25 TIPS TO TAKE NEWBORN PHOTOS AT HOME

Today we are sharing tips to take newborn photos at home.

Bringing home the baby from the hospital is truly a moment you will never forget. So are those first few weeks at home with a newborn as you learn the ropes of parenting and caring for this most precious baby. But how do you hold on to the most incredible days in your family's life. Taking tons and tons of photos of course! 

Not all parents can afford a newborn photo shoot or perhaps you would like some thing a little less structured or just maybe you want to keep taking photos of your baby to document the little changes every day. Whatever the case maybe, you can take newborn photos at home and capture sweet details of your baby.

So read these tips below to learn how to take newborn photos at home with any camera you have, even a smart phone and still take beautiful images of your baby.

TIPS AND TRICKS TO TAKE GOOD BABY PICTURES AT HOME

1. Take your sweet time when doing a photo shoot of your newborn at home. You are not paying a photographer to shoot for an hour or two. So take it easy and try not to stress yourself. You'll be able to capture some gorgeous clicks eventually.

2. If you want to take photos with a variety of poses and backdrops, then pace yourself. Whenever you feel like the moment is right, bring out the camera and have a shoot. You'll be surprised by the variety of the photos you take.

3. Many parents get stressed thinking that they have to get all the newborn photos taken during the first two weeks of baby's life. Remember, you can still take newborn style photos for much longer and continue taking photos so you can capture the little changes.

4. It's important that the baby is well rested and baby has been fed before you attempt to take baby's photos. A baby who is feeling cranky is certainly not in a mood to pose for photos!

5. After the first few days with the baby, you'll know when the baby is the happiest and the most calm. Aim to take photos during that time period. For most babies, it's the mid morning after a good nap and nursing session.

6.  Lighting is key when it comes to photography. It will have the biggest impact on your photos, next to a happy baby of course. 

7. Sunlight is definitely the most natural source of lighting for taking baby's photos.

8. Keep baby by a North-facing window to take beautiful photos because they let in indirect sunshine that’s not so harsh or glaring.

9. Photograph your baby in front of a west-facing window in the morning or an east-facing window in the afternoon to keep the baby from squinting and to minimize shadows.

10. When taking baby's photos, make sure the baby is placed at an angle. The light should flow from the top of the baby's head down to their body,at about a 45 degree angle.

11. Never up-light your baby when taking baby's photo. If baby is lit from below, the photos will look unflattering.

12. Create a comfortable environment for the baby before you start taking photos. Babies like feeling cozy and warm, so get some blankets  and a space heater to warm up the space and keep baby cozy.

13. Get rid of the clutter in the background to take photos that look professional. Drape a white sheet or blanket to create a backdrop to take newborn photos at home.

14. We talk a lot about white noise machines on this blog, and it will come in handy during your baby's photo shoot at home. A white noise machine will help drown out noises and keep the baby from getting startled and waking up.

15. Definitely get somebody to help out while trying to take photos of the baby if you are using props or getting the baby to pose.

16. If you have a macro lens, use it to capture little details like baby's perfect tiny toenails, cute belly button, etc.

17. Even if you don't have a macro lens, take photos that highlight your baby’s feet, nose, feet and other sweet details.

18. When taking baby's photos, try using different angles and perspectives to get a variety of clicks.

19. Try taking the baby outdoors, if the weather permits to take photos in nature,

20. If you are taking photos outdoors, consider taking photos during the "Magic Hour". It is the first hour after sunrise or the last two hours before sunset. During that time period, the light is softer and warmer, shadows are longer, making the photos look gorgeous.

21. When taking baby photos at home, include siblings in the photo shoot to get photos that are beautiful and precious.

22. Don't forget to take a few photos of yourself with the baby. Many new moms don't like being photographed during the postpartum period. However, one day you will regret not taking photos with the baby, if you don't do it.

23. After taking newborn photos of the baby, continue to plan and take baby photos monthly in the same setting. You'll be able to document baby's development at every stage.

24. Don't forget to keep the camera close, to capture precious moments that are fleeting, such as the first time the baby meets her aunt or cousins. 

25. If you are using a smartphone camera to take baby's photos at home, download a photo app that enhances the quality of photos. Here are some of our favorite apps for new moms. 

• The Camera + app is a great way to enhance the features of your iPhone camera. Some features we love include the touch exposure and focus,  6x zoom with advanced digital processing and, burst, which helps make rapid motion photos possible.
• The Snapseed app is another photo enhancing app with features such as straightening, tuning, cropping, and adjusting.
•  The Fast Burst Camera app is the fastest camera app available for Android, it takes up to 30 photos per second.

You can take gorgeous and memorable newborn photos at home without having to spend a lot of money, with a little bit of patience and following some of these tips we've shared.