Find Materials Around The House
Now that youve determined which photos you want to try to achieve, go around your home looking for props that might help you with your photos.
You can get really creative!
You 100% do NOT need to buy anything to achieve beautiful photos, but here are some cute ideas of things you can pick up on Amazon if you want to get something new for your photos
Gently Adjust The Babys Arms And Legs
The froggy pose with the baby resting his or her head on the hands isnt a DIY pose. But the placement of the infants arms and legs can make a big difference in the image.
While you pose the baby on the back or side, gently move the arms and legs into a snuggly position. This can mean placing the hands near the cheeks or crossing the legs to show off baby toes.
Never force a baby into a position and always move them slowly and gently. If they are sleeping soundly and not resisting attempts to reposition them, adjusting the arms and legs can make all the difference in the pose.
Bonus Tip: Consider Monthly Baby Pictures
DIY baby photography shouldnt end at the newborn stage. Taking monthly photos is a great way to track your childs growth over the first year.
Consider using a prop that will help show a sense of scale when used in all the images, such as a stuffed animal or a letter board.
Keeping images consistent from one month to the next will highlight change the best. Remember that while your newborn wont try to crawl away, your 11-month-old will. Choose props and a background that will grow with the baby.
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Simple Tips For Shooting Diy Newborn Photography At Home
Babies grow up fast and change so much even in days. There is no way people can schedule a professional photo shoot to capture every little milestone.
So its a smart idea to learn how to take DIY newborn photography at home. The photos might not look that professional. But DIY newborn photography has advantages.
Like you can take all the time you need. Or use any props that you have on hand.
For the rest of the tips, read here.
Include Your Older Children
Some of the sweetest and most endearing photos you can take of your new baby will be the ones you get with his or her older siblings. I set out a task for myself to get an image of Gabriel with each of his nine older brothers and sisters. I still have two to go, but I am getting there!
Older children may be able to hold their new brother or sister, while simple laying down poses are perfect for younger children. This will make your older children feel special and involved as well, which is always a bonus when there is a new baby in the house getting a lot of attention!
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Take Advantage Of Diy And Take Your Time
When you choose DIY newborn photography, you lose the skill, expertise, equipment and creative eye of working with a professional newborn photographer.
But what you gain is time and an understanding of the subject the baby. Take advantage of those perks.
Like heading out to the studio, the best time to do the newborn shoot is typically between two and three weeks old. With DIY, you can start earlier and continue later if you need.
With DIY newborn photography, you dont have to travel to a studio and get all the photos done in one day. Take advantage of the time that you have with your new baby. Spread out the different setups and poses.
Dont stress out yourself and the baby by trying to do it all in one day. Stick to one or two setups a day, or for as long as the baby stays content. Try additional props and poses the next day.
Another perk of DIY newborn photography? No one knows your baby better than you. When is your baby most content and most likely to sleep? Thats the best time to try to shoot newborn photos.
Ensure The Baby Is Comfy And Sleepy
Make sure the baby is sleepy and comfortable. When I photograph newborn families at home, I set a nice and calm mood. My main goal is to ensure the newborn is comfy by recreating what it felt like in their moms tummy. You can do this by keeping the room warm , using a white noise app , and, most importantly, keeping them in a tight swaddled. I usually start my photo sessions with a wrapped baby and once I have lots of beautiful photos, I test the waters and I start slllowwwwlllyyyy unwrapping them. Using a pacifier can be a game-changer as well even if you use it just for your photo session.
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Diy Newborn Photo Example #2 Babys Profile In Mom Or Dads Hands
I love baby profile shots because they capture the pure perfection of tiny newborn details that precious little nose, the tiny ears and the sweet hair swirls. Its a slightly different way of photographing a baby, in place of the standard shot of his face.
To get this photo, all you need is baby positioned in someones lap, with their head cradled in the hands. This is a sweet shot whether baby is sleeping or awake, but I love how this little guy is looking up at his dad. It is such a beautiful way of displaying how most of baby fits in dads hands, and the contrast between dads hands and babys body is so precious.
In this image, were once again relying completely on natural light. Its taken mid-morning, around 11 am. The window is just behind dad and baby.
You can see the soft outline of the decorative couch pillows. Had those not been a neutral shade, I would have moved them out of the shot to keep the focus on baby.
