Planning a Newborn Photoshoot for your newborn baby: A First-Timer’s Guide

Planning a Newborn Photoshoot for your newborn baby: A First-Timer’s Guide

13 May 2020 | 8 min Read

Rhucha Kulkarni

Author | 1 Articles

Bringing a #baby into today’s world is no simple task, it demands immense patience, strength and resourcefulness. The lack of sleep, physical stretch of carrying a new being inside you, and bodily changes that a #new mother goes through- all this can be overwhelming. Parents spend weeks adjusting to the new schedule (or the lack of it!), only to realize that change is the only constant, as the baby grows! The time after your baby’s birth is hectic indeed, as your body and soul are slowly recuperating.

But hey, those teeny-weeny toes, and innocent button-eyes nullify all the physical and emotional turbulence you are going through! Sure, planning (and actually going through) a photoshoot for your precious #newbornbaby may be the last thing on your mind! But did you know that your tiny bundle of joy will soon be tiny no more?

The average #newborn gains weight at a rate of 2⁄3 of an ounce (20–30 grams) per day and by one month weighs about ten pounds (4.5 kg). A baby grows between 1.5 and 2 inches (4.5 to 5 cm) during the first month.
https://www.healthychildren.org

It is therefore, imperative that you capture this newborn tininess, and preserve this beautiful memory to cherish for a lifetime!

 

What is the best time for a newborn photoshoot?

Parents often feel that the older the baby, the better it is to click him or her. Nothing can be farther than the truth. Once a baby is born, you will find dramatic physiological and behavioral changes happening every fortnight (and sometimes every week!!). Newborn posing is safely and effectively done in the phase when your newborn is still in such a mode where he/she enjoys deep sleep for long hours, and is physically flexible.

The ideal time for a newborn photoshoot is 5-15 days, sometimes maximum doable till a month

 

How to select a newbornsession suitable to you?

A newborn photoshoot is done by a specialized #newbornphotographer, who excels at #newbornposing and photographing. Most important is to select a #photographer who is trained and certified in newborn handling and posing, because babies this age are very delicate and have distinct #safety and #wellbeing considerations. Essentially, a newborn shoot focuses on capturing the baby’s cuteness in this passing phase- all tiny and bundled up! A newborn session is typically of following types:

Theme-based photoshoot: Your newborn would be posed in a variety of props and posing aids such as baskets, bowls, bean bags etc. Typical newborn posing is done by swaddling the baby in a variety of styles and setups that include textures, furs, drapes, etc. For example, a container-wrapping setup comes with a backdrop, a container (such as a basket or a bowl), stuffing and layers, and baby’s #swaddle. Swaddles in different styles help create a unique look in each setup. Bean bag poses focus exclusively on the baby, with minimalistic setup and few props. Some popular bean bag poses are potato sack, tushy-up, side-sleep, taco, froggy pose etc. Many of the bean bag poses require significant sleepiness and flexibility and are best done within 15 days of birth. Moreover, every photographer brings his or her own creativity to offer exclusive and interesting #props. So, make sure you check out the photographers’ portfolio in detail, to get a good idea of the themes and setups. A theme-based photoshoot is great if you wish to build a #creative #newbornportfolio with exclusive props.

Lifestyle photoshoot: A #lifestylesession is more natural and fluidic, and focuses on capturing day-to-day #familymoments and freeze them as memories. It involves using the baby’s items of daily use like crib, bed, toys, home-elements like windows, etc. A lifestyle session often involves the whole family, and is great if you wish to create very natural, daily memories of baby-family interactions.

Digitals: This demands an entirely different technique in photography i.e. compositing. A host of digital backdrops (files) are available to purchase off the internet. The newborn is posed as per the backdrop (often on a bean bag), and is then edited into the digital file. The outcome is a very clean, crisp, unique, single image which definitely stands apart as a lifetime memory! Some #photographers may offer digitals as a part of the package, while others may charge extra because of the specialized skillset requires in creating realistic-looking digitals.

Parent / Family poses: Parent/sibling/family poses are soulful and emotion-based, focusing on the relationship and connect, often on plain backdrops or in the natural home environment (in case of lifestyle shoots). Most photographers offer #parentposing as a part of their packages. After all, parents are an integral part of the memory-making! #Siblings and/ or extra family members require different skills, time and effort, and may be charged separately.

You must select the type of newborn session based on what is the purpose of planning the shoot. Ask these questions- Is it for a baby-arrival announcement for family and friends? Is it to display on social media? Is it for an advertising #babyportfolio? Or is it simply for you and your kid to look back on these fond moments when he/she is all grown up!

 

What to expect in a newborn photoshoot?

Select a photographer who gets highly involved in the experience-curation, to ensure the customized, #bestexperience for your baby:

Pre-shoot discussion: Understanding your newborn: A good #professionalnewbornphotographer will deep-dive into understanding you and your baby. A detailed discussion about your newborn’s details such as behavior, timely birth, feeding schedules, etc. must happen with your selectedphotographer. In case of premature babies, the photographer will ideally have a discussion with your pediatrician to know of any special considerations. Thereafter, discussion about your preferred styles and colors will help customize the session to your liking.

During the shoot: Many photographers offer services in the comfort of your home, so that the mother need not commute during her post-delivery recovery (do check on this!). Others may have a comfortable homely studio with a separate room for feeding. Feeding breaks will be a part and parcel of the session, usually one or two feeds suffices for one session. The actual newborn shoot requires minimal handling of the baby by the #parents. The photographer/poser will do most of the #babyposing and baby handling, so you can sit back and relax for most of the baby-posing. For #familyposes, you will need to move about and settle into certain poses, as suggested by the photographer. Feel free to take breaks and rest-time, especially for the mother who is recovering post-delivery.

Post-shoot delivery: You may be able to choose the final photos, or the photographer will make the best selections based on experience and expertise, to create a diverse, exclusive portfolio of your #child. Make sure you back up the digital portfolio on your cloud and devices so that you do not lose it. Check if you want to opt for albums, prints, posters etc. to decorate your home with these beautifulmoments!

Post-shoot engagement: A great photoshoot outcome and experience is the result of personal connect with the photographer. Once the photographer establishes a comfort level with your kid, there is a natural progression to associate as your own #familyphotographer! Discuss further #milestonesessions of your child such as #infant (2-6 months), #sitter (6-9 months), one-year #milestone (10-13 months), #toddler (14 months – 3 years), young child (3-5 years) and #child (5 years+). Block dates in advance to avoid disappointments due to slot non-availability.

A newborn shoot is not just about memory-capturing, it is a whole new experience in spending quality-time with your baby! A professional-grade newborn photographer understands the difficult times that #newparents are going through, and hence focuses on curating an engaging, enjoyable session for #parents and baby alike! Freeze these moments in time forever, and look back upon these lifetime memories with nostalgic elation!

Your little one will thank you for these timeless memories once he or she is little no more!

Note: All photographs in this article are original and belong to the author. Reproducing them in any form without the permission of the author will not be allowed.

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