One of the most wonderful things we did when Red was born was to have his newborn photos taken. I look at them every week in one capacity or another, and love, love, love, what they capture. We were lucky enough to have the same opportunity with Scarlett, and when she was only 8 days old, drove up to north Georgia to have her newborn photos taken.
And when we went, I brought WAY too much stuff with me: outfits from my infancy, blankets, headbands, accessories and headbands… I only used a portion of it, but I really liked having an arsenal of choices at my fingertips. Amy, the photographer, had tons of accessories, too. Baskets, blankets, backdrops and even soft music and a water feature running to soothe my baby. She took great care with Scarlett and had lots of patience for diaper changes and squirmy arms. So how did we get such great photos? Here are my tips:
Hire a pro to take your Newborn Photos
Sure, you can snap some photos with your camera, your phone, or your DSLR, but a patient professional with the correct setup will result in photos that are simply stunning! For example, this before and after of Scarlett being posed is so awesome… a seamless edit by Amy Dingler Photography!
Bring accessories that you want to feature
My friend Kristin gave me this adorable tiara at my baby shower, and I freakin’ love it. It’s a soft, elastic band with the tiara affixed to the front, so it’s comfortable for my baby and was my favorite item that we used for the shoot. I also brought props to set up a newborn announcement card and it turned out really nicely. Thanks, Pinterest for the inspiration!
Be Patient
Babies are squirmy, wiggly, sleepy and hungry. Build out a large block of time 2-3 hours for your session, just in case you need to feed your model, change a diaper, or take extra minutes perfecting a little pose. Babies (just like in birth) have their own plans, so don’t try to plan out your whole session or get too uptight if your little model simply won’t hold a pose. Take their movements and positions in their natural state and remember how sweet they are!
Get In on the Picture
Even if it’s just your arms holding your little one, bring yourself into the photo. I showed up to the shoot like a new mom would – hair undone, barely any makeup, and what I’m sure were milk stains on my shirt. But the joy in my face looking down at Scarlett was captured when I didn’t even see Amy snapping a shot. I’m glad to have it. The photo below was one I had been planning since before the birth – the flower belt I wore in my maternity photos was draped across Scarlett’s diaper, and I love the compared result!
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