Newborn Photography Tips & Tricks

Newborn photography is such a wonderful experience. You are getting to document the most special moment in someone's life. I remember the first newborn shoot I did, I was so nervous. I kept thinking, this has to be perfect. These parents will never get this time back with their little one, so I felt that there was a huge responsibility on my shoulders to capture as many beautiful shots as possible.

Here are some tips and tricks that help me when doing newborn photo shoots:

1. 2 week rule. Schedule the shoot to take place before the baby is 2 weeks.

2. Setup beforehand. When you first arrive, prepare all of your props and go from room to room of the location to decide what you will need to use and where you'll use it. You can also take test shots, so you know what settings each room will require.

3. Be patient. The baby will need to take many breaks to eat and possibly be fussy, so be ready for that.

4. Heat the home or use a space heater. Since the baby will be nude in most of the shots, you want to make sure that he/she is plenty warm and comfy.

5. Have diapers and puppy pads on hand. The baby will have some accidents (both kinds), so in between shots, be sure to protect furniture and yourself with these.

6. Photograph in natural light. Flashes can sometimes startle a baby, so if you do use a flash turn other lights on so the flash isn't so harsh and angle the flash so that the light bounces off of the ceiling.

7. Get close. Newborns have wrinkles and lanugo, these are wonderful things that a mom will look back on fondly, so be sure to get close and capture that. Also, if the baby has birth marks, photograph those too.

8. Use all angles. Take pictures from every angle. Even if it seems like a strange angle, sometimes those are the ones that turn out the best.

9. Don't take a break. Sometimes the pictures that we all ooh an ahh over are the ones that chronicle real life. If mom is changing a diaper or feeding the baby, keep taking pictures (ask her permission on shooting her while feeding though).

10. Make use of every part. Be sure to photograph the baby's hands, feet, ears, etc. You can get really creative with these kinds of shots.