Heres another variation of this same photo :
I simply changed my position to snap this image. Instead of photographing from the side, Im standing directly over baby, in front of dad. Youll still capture babys little features, as well as dads hands. This works just as well with mamas, grandparents and older siblings that you trust to hold your little one.
Heres one more, with me positioned in front of dad:
See, DIY newborn photos are easier than you thought!
Keep The Newborn Safe During The Photoshoot
Those cute photos that you see of newborns holding their own head up in their hands in the froggy pose? They arent real.
Photos like the froggy pose and other complex shots are composite images. To keep the baby safe, the photographers assistant held the baby in place. Then the assistant was later Photoshopped out of the image.
The same concept applies to images where the baby appears to be dangling from a hammock or another prop.
DIY newborn photography is only safe when using poses that the baby can also DIY. Never place the baby in a position that they cant hold themselves.
The same concept applies to using props. Never place the baby in a prop that could tip. Props also should be made of safe materials. That old box with peeling paint you found at a flea market looks cute, lead paint is not cute.
The safest DIY newborn photography pros are simple blankets, hats, and swaddles.
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Use Letter Board Announcement
You can create an announcement with baby birth details for your DIY newborn photos. It can be a letter board or a special sign. Remember it should match the design of the children’s room. When the sign is ready, put it near the baby. To have a smiling child in the photos, make a funny face or show his/her favorite toys.
Use The Master Bedroom And Nursery
My favorite places to take newborn photos are the master bedroom and the nursery. For both of these locations, its easiest to have the baby wrapped up in a cute swaddle or a favorite blanket, especially because this can soothe fussier babies. A plain white onesie looks great too.
Master bedroom
In the bedroom I like to place the baby towards the end of the bed and take several photos at different angles. Make sure to face the top of your newborns head towards the window light . Adding siblings and family members to this pose is simple, as they can safely slip in behind the baby.
Nursery
In the nursery my two favorite shots are: the baby sleeping in the crib, and a parent snuggling the baby in a rocking chair. Im going to let you in on a little pro secret we newborn photographers like to move your furniture around! If the crib or chair arent near a window, feel free to move them so you have nice, pretty light instead of a dark corner.
Take the crib shots from an above, birds-eye view, and then from the side. If youre up for a little challenge try different angles and points-of-view, like shooting through the crib slats or mobile . Each parent can trade off with the camera while the other reaches in to hold babys hand. Siblings can peek into the crib or reach an arm in to gently touch the baby.
Pro tip: Use your bed.
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How To Take Your Own Diy Newborn Photos
As lockdowns for Covid19 continue I thought it might be helpful to give you some tips on DIY Newborn Photos at home. These definitely do not replace having a professional photographer come in but I hope they can at least give you a few cute photos of your baby while you wait for your actual session. Im going to cover some basics of lighting and highlight a few poses you can easily do at home with your camera phone!
Tips For The Sweetest Newborn Photography Sessions
Our recommendation is to wait until the newborn is nice and sleepy. This allows you to pose and photograph in freedom.
You will find this is easier when the newborn is only a few days old. Whereas a week old newborn can take up to an hour to fall asleep.
Read here for the other 11 newborn photography tips to help you get started.
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How To Take Newborn Photos At Home
The Covid-19 Pandemic has encouraged us to explore new avenues. We have practiced our hair cutting skills, baking skills, teaching/childcare at home, you may have even tried some DIY home improvement projects. Have you given photography a shot? You would be surprised how great a shot todays cell phones can get with their updated cameras! Ill run down the top, most important points of how to take newborn photos at home.
On The Day Of The Photo Session
Keep things as normal as possible. This photo session isnt about rushing and cleaning at the last minute. Its supposed to be fun and a time to enjoy together as a family! Have your outfit of choice laid out and make sure its clean. I wouldnt worry too much if your baby poops during this process. Most kids dont care too much about a dirty diaper. You know your baby best. Just know that if baby wakes up because of a diaper change, you will likely have to start the process again from the beginning or wait for the next sleep cycle. Choose wisely.
Have your baby dressed in your wrap or onesie of choice before you feed. The reason you want to do this is because changing the baby after theyve fallen asleep will almost guarantee to wake them up. If you are using a wrap, please read below about posing * to properly have arms/hands out. Use a bib to ensure your babys outfit doesnt get soiled during the process. If you need to do some last minute pillow fluffing, or removal of clutter, your partner should do this at this time. Once your baby falls asleep its show time!
