The baby is finally here, and everyone wants pictures! But every time you try to take pictures, your beautiful baby looks like a little wrinkly old person instead of that exquisite being you see before you. Well - here are some tips to capture your newborn for the best results.
- First things first - Turn off the Flash! Use window light for the best natural soft light to show off your baby. Find a window that has an abundance of good light - not direct sun light streaming in, but good indirect sunlight.
- Remove clutter from the background of your shot by putting the baby in a carrier with a solid colored blanket covering it, or on the bed with white sheets.
- Remove the babies clothing down to the diapers. Less clothing is better for newborn photography to really show the baby as they tend to not fit clothing well at this age, and clothing is more of a distraction. If the diapers have cartoons on them, try to cover the cartoons by folding the diaper over, or putting fabric over that area - or take your chances and remove that diaper! Work quickly at this point if you choose this route.
- With your camera ready, making sure the babies face and body is turned toward the light from the window, start taking pictures from different angles. Try to fill the frame with the baby and the solid colored blanket or sheet - avoiding additional clutter or items that may get into your background. Do not try to get the baby to smile - just take a series of images from different angles, with some of the baby looking at the camera and some of the baby’s profile, some of the top of the head etc. Keep working your way around the baby talking and singing to your baby to try to engage them. If the baby starts fussing, soothe them as needed and when they are calm, try again. If they fall asleep - no problem - photograph them while sleeping! Take more pictures than you think you need - you never know which ones you will like. Make sure to get come full body, some half body and some close ups of face, hands, feet and other cute, memorable body parts - like the fuzzy wrinkly shoulders, funny hair lines, and more.
- Now it is time to develop the images- whether on your computer or at the lab, develop your pictures and then sit down and go through them, looking with an artistic eye to choose the ones that capture the baby that you see, and this time in your life.
Anna Myers is a widely acclaimed San Francisco Photographer who specializes in artistic newborn photography. Her studio is located in Alameda, California where she works to create extraordinary images that are spontaneous, artistic and unforgettable. Her portraits are easily recognized by their soulful, candid essence that is contemporary yet timeless
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