REMEMBER TO PACK YOUR CAMERA
If you are expecting and packing your hospital bag or planning your home birth. I urge you to include a camera, memory card & batteries on that list.
The moment your baby enters the world your life changes, it is amazing. I love looking back on the first photos of my precious babies.
“Oh I looked a mess” but who cares.
These photos are for you and your children to look back on. They do not need to be perfect images , don’t feel you have to pose for the camera. Just capture the emotions and loveliness of your new baby.
HERE ARE MY TOP TIPS TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR NEWBORN BABY
- AVOID USING THE FLASH – if you only take away one tip let it be this one.
- Open the blinds
- Use as much natural light as possible.
- If you are at home & its super dark you could always stick some white paper over the pop up flash to diffuse and soften the flash.
- If your partner/husband can , capture the first glance of you looking at your baby, being placed on your chest this will be priceless. You may not feel great but want a time to freeze forever.
- Wrap your baby in a plain blanket – nothing too bright to distract or cause a colour cast on baby’s face. This will help calm baby and is an opportunity for you to zoom in on their button nose, little lashes and pout.
- If you can declutter the surroundings so its not too distracting in your pictures. If you have bottles , and cups of tea etc in the background, try and compose your shot. So you either crop this part out or move it away for a moment.
- Get up close, capture all those new details , flaky skin, wrinkles , little lashes . If at home make your bed and lay baby on it. If they are settled, watch them and shoot them taking in their new environment or snoozing.
- Avoid shooting up his/her nose, even if your baby is super cute there are much lovelier angles to photograph from.
- Don’t forget to swap over & both have picture with your new baby, even if you feel totally shattered and not glam, your baby will adore these photos !
- Ask the midwife for a quick family portrait. Try snuggling in with each other, leaving no big spaces between you both , lean/tilt your heads so they are touching to enhance the moment– your first family portrait!