Here are 7 tips for Photographing Newborns you need to know
Newborn photography is interesting, fun and scary at the same time. It is nothing like taking the photos of adults or even toddlers. In infant photography, you are dealing with highly unpredictable and fragile subjects. They cannot understand your directions, which is why even some of the most seasoned photographers shy away from clicking the photos of newborns.
If the subject of your next photography assignment is a newborn, here are some tips that can come in handy.
Here are some great tips to get you started right away
Photo by Spencer Selover
Safety is Always a Priority
Whenever you are dealing with infants and even toddlers, safety should always be your priority. It is important to use your common sense when clicking photos of newborns. Don’t make them come into contact with any sharp or hard objects. Don’t place them on unsteady surfaces. You can always use a little Photoshop magic to create something amazing with the photos you have clicked. Do not take any chances, ask the mother or father for help holding and placing the infant.
Focusing on Gear is Not Really Important
You don’t need any super high-end gear to click some amazing newborn photos, but if you can afford it, then that’s great. Most importantly you need to know how to play with the light, camera angles, and your creativity. Any decent camera would do the job. While a high-end camera will give you better image quality, a simple camera is also enough to capture some great images of newborn babies. A little editing can make the results great.
Keep the Newborn Comfortable
When you are clicking photos of newborns, you are aiming for two things, capturing them while sleeping peacefully or capturing them when they are happy and awake. Thus, make sure you don’t do anything that makes them uncomfortable, even if it is something as little as touching them with cold hands. Also, make the environment of the room comfortable so their mood doesn’t end up being ruined.
Choose the Right Time
If you are clicking photos of newborns, the best time is to photograph them sometime between the first 14 days of their birth. These little ones are easiest to handle during the first 14 days of their birth and are sleeping most of the time. This makes them easy to handle. The umbilical cord falls off in almost 5 days of birth. You can click their images sometime after the umbilical cord falls off.
Photo by Rene Asmussen
Get Creative With the Props
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get props for photographing newborns. You can make use of the things at your home to use as props. The idea is to use them the right way making the best use of your creativity. Use blankets and winter hats and scarfs that you have in your closet.
Use Reflectors and Window Light
There is no need to get too fancy with the lighting too. Work in a room that has a window that lets in natural light. This will be enough to click the photos of the little one. In case there are some shadows, use a reflector and you will be good to go.
Take Multiple Shots
Take as many shots of the baby as you can. You don’t know which one might look the best post-production. This is especially important when you are taking their action photos in which they are smiling. Look for the best angles. When it comes to shooting newborns, you need to keep the camera close to them. Taking their close-up shots is the best thing to do.
Taking photos of newborns is a great experience. However, you need to be careful of keeping the little one comfortable while using your creativity to create the best photos. If the job is done right, you will find that these little ones are a great pleasure to photograph.
Hungry for more? Here are another 5 easy tips to photograph newborns.
