Simple Steps to Dramatically Improve your Newborn Photography!
As a mum and a newborn photographer, I know that bringing your newborn baby home is one of life’s most amazing and wonderful moments. It’s a time that you’ll be taking loads of photos as you know these next few days and weeks will fly by - so you must capture them now while you can!
In this blog post I’d like to share with you 2 of my top tips to get the very best photos of your new baby at home.
How not to do it
This is a typical photo that we have all seen or taken at some point! The baby is still and quiet so you put them down, hover somewhere around their feet and take the photo. Do you recognise something like this in your own collection?
Yes, but what's wrong with this image?
Firstly, you are looking straight up the baby’s nose which is not the most flattering of angles and secondly the light is shining up from the bottom of the photo which causes a ghosting effect on the baby's face. Not really the most angelic look, right?
By focusing on the ANGLE of your photograph and the way the LIGHT shines on the baby then you will dramatically improve your photographs by 100%. Here’s what I mean…
Take Photographs from all different angles
Instead of standing by baby’s feet to take a photo, try shooting directly over their head so you are looking straight down on top of them. At the same time move the baby around so that the window light is now to the side of the baby, producing a much softer shadow on the baby's face.
When aunties and uncles call in for a quick cuddle, pop the the baby on their shoulder, stand behind them (on a chair if necessary!) and take a photo of baby looking up at you. Again make sure the light is to the side of the baby!
Get down to the babys level and shoot them from that angle, if possible catching their profile against the light.
Experiment with your angles until you find one you really like!
If your baby is in the car seat or cocoon, then you can move the baby into the best position. Always think about your light source. Look at how the light touches the face and position the baby until you see little shadow under the nose or to the side of the face.
If you take a photo of your baby in the shadows then you will lose all the tiny details that you really want to capture, so over the next couple of days take some images and really look at them afterwards. Check where the shadows are falling to see if you could improve the lighting or the angle and if you think you can, then just re-take them!
Above all, have fun with your photographs, enjoy experimenting with new angles and light. Take it easy, pace yourself and you will have a variety of beautiful images of your sweet new baby!
There are of course lots of other top tips to taking photos of your baby!! If you're interested in receiving more information like this then why don't you sign up to my email list for more handy hints, special offers and latest news!