Newborn Photography - Natural Light Photography of Your Newborn
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by: AnnaMyers
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The baby is finally here, and everyone wants pictures! But every time you try to take pictures, your beautiful baby looks like a little wrinkly old person instead of that exquisite being you see before you. Well, here are some tips to capture your newborn for the best results.
- Film or digital? It actually does not matter. But if you are using film, try to get some black & white film that is rated at least 400 ISO, preferably 800 ISO. Newborns often have skin coloring issues for several weeks and black and white removes that aspect, and besides that will always be a classic look. If you are using a digital camera, you can turn the image black & white on the computer, or online if you are using an online printing service.
- Turn off the Flash! Use window light for the best natural soft light to show off your baby. Find a window that has an abundance of good light, not direct sun light streaming in, but good indirect sunlight. Morning light is usually very good if your windows are facing the right way to take advantage of that, and newborns are often calmer in the morning.
- Remove clutter from the background of your shot by putting the baby in a carrier with a solid colored blanket covering it, or on the bed with white sheets. Make sure it is a safe area for the baby so that you can have your face behind the camera and not worry that the baby will fall off the bed.
- Photograph newborns without clothing for the best, most organic results. You can keep on the diapers if they do not have a bunch of cartoons on them, or you can use a diaper cover or fabric to cover the diaper.
- With your camera ready, making sure the babies face and body is turned toward the light from the window, start taking pictures from different angles. Try to fill the frame with the baby and the solid colored blanket or sheet, avoiding additional clutter or items that may get into your background.
- Do not try to get the baby to smile, just take a series of images from different angles, with some of the baby looking at the camera and some of the baby's profile, some of the top of the head etc. Keep working your way around the baby talking and singing to your baby to try to engage them. If the baby starts fussing, soothe them as needed and when they are calm, try again.
- If the baby falls asleep, no problem - photograph them while sleeping! When they are asleep you can take pictures of feet and hands as they are not moving. Think of the beautiful images by Anne Geddes, who became famous for her sleeping newborns images. When newborns are awake they tend to move constantly which can make it challenging to get still images without motion.
- While you are photographing, take lots and lots of pictures. The more you take, the more you are likely to find ones you will like. Take full body shots from different angles, half body shots, close ups of faces, hands, feet, wrinkly shoulders, fuzzy hair lines, etc
- When it is time to develop the images - whether on your computer or at the lab, develop your pictures and then sit down and go through them, looking with an artistic eye to choose the ones that capture the baby that you see, and this time in your life which will pass so quickly. Choose the best ones for an artistic birth announcement.
About the Author
Anna Myers is a fine art San Francisco Portrait Photographer who specializes in artistic newborn portraits. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
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