Newborn photo shoots are a great way to capture amazing memories of your child. When working with new parents, one of the most common questions I receive is how to prepare for the newborn photo shoot. Here are five quick tips to help get you ready!
Keep Your Baby Awake Before the Session
As you’ve likely learned, babies are not always the most predictable, particularly when it comes to their sleep schedules. Some of the favourite shots for newborn photos involves capturing your little bundle of joy while they are sleeping.
While newborns certainly sleep a lot, how can you be certain they will sleep for these types of photos? One of the best suggestions is to keep them awake prior to the photo shoot. This tends to make it likely your baby will sleep through most of the session, making it easy to capture these restful poses.
Dress Them in Loose Diapers and Clothing
You probably have thought quite a bit about what you want your little one to wear during their newborn photo shoot. However, there are a few things you may not have thought about. One of these things tends to be the tightness of clothing.
Ensure that you dress your baby in loose fitting clothing. This will keep the clothing from leaving imprints on their skin. Leaving their diaper a bit loose will avoid the same issue. As an alternative, a loose-fitting diaper and swaddled baby will work well too.
Think About Meaningful Props
There are many great ways to capture memorable images of your newborn. One thing that many parents enjoy is posing the child with something meaningful. Things like blankets, toys, and stuffed animals are common choices.
One thing that some parents have done is have a photo or two taken with the baby posing with an item that has been passed down from one generation to another. Capturing your newborn cuddled up next to mom’s favourite teddy bear from when she was a child makes for a great photo!
Bring Extra Diapers & Feeding Supplies
Two of the most critical things to bring to your newborn photo shoot are diapers and feeding supplies for the baby. Extra diapers are always useful as you never know when your little one will have an unexpected blowout. I typically advise to have at least two extras on hand.
Food is also important in case your baby gets hungry. Additionally, a recently fed baby newborn tends to be great for posing for photos. Having these things on hand can help you be prepared for the unexpected during your newborn photo shoot.
Have Fun
Parents often feel pressured and stressed when it comes to planning a newborn photo session. After all, these sessions are very important. However, a newborn photo shoot should also be a time where you can relax and enjoy the experience.
Professional photographers like me are very experienced with newborn photo shoots, able to deal with the unexpected and manage to get beautiful photos of your newborn. My goal is to listen to what you want out of a session, offer recommendations, and capture the perfect photos. Just sit back, have fun, and let me do all the work!
While you are here, why don't you check out my newborn portfolio!