Those first few weeks with a baby are precious, and the only thing that gets us through the sleepless nights and endless nappy changes is the fact that they’re so cute.
It’s no surprise then that lots of new parents want to capture those first few months – after all, they don’t stay cute and squishy for long, but a professional photo shoot can be expensive.
However, you don’t have to spend a lot of money; all you need is a bit of prep, a few props, and a willing baby and you can do it yourself at home. Of course, we’ve all heard the old saying that you should never work with children or animals, but there are plenty of people who would argue that both of those are preferable to working with adults!
So we’ve put together a simple guide to some baby photoshoot ideas that you can try at home; just make sure you have some baby wipes to hand, and a change of clothes (for both you and the baby) and get ready to strike a pose.
Safety First
Of course, this is always a priority for parents, but there are a few things worth remembering:
- Don’t leave your baby alone, make sure you have another adult present at all times, within reach of your baby.
- Make sure any backdrops/props are secure.
- Make sure all poses are safe.
- If your baby seems distressed, stop straight away.
Timing
It’s often recommended that you do your newborn’s photoshoot in their first ten days when your baby is more likely to be sleepy. However, not all newborns got this memo so if you don’t manage to do it within this time frame, just make sure you choose a time of day when your baby is more likely to be settled, for example, after a feed rather than when they need a nap. Babies can be divas at the best of times and some of the cutest, and easiest, newborn photos are when they’re asleep.
Lighting
A newborn photoshoot isn’t the time to use a flash; natural light is best. You can have the best camera in the world, but if the lighting isn’t right you won’t get the effect you’re after.
You want soft, bright, even light, preferably from a north-facing window but as long as the sun isn’t shining directly on your baby, any natural light is good, and it might be worth making a note of when your rooms have the best light.
Remember to make sure any curtains or blinds are open, and any overhead lights are switched off. You could also find out how to get stunning pics in low light.
Props
Choose neutral props/blankets that won’t distract from your baby and light, plain clothing; newborn babies are often swamped by their clothes so a plain vest would work well.
Often babies are naked or just wrapped in a blanket in a photoshoot but bear in mind they could get cold easily, so make sure the room is well-heated and have plenty of blankets on hand.
You might want some kind of back-drop; you could stand a board against two kitchen chairs (making sure it’s secure) or drape a blanket over it. You could use cushions – sofa cushions will work too, with a pillow or soft beanbag for the baby to lie on. Anything with an interesting texture is good, such as a knitted blanket, or faux fur.
Equipment
You don’t need special equipment for a baby photoshoot at home, you can do it using your everyday camera phone, or with a dSLR camera; the only disadvantage of using a camera phone is that it can be hard to get the exposure right but using the ‘portrait’ mode can help with this.
It’s a good idea to use the timer too, and you could invest in a Bluetooth remote control to make it even easier. With a dSLR camera, lenses with wide aperture capabilities will help blur the background and make the photo look more professional.
Whatever type of camera you use, a tripod/camera holder is also really useful. If you’re just starting out and want more tips, read our post on finding the best camera for beginners.
Poses
It’s worth having a look around to see which kind of poses you want for your baby photoshoot, but here are some of the most common poses:
- Swaddled in a blanket/wrap
- Parent and baby
- Both parents with the baby
- Feet (including the baby’s feet held in the adult’s hands)
- Sleeping, often close up
- Feeding
- Baby looking over the adult’s shoulder
- With an older sibling
- With a pet
- Wearing a cute/novelty hat
- In a nest
- With a toy
- Yawning
- Themed backdrop, i.e. a woodland theme
Hopefully, this quick guide has given you some baby photoshoot ideas to try at home, whatever your aim is; whether it’s to have a professional-looking shoot that will take pride of place over your fireplace for years to come, or just some cute shots that will melt your Instagram followers (read our guide to taking amazing Instagram shots for more advice on this).
Camera equipment doesn’t come cheap, whether you’re a professional photographer or a part-time snapper, so it’s worth having a look at camera insurance. You can choose from Amateur and Semi-Professional, or Professional policies that can then be tweaked to fit around the kind of photography you do. Give it your best shot and get a free, no-strings quote today.
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