It’s easy for most of us to take a picture. Unfortunately, taking a good picture is much less easy. Many new parents and grandparents suddenly find themselves in this predicament—they don’t know how to take good baby pictures at home, without a professional photographer. They want to take pictures of their new addition, from the comfort of home, but also want their baby pics to turn out.
To capture your baby’s tiny details and big moments on the fly, armed with just your phone, there are a few things to know.
How to Take Good Baby Pictures at Home
Here are a few infant and newborn photography tips and tricks for new parents and grandparents.
Research and Plan Baby Picture Ideas Ahead of Time
To get as many quality baby pics as possible in an individual photo session, you need to do some planning. Plan out your backdrop, props, wardrobe, and poses before you bring the baby into the mix.
As you are gathering baby photoshoot ideas, make note of clothing, props, and background looks you want to try. But don’t stop there. You should also study how your favorite images are composed, how close or far away the image was, and the different camera angles you want to try.
Gather Baby Photo Backdrop, Props, and Wardrobe
Once you have an idea of the types of shots you want to take and the baby picture looks that you want to emulate, it’s time to select wardrobe, props, and any backdrop you want to use for your photos.
Definitely get rid of clutter in the background of your shot. Consider a DIY blanket or pillow backdrop. A plain, textured background is best to set the scene, but allow your baby to stand out.
Find Soft Lighting for Baby Pics
Lighting is one of the easiest things you can do to help your at-home baby pictures to look more like professional baby pictures. To boost the quality of your baby pictures, turn off overhead lights and use natural lighting. Find the room in your house with the most natural light and harness it into a light and airy photoshoot setting.
Not only do you need to orchestrate natural lighting, but pay attention to the direction of light and how it hits the baby’s face. Harsh lighting like direct sunlight isn’t helpful. It casts heavy shadows and can change skin tone in pictures. To avoid this, you may need to use a curtain to diffuse direct light.
Read more: Complete Guide to Portrait Photography
Fit a Photoshoot into THE BABY’s Schedule
Your baby photoshoot will go much easier if you fit it into the baby’s schedule, rather than the other way around. For newborn photos, this means planning to shoot pictures during nap time, right after your baby has been fed.
Newborn Baby Photography Posing
DIY newborn photography can be especially challenging when it comes to posing. Be sure to gather posing ideas while you are researching DIY newborn photoshoot ideas and make note of the ones that would be most natural for your baby. The last thing you want is an awkward pose that looks unnatural.
No matter how elaborate your backdrop is, it isn’t a good setup if your baby is not safe. Babies should be securely supported when not being actively held. Here are a few helpful articles:
- Newborn Posing Basics
- Newborn Poses Guaranteed to Delight New Parents
- Newborn Photography Posing Guide
Focus on Baby’s Comfort During Your Photoshoot
Newborn photography tips can only take you so far if you can’t get your baby to calm down and stay still. Successful at-home baby photography comes down to making your baby comfortable. Keep the room warm, especially if you are taking pictures of babies in their birthday suit. A sound machine, white noise app, or womb noise track can help to set the mood and help the baby sleep through posing and shooting.
Newborn photoshoots often have the best results right after your baby has been feed and had their diaper changed. Swaddling is also another popular way to keep babies warm, calm, and comfy for a naptime photoshoot. Textured fabrics are popular amongst professional photographers for swaddling because they help hold a pose, can add negative space, and provide visual depth without distracting from the photo’s focus—the baby.
Put Your Phone’s Camera on Portrait Mode
Most smartphones come with a built-in portrait mode that is great for taking baby portraits. This camera app setting smoothes imperfections and applies focus, blurring the background a little. If not available by default, there are several camera apps in the app store and google play that have portrait mode for free that you can try.
Take Your Time with Trial and Error
The biggest advantage parents and grandparents have over professional newborn photographers is time. You don’t have to take photos all at once, during a scheduled, time-limited newborn photo session. You don’t have to fit multiple poses into one session if your baby isn’t feeling it. Parents have the luxury of being able to shoot a little bit during nap time today, and try again tomorrow. You have time to get comfortable with trial and error, so take lots of pictures. That way, you can learn what makes a baby picture good and what makes one bad. Note which lighting, angles, and other elements are pleasing to the eye, and try to recreate those things in your next baby photoshoot.
Related articles:
Capture Baby’s Milestones and Everyday Moments with Bebe Couture
Now that you know how to take good baby pictures from home, the benefits don’t stop once These baby photography fundamentals can be applied to a lifetime of family photos. You can now feel more empowered and able to capture important moments, like baby’s christening, first Christmas, or family weddings.
Bebe Couture has the outfits to help make your baby’s holidays and special events stand out in your memory—and in your baby photos. Check out some of our most picture-perfect baby outfits and accessories:
-
Baby Moccasin Shoe – Silver$15.00 -
Baby Moccasins Shoe – Gray$15.00 -
Brown Baby Boy Dress Shoes$17.00