Babies grow fast. Scientifically it is proven during the first few months of their life, babies grow and develop at their fastest pace. Parents wish to capture these moments and cherish them forever and most parents plan photoshoots for their babies. If you are planning for the same, here are a few ideas for baby’s first photoshoot.
Infants are extremely cute but delicate as well. They can be molded as you wish but can get irritable pretty quickly. This warrants for proper planning, choosing the right time and picking an experienced photographer if you plan to have one, for your baby’s first photoshoot.
In This Article
- Can a Newborn Baby Have a Photoshoot?
- When to Take Newborn Photos?
- How to Prepare For a Baby’s First Photoshoot?
- Newborn Baby Photo Ideas You May Want to Consider
- How Do You Do a Newborn Photo Shoot at Home?
- FAQ’s
Can a Newborn Baby Have a Photoshoot?
There is no straight answer to this. You can plan for your newborn photoshoot but with few precautions. The photos taken in the first few weeks are the most memorable captures for parents. Such pictures are usually taken between the 2nd and the 4th week. Beyond the 4th week mark, you can still take pictures but may not get the results you are looking for since your baby gets more mobile and may not be as moldable.
So, you can plan a newborn photoshoot but before you do that plan to do complete research on the safety measures and precautions to be followed. If you want to have a complete photoshoot with backdrops and props, it is better to hire a professional photographers with lot of experience in doing newborn photoshoots. As a parent, it is important to know and understand properly what is safe and unsafe for your baby and what things you must bear in mind.
With these measures in place, you can plan to have a photoshoot for your munchkin.
When to Take Newborn Photos?
The most favorable time for a photo shoot is 2 weeks. A 2-week baby can be posed and held easily. Photos can be taken of newbies soon after birth to 2 weeks but only in sleeping and curly pose.
A photoshoot at 2 weeks is manageable as the baby is super sleepy and can be moved easily into adorable cute little poses.
Babies are most sleepy for the first 6 weeks, so if you miss this window, it’s never too late to book a newborn session and preserve the most precious moments of life.
Week 1 to Week 2
During this period, the expectation of a perfect photo shoot is quite low as the baby’s condition is similar to the womb-like state. Babies are tender and it can be difficult to move them around for the fear of hurting them.
Before two weeks babies are more flexible and tend to enjoy tight swaddling (wrapping in a shawl). They have a more predictable sleeping schedule which makes it easier to plan a photoshoot.
Another bonus is babies don’t get baby acne, which tends to arrive after 3-weeks. So, babies’ soft skin, fisted tiny hands and curled legs can be captured.
Week 2 to Week 5
This is an ideal time to plan photoshoot sessions for your baby. Babies still look and act like newborns. This period is called a sweet frame as a baby can be posed with dresses and props creatively. Sessions can be done at flash, flickering light, under sunlight, at a studio or at home.
But some babies are highly sensitive towards sunlight, touch light, excessive handling etc. In that case, the session should be rescheduled for a later date as the baby’s safety and comfort matter the most.
Week 6 to Week 8
This is a less suitable time frame, but beautiful photos can still be captured. Babies are wide awake and active during these weeks so they may create problems during sessions. But good pictures of vibrant eyes and facial expressions can be clicked.
How to Prepare For a Baby’s First Photoshoot?
The photoshoot can be done at home or in the studio. It can be done with or without a photographer. Preparation from the parents’ side is preliminary.
Parents should be with the baby during the shoot, especially the mom as it will keep the baby calm and cut down the environmental stress and anxiety as a newborn photoshoot requires a lot of patience and time. It’s more difficult than shooting for toddlers and adults.
The preparations to be done before the shoot include the selection of
- Shawls, dresses, and props such as baskets, hair bands, fluffy blankets, socks, knitted hats etc. should be done by parents.
- The right photographer who has prior experience with handling baby shoots and knows how to work with babies.
- Background and lights. Natural light would be best preferable to artificial flashlights.
- Poses and time. Speak to the photographer, if hiring, about the time and his style and the quality of the image. Some photographers shoot portraits, some prefer posed scenes, and some photographers better shoot lifestyle. What suits your desire and your baby’s safety should be chosen and appointed.
- The right time is important as babies are unpredictable, often cry, frequently feed and poop, and sometimes get uncomfortable Breaks and poses should be discussed and decided foremost.
- If the photo shoot is desired to do with pets or elder siblings their dresses, props and poses should be discussed and selected before the shoot.
