Newborn Posing Tips From an Expert Baby Photographer

Newborn Photography  •  Photography Tips

Photographing a newborn is probably one of the most satisfying experiences; it is also one of the most challenging. If you’ve been asked to photograph a newborn you no doubt understand how difficult it is to make everything fall into place. Taking a picture while a baby is asleep isn’t that difficult. But then when the right lighting, the right background, and the right props come into the mix, things start to get a bit complicated. In this video Kelly Brown shares some invaluable pointers for posing and photographing infants:

The most difficult part of photographing newborns is getting the baby into the desired pose. Moving the baby around to get him into a better pose requires both the skills of a caring mother and the knowledge of an experienced photographer. If you haven’t held a baby before it can seem a bit daunting. But don’t worry, after you’ve finished watching this video you should have the confidence to go ahead.

Changing the wraps and getting the baby into something more amiable for the shot is just as difficult. At every step of the way Brown shows you how to use one hand for maneuvering those wraps while using the other to give support to the newborn. This is critical; at no point should the baby (or his parents!) feel that he does not have any support. You need to extremely gentle with those tiny arms and legs and ensure that the head and the overall body is always supported.

Once you have the posing right and your lighting is set up, it’s all downhill from there. Make the most of those few moments while the baby sinks into a deep sleep to get those images!