look great with this type of photography.

NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHERS TO FILL YOU WITH INSPIRATION

The best way to start a newborn portrait session is to bring a good dose of inspiration with you, some photo ideas that you have seen and liked, styles that you identify with and would like to recreate, etc.

In short, you should first seek inspiration on the subject, this way you will avoid getting stuck and not knowing what to do. Jot down a few ideas, use them to break the ice, and then let yourself go 🙂

Here is an article with newborn photographers that you will love and will give you a lot of ideas for your photos.

EXPECTATION VERSUS REALITY: OVERCOMING FRUSTRATION

You know those funny videos that are seen on social networks about expectation versus reality? No doubt newborn photography could produce hours and hours of such hilarious montages.

By that I mean to be realistic, those photos you are amazed by on Instagram are surely the result of hours of work and experience, so don’t despair if the result you get is not the same.

Start with simple challenges, with getting nice details, make sure the focus is where it should be and the image is well exposed. In short, start with “basic” images but make sure they are correct. To complicate the scene you always have time, go little by little, and step by step, and you will see how each photo you take is better than the previous one.

And, above all, think about how wonderful it is to be creating work for posterity of a moment as magical as it is ephemeral. You’re lucky or lucky, you know that, right? 😉

I hope that this newborn photography guide is what you need to succeed in a session of these characteristics. I have at least tried to capture all my knowledge and experience in it, so I hope this article will help you, or whoever you want to share it with. We read here. Happy newborn photography.