Never Show Your Nostril and Other Ways to Take Baby Photos That Don’t Suck
Congratulations on this super cute baby! Your little bundle of joy is so precious that it is almost criminal to deprive your online subscribers of a steady stream of photos. But by now, you’ve probably figured out that photographing a child is harder than it sounds, no matter how adorable they are in real life. Here are some tips for taking the best pictures of your little one so you stop saying, “Pictures really don’t live up to it.”
Understand the baby is calling for shots
Even if you were a parent for only a few days, you already know that now everything is following the child. The infant decides when you will sleep, eat, shower, and do all the other normal human activities that you once did. So it shouldn’t come as a shock that the child also decides when they are going to be photographed (anyway, if you want decent results).
Unless your child is in the mood to giggle or wear this spiky tulle outfit from Aunt Diane, this won’t happen. Babies don’t care about Instagram; they care about comfort and food. (We could all learn a thing or two from them.)
“They know what they want and are running the show,” said Aneta DeAngelo, owner of Yellow Lollipop Photography in New Jersey and doing it for ten years. “Some babies like certain positions; some hate them. It’s the same with swaddling clothes, props, etc. “
Even when a person is new, they have preferences. Use an amateur photography session to learn about your child – and respect their wishes. If clothing, lighting, or posture is uncomfortable, move on; attempts to force the situation will not do anyone any good.
Go ahead: follow the trends
Newborn photography, like everything else in the digital age, has its own unique trends and quirks. Hug them, because they will help to make your photos a timely reminder of how the world was when your child was a boy, so that one day you will look back and say: “I can not believe that we did it, but it did! It was style, okay? From naked babies in baskets to age stickers on jumpsuits and monthly let’s-watch-baby-grow-bigger-than-Teddy experiments, these photos are a time capsule.
Libby Brieger , a Brooklyn-based newborn photographer, told Lifehacker that when she started the business four years ago, “It was popular to dress newborns in little knitted outfits with matching hats, like a baseball player, ballerina or whatever. cute animal. It’s more like cleanliness these days, with a baby wrapped or rolled up in a blanket, holding on to a small teddy bear and sleeping peacefully. “
Today, you’ll find a seemingly endless array of photography floor mats that you can place your baby on once a month and take a picture (or 27) to track their age and height. This is a huge trend right now, but probably not much longer, so get into it as long as you can.
Exemplary peace of mind for your little one
If you are agitated, the child will be too agitated and then you will not succeed. This is a lesson for parents in general, but it is especially true when trying to make a suspicious dressed baby smile.
“Something that surprised me about photographing newborns is that if I was nervous that babies wouldn’t fall asleep, babies wouldn’t sleep,” Briger said. “If I was anxious or nervous about filming, or my day, or whatever, filming would be a disaster. I realized that newborns can feel calm or nervous, and they, in turn, will feel and act in the same way. These days I really have to stay very calm, focus only on the task at hand and make sure that the child will behave well and fall asleep. “
Yes, the baby is in charge, but you can still imitate a sense of control! As with the carefully curated Instagram feed, kids are all about vibes . Make sure everything is in order for you.
Source online inspo
We’ve already covered the growth track mat trend that has taken over Instagram, but there’s plenty of inspiration waiting for you online – if you can find a moment in between feeds and changes to scroll through Pinterest, that is.
Of course, there will be times when your baby just looks adorable without any prompts, you will pull out your iPhone and take a quick photo. (Make sure you turn on the grid in the camera app to frame the shot and switch to portrait mode if you have time!) Other times, however, you’ll be in the mood for shooting, so you can also see what others are doing for theirs.
“I always try new things with babies,” Briger said. “Flowers, hearts, teddy bears … I’m inspired by the images I view on Pinterest or Instagram and I’m working on those images.”
This article is also considered an online inspiration, so here is a very specific and reliable piece of advice from Brieger: “Never look at the nostrils of a child in the frame. If you can see the baby’s nostrils, your angle is wrong. You want to shoot from top to bottom so that the light goes in the same direction. “
By the way, this tip is a real winner; DeAngelo also mentioned this. If you take one thing away from this practical guide, let it be that nostrils are a big prohibition in childhood photography. Who knew?
“Before starting the session, make sure the child is full and tired,” added DeAngelo. “Pick one blanket and throw it over the sofa. Use a diaper or scarf and put it on your baby. Position the sofa closer to the window at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Angles and light are very important, so take a look at some of your favorite photographers and try copying angles. “
As every old lady in the grocery store will tell you: just enjoy
Unlike many other photo shoots you will have in your life, this one is not entirely about getting online likes. This is where you bond with your child and retain memories to look back on for years to come. Enjoy it! The hilarious moment of laughing with your baby is superior to a perfectly framed shot without nostrils (although you should try it anyway).
“Babies stay young for so long, so these moments are fleeting,” DeAngelo said. And Briger said her favorite part of being a child photographer is hugging. Focus on the hugs first and let the rest come naturally.