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Editing On Your Phone
I highly recommend the Lightroom app.It is available in the app store from Adobe the makers of Photoshop. A little secret you might not know is that most photographers use Lightroom on their computers to edit your photos, not Photoshop! I rarely take an image into Photoshop for editing, 99% of my work is done in Lightroom.
There are tons of tutorials on YouTube on how to use Lightroom so Ill let you search that out yourself. Plus you can find presets that will help with doing the editing for you. Similar to Instagram filters. Again there are too many to name but I like Noble presets and Refined presets for mobile.
Collect Your Outfit Props And Accessories
This is the part we all love: Wardrobe. Pick an outfit and accessories for your little one to wear for her big debut, or keep it au natural with just a cute cloth diaper.
Whatever you choose, be sure to have a few backup options in case an accident happens. Also in the photos favorite toys and family keepsakes work well.
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Tip : Consider Investing In A Slr Camera
I began using a SLR camera once my kids were born. I was never trained formally and just taught myself from home because I wanted to take photos of my kids while staying home with them. For me, this was the best investment and choice I made as a mother.
Overtime, Ive taken thousands of photos of my daughters, many of them I now consider to be priceless. For these photos alone, the SLR camera was worth the investment.
I dont know much about Nikon SLRs because I began with the Canon line. I went from the entry level Canon EOS Rebel series Canon Rebel T7 to Canon 7d to the full frame Canon 5d.
The entry level Rebel series is great for anyone who wants to learn digital photography. I would highly recommend it, perhaps with a better lens if you want better quality photos out of it I used the Rebel for at least three years before investing in a better body.
Tips For Using Your Iphone Camera
- Use the regular photo mode portrait mode can distort the face a little and the blur just not always look good. If you want to try it you can but make sure to make also regular photo mode pictures.
- Make sure you use the regular color add filters later.
- Use the focus tool on your iPhone This is the yellow box that appears on your screen when you touch the sceen. It will help you focus the camera on your baby.
- You can control the exposure of your photos before you shoot. Next to the focus box, click on the exposure meter to lighten or darken the image. It can make a whole difference, especially when there is not enough light in the room.
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Newborn Pose #: Side Lying Or Back Lying
Once I have plenty of pictures of baby on her tummy, I take a few with her on her side or back. These get a little more challenging to do naked, as you have to make sure babys legs stay crossed.
Start the same way you would for the first pose, with a naked baby in a blanket in your arms. Once hes sleepy, gently lay him down on his back and remove the blanket. Cross his feet and bend his knees like you see in the photo below and just hold them there with your hand for a few minutes. If he relaxes in that position, youll be able to slowly remove your hand and his legs will stay crossed.
It helps if you have something you can gently wrap the baby in to hold the legs crossed. The white fabric above is just a length of cheesecloth. You can also make or buy a pretty crochet bowl or peapod that will help keep the babys legs pulled in and crossed. Search for newborn photography props.
For this type of pose I usually move my couch cushions out of the way and put the baby all the way down on the floor. Then I stand on a chair near him and photograph him from directly above . But if the baby really wants to turn her head to the side its worth hopping off the chair and lying down right next to her to get a few photos that show her face better .
For this last photo I was crouching so I was still above the baby, but not directly above her.
A couple reminders:
How Do You Take Professional Newborn Pictures At Home
Purchase the best newborn photography accessories and outfits that will make your newborn look adorable and the photos look magical!
A small piece can make the photo look completely different and proffectional.
Here you have a collection of the most awesome items and ideas that you can purchase online and take perfect DIY newborn photo-shoots at home:
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Styling Your Diy Newborn Photos
Keep it simple.
A wrap and/or hat or simple headband can look gorgeous, and the easiest way to make it work is to ensure theyre from the same colour family and only vary the tones.
Alternatively, use one colour and add only neutral tones.
If you like the more posed style newborn photos, a beanbag is the way to go.
Most importantly, make sure its well filled with beans so that its firmer than youd normally have it when using it for seating. Then drape a throw over the bag, and pull it up at the back and drape it or clip it to something that sits a good metre higher than the bean bag.
Professional photographers attach it to a backdrop stand but know that a clothes horse works really well too.
Attach it in a way that you avoid any wrinkles! You dont want to be trying to fix that in every single photo later when editing.
This pose is nice, easy, and safe the baby is on her belly, knees gently up and hands under her chin.
This pose is simply the baby on her side, hands folded as if in prayer and placed under her cheek, feet crossed at the ankles.