Newborn Photography – Beginner Tips

January 6, 2018

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Newborn photography can be truly terrifying. Someone is trusting you to handle their little precious bundle of joy. They are trusting you to position their baby, hold a heavy camera directly above their baby, they trust you to not infect their baby with some illness, it is scary. But, it is also one of the most rewarding experiences. You get to see parents cry so many happy tears when you have their baby all swaddled up like the little angel their parents know they are. Here are my tips to a happy, safe, and beautiful newborn photoshoot. One last thing, I do in-home newborn photography so some of my tips will not apply to you if you are doing sessions at a studio or hospital.

First and always foremost is safety!

You can never be too careful when doing a newborn shoot. These babies are less than two weeks old (ideally) they are so fragile and vulnerable so you need to take every precaution you possibly can.

Safety Rules

Never do a pose you don’t feel comfortable doing. If a parent asks for a specific pose that you have never used before and aren’t really sure how to accomplish it safely DO NOT DO IT. I have found that if you tell a parent you don’t feel you can achieve what they want safely they have no problems with skipping that picture.
If you are sick always inform your client that you are sick. Newborns are so susceptible to illness it’s crazy. A common cold can put a newborn in the hospital with a catheter in their scalp and a spinal tap. If you can offer a replacement photographer that would be ideal. Otherwise, offer a different time (and I’d probably throw in a couple 8 x 10s for the inconvenience). If they are insistent that you still do the shoot despite being sick you should at the very least wear a flu mask.
Wash your hands frequently. I always wash my hands after I set everything up before I ever touch the baby, then I wash them again in between each set and anytime I may have touched something with my hand that could be gross like the floor or anything.
If you are going to do any naked or partially naked photos and it is winter ask the client to turn the heat up in their house or bring a safe space heater. If it is summer, as the client to turn off their air conditioning with enough time to warm up the home. That baby has been in a warm and cozy environment for the past 9 months you need to keep the room warm to keep them comfortable and healthy.

Second – Wraps/swaddles

Wraps are a godsend when doing newborn shoots. You can wrap them up tight and cozy and it keeps them calm because it feels more womb-like than loose-fitting clothing. Keeping a wrap snug and secure will help you get those precious sleeping pictures.

My favorite swaddles

Experiment with warps on a doll before you try on a real live baby. This way you can perfect your wrapping technique and process without the stress of a newborn baby. When I first started out I came across this video and I will forever be grateful. If you have a chance I would definitely check out this photographers tips. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzBo8v12YkY
I always bring 3 different sets and 3 different wrap colors. This will give me a huge variety of shots with minimal re-swaddling of the baby. I will bring colors and wraps that all go together so I can take pictures of the baby in the same swaddle in each of the sets. So, if you only get 20 minutes of fuss-free time with the baby you will at the very least have 3 completely different backdrops with the baby in the same swaddle.
Here are the wraps that I use Sunmig Newborn Baby Stretch Wrap

Third – Dealing with crying

No newborn is ever the same. Some babies will just sleep like a log and not even move when you unwrap and rewrap them. While other babies will fuss and cry more often than not. Just know that every baby is different so your approach with every baby will be a little bit different. I found this especially hard before I had a baby of my own because I hadn’t lived with a crying baby and learn the tricks of the trade of being a mom. But, if you are going to be a newborn photographer you have to have a little natural “baby whisperer” in you to start.

Babies cry… that’s ok

When a baby is crying while you are trying to wrap it that’s ok, most likely the baby just wants to be wrapped back up and as soon as they feel all snuggled up and warm again they will calm back down and go to sleep.
I always ask my clients to feed the baby then change the baby while I am setting up my props so that the baby is sleepy when we start because they have a full tummy and a dry diaper.
The baby is the boss. Let me repeat. The baby is the boss. You need to go with the flow as far as your process for the session. If the baby is content and sleeping take as many pictures as you can before they start to fuss. But, if the baby is starting to get fussy take a break. I always tell my clients if they think the baby needs a break we will take a break. You want the baby to be happy and the parents to be happy. This is how you get repeat clients, referrals and people ordering extra prints. You don’t want the client feeling like uncomfortable because you wanted one more shot and they wanted to feed their baby. You never want a client to look at a picture and all they see is their terrible experience

Be the baby whisperer

The more you work with babies the more you will instinctively know how to soothe them but for most babies a forceful Shhh… Shhh… Shhh… sound with light rocking usually does the trick. I love taking pictures of newborns in baskets. Baskets conveniently are the perfect prop to gently move the baby back and forth. You just leave the basket on the ground and slowly move it clockwise then counterclockwise over and over until the baby settles.
Another option is to bring with a white noise machine. I use a white noise machine with my son and he loves it!
If you have tried shushing, rocking, soothing voices, etc. Make sure the baby doesn’t need a change or perhaps suggest the client tries to feed the baby again. Or, sometimes all the baby needs is a quick cuddle from mom or dad to calm back down. I love taking pictures of parents in action. Get shots of them rocking, talking to, or cuddling the baby. These are priceless pictures and why I love love love doing in-home photography.

Go with the flow

Always keep in mind some babies are simply colicky so it is hard to soothe them. Most parents will warn you ahead of time if this is the case. Schedule extra time for these sessions if you can.
For a baby that is wide awake. Thanks ok! While many people love seeing sleepy baby pictures parents always love the awake pictures of their little one. Work with the baby while they are awake for adorable family (like the parents looking at baby while baby looks back and activity pictures (like the baby stretching, yawning, smiling, etc.)