In the past five or ten years, there has been a measurable increase in the number of newborn photo shoots throughout the country. Parents everywhere are determined to capture their babies’ images the first chance they get.
Studio newborn sessions often happen within the first two weeks of the baby’s life while lifestyle newborn sessions are scheduled when newborns are 2-4 weeks old.
Perhaps you are gearing up for your own newborn’s first photo shoot. Perhaps this is your first child, which means you are even more excited/anxious about it.
If so, there are certain things you should consider to really nail that session with the photographer. Detailed below are the ten most important things to do to prepare for it. You won’t regret it, because you only have a limited amount of time to capture all of the images you want.
Continue reading to prepare your baby and your family for the optimal newborn photo shoot.
1. Don’t Set Your Expectations Too High
Don’t forget who you’re working with for this photo shoot – it’s not exactly easy to communicate your expectations to a newborn baby! Maintaining flexibility before, during, and after the shoot will be much easier for everyone involved.
Sure, set some goals for the shots you would like to see. Remember, though, it probably won’t turn out exactly as you expect. The point is to enjoy the experience, no matter what happens and look forward to receiving a gallery of beautiful images!
This is a great time to mention that when babies aren’t wearing their diapers there will likely be messes! Plan on bringing an additional outfit just in case.
2. Be Prepared To Get in Front of the Camera Yourself
You want to capture the precious moments of your baby’s first few days in the world. Doesn’t that mean you should capture yourself with the baby? Even if you don’t feel glamorous at the moment, you won’t regret family photos in the future.
Get yourself just as dolled up as your new baby, and be ready to pose. Even if it’s only for a couple of shots, you deserve to be the center of attention, too!
3. Consider Prepping Older Siblings for the Shoot, Too
Speaking of family photo opportunities, why not try to capture every family dynamic with your new little angel? Newborn photo shoots can be adorable when an older sibling is photographed caring for or loving on the infant.
Talk with your photographer about what kind of sibling photos he or she would have in mind for your growing family. You can even have your older children simply pose candidly with the baby. That’s a great way to capture the genuine beginning of their growing relationship.
It’s not necessary to bride your children. Tell them that they are going to a photo session and they are going to have their pictures taken. When siblings are involved many dads leave with their older children after the family and parent shots are completed so it isn’t too long of an experience for them and then swing back to pick up the mom and baby.
4. Keep the Props Simple
The goal of this entire photo shoot is to capture the essence of your new little baby. It’s a good idea not to get too caught up in the perfect prop, outfit, or background.
Simple aesthetics are perfect for newborn photos since the focus will be on the baby instead of the ornate bouquet of flowers you had special ordered, for example. Stick with more simple props like a blanket or a rattle.
Be sensible with the props you want to work with, so that you and everyone involved will avoid getting overwhelmed.
Also not that I have a variety of simple props from wooden bowls to antique scales and wraps of varying colors.
5. Plan To Take Your Newborn During Naptime
Most of the newborn photos you have probably seen feature the infant in repose with closed eyes. There’s a reason for that – it’s easiest to photograph an infant when he or she is fast asleep.
If at all possible, try and schedule the photo shoot around the time when your baby is most likely to be asleep. Often late morning is the perfect time to schedule. We can try to get some photos with the baby’s eyes open. This, though, can be difficult if the baby is being fussy. An ideal newborn session would be to have a sleepy baby, if possible try to keep your baby awake for plenty of time before the shoot so that he or she is tired enough to sleep through the experience.
6. Work with your Photographer
Don’t forget that your photographer wants the best outcome of this experience, too! Trust your photographer to photograph your new baby, and work together to figure out everything as you go. Consider your photographer as a partner, not an adversary.
7. Stay Positive Throughout the Newborn Photo Shoot
As mentioned above, you don’t really know exactly how this photo shoot is going to go. You could show up at the location with your baby suddenly throwing some terrible tantrums. It’s important not to let the frustrations ruin your experience, though.
Maintaining a positive attitude from start to finish will make the experience worth any hiccups along the way. Plus, your other family members and the photographer will appreciate your optimism. Remember that this is a fun and exciting time for you and your family!
8. Only Work with the Best Photographers
There is a limited amount of time for you and your photographer to accomplish the newborn photo shoot. In other words, you need to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. That means you need to trust your photographer with whom you and your family will be working.
Ensuring you only work with the most professional photographer you can afford is crucial. Consider the reputation and experience when considering hiring a photographer in your area. It would be worth the investment to go with the credentials you trust the most.
9. Plan Your Favorite Outfits and Props in Advance
After you have thought about what kind of photo shoot you want to happen, it would help if you prepared everything you can ahead of time. For example, what kind of outfits do you want your baby to wear?
Many lifestyle newborn photo shoots include a shot of the baby in a onesie depicting the stats of the baby at birth. No matter what, don’t feel like your options are limited. This is your family’s photo shoot, so be as creative as you want when you decide on outfits or props.
10. Research Style and Pose Ideas
The last step you need to take care of for this newborn photo shoot is the overall concept of the photos you want. It might behoove you to check out some style and pose ideas to help you and your photographer create the best experience for everyone. Keep in mind there are two types of newborn sessions, studio and lifestyle. Studio sessions center mostly around the baby in adorable poses while lifestyle sessions center around families in their homes.
We know how important it is to get this photoshoot as perfect as possible. We encourage you to check out the gallery of previous shoots we’ve done to get started on the ultimate newborn photo shoot sooner rather than later.