Newborn Baby Photo Ideas You May Want to Consider
Here are some elegant, always-in-trend ideas for newbie photos
1. Parent and Baby
This is the most chosen photo idea for baby’s first photoshoot where parents and babies come in one frame. Many valuable poses can be shot. Parents and babies can be shot holding wedding rings, hands, or while cuddling. These types of pictures always end up capturing memorable and happy moments.
2. Hands and Feet
It’s the most common and often considered theme for baby photoshoots. The soft, small, beautiful baby-fisted hands and small pink feet can be saved forever. Baby holding wedding rings of parents and both parents making one heart around the baby’s feet are some of the most common poses.
3. Baby Sleeping
Swaddling babies in a terry cot, baby bedding, or baby bag, with accessories such as a tie on the head, knitted shoes or hats on, is the most popular theme for capturing the innocence and purity of tiny babies. The clicks look elegant and are the most comfortable and safe pose for babies.
4. Baby in the Basket
These clicks are the ones that parents always look forward to and are comfortable for the baby. A baby curled up in a basket with an attractive backdrop and bold color shawl or dress is one of the most popular ways to take baby pictures. Any designed basket with a soft texture can be used. Most babies are undressed and just covered by a shawl.
5. Curled Up
Curled-up baby in the hand of parents, or a beautiful basket, or with a gorgeous background can be captured to create cherished pictures..
How Do You Do a Newborn Photo Shoot at Home?
Baby photoshoots can be done at home by the parents. Most elegant, creative, stylish photos can be captured. The only thing that needs to be done is the selection of desired poses, backgrounds, dresses and props and light (sunlight is the most preferred). A good quality camera with clarity does work great.
Photoshoots at home are the most comfortable a baby is in a known place.
Poses like a baby sleeping, curled in the basket, holding rings of parents in fisted small hands, in the hold of parents, with siblings and pets can be clicked.
Safety Measures to Consider When Planning a Newborn Photoshoot
With babies younger than 4 weeks of age, you can easily get the positions you are looking for. Pinterest and Instagram are full of such adorable pictures of babies in various settings. As adorable as these pictures may seem, experts warn against taking pictures with various backdrops. There are many reasons for this. Hence, you must ensure that all precautions are in place.
Here are a few pointers you must carefully consider before planning a newborn photoshoot.
1. Plan ahead. Do a complete research on safe and unsafe practices and what should be followed and avoided.
2. Flash photography is absolutely unsafe for newborns. You must avoid it at all costs, especially if you are planning a DIY photoshoot.
3. Have a first aid kit handy before you even start the photoshoot.
4. You must be able to soothe your baby immediately if your baby is distressed during the photoshoot process. If necessary, pause the process for sometime, give your baby a break, soothe them and let them settle. You can restart once your baby is back to normal.
5. Sleeping the baby in safe positions is particularly important. The smallest error can increase the risk of SIDS in babies. Ensure to pick positions that involve the baby sleeping on their back as it is the safest.
6. If you feel that your newborn is struggling with a certain position, showing restlessness or distress, let go of that position immediately. Give a break and try another position.
7. Babies can get startled easily and fall off surfaces that are small. Make sure that you are working with a big enough surface and that there are enough people to provide support to the baby in case the baby seems to fall off the surface.
8. Improper head support during photoshoots can be dangerous for babies too. Ensure that your baby has the right kind of support throughout the shoot.
9. Avoid too bright and strong lighting
10. Picking too many props or chokeable props can cause your baby to suffocate and struggle through the shoot. It is vital to keep such things to a minimum.
11. You must only choose professional baby photographers, preferably women who understand baby safety properly and know how to get the best pictures without disturbing the baby too much.
12. In case you are planning a DIY shoot, too much of props and backdrops must be avoided as you may not be experienced and know how to handle your little one through the process. The priority would be to avoid unnecessary problems or accidents
As a parent, you do want to cherish your baby’s most memorable moments and a photoshoot is an excellent way to capture those moments. But remember safety first. You must understand and put in practice all the safety measures to ensure that the shoot is a smooth sailing process for you and your little one as well.
FAQ’s
1. What Should Mom Wear For Newborn Photos?
Mom can wear anything loose and graceful in neutral tones such as peach, white, pastel pink or pastel blue etc., that go well with the baby’s skin tone.
2. What is the Best Age For Newborn Photos?
The best age is between 2-6 weeks. It can be done in 6- 8 weeks but that’s not the ideal period.
Read Also: Safe Dressing Tips For Newborns
