Photo by Art by Ashley
On many occasions, newborn photography focuses on showcasing the newborn in its surroundings - full body shots that show the tiny bundle of joy in all of his or her glory.
Much like taking a portrait of an adult, photographing newborns in this way is an integral component of documenting their arrival to the family and showing how they grow and change in the years to come.
It's just one way to compose newborn photos that melt your heart.
However, just like you wouldn't only take full-body portraits of an adult, you shouldn't focus only on those kinds of portraits for your newborn photography, either.
That means getting in close and capturing some detail shots of the baby.
Hands, feet, chubby cheeks and arms...all are worthy subjects of an up-close portrait.
Let's take a look at how to master this aspect of newborn photography.
Time the Photo Shoot Just Right
Photo by Axsys Design
When it comes to newborn photography, you've got a fairly narrow window during which you can work and get the best results.
For about the first two weeks of their lives, newborns sleep virtually all day long.
That's obviously an advantage for you because that enables you to work in relative peace with a subject that's perfectly fine letting you move their bodies around as they sleep soundly.
And that's an important secondary point - not only do babies sleep a lot during the first two weeks, but they are also at their most "moldable" so you can get shots like the one above.
But beware: schedule newborn shoots for about a week after the birth.
That will give mom time to recover (and dad too!) and for the baby's umbilical cord to fall off.
Once that happens, you'll have a great subject to get close-ups, and you'll have parents that have recovered - if just a little - from the experience of the delivery. Then you can tackle newborn photography like a pro!
Keep the Baby Warm and Comfortable
As noted above, what's great about newborn photography is that your subject will often sleep right through the photo session.
You can help facilitate their sleep by creating an environment that's calm, warm, and comfortable.
One way to do that is to ensure that the room is warm enough.
Even in the summer, you might find that the space where you're shooting is a little too chilly for a newborn.
If need be, turn the heat up a few degrees to make the space more newborn friendly.
Photo by Axsys Design
Another option is to suggest that the parents put their baby in a wrap, gown, or romper that keeps their child nice and snuggly.
These accessories aren't just great for keeping the baby warm and comfortable, either.
As you can see in the image above, a newborn gown or wrap can be a gorgeous compliment to the photo by adding subtle details that give the photo more interest.
Those details - like the ruffled bonnet and the bow in the image above - bring a touch of sophistication and class to the photo, but without overwhelming the viewer's eye or distracting their attention from the newborn.
When you get in for a close-up, adding these sorts of subtle details is especially important because of the tightly framed nature of the shot.
In this case, added details are important to give the image dimension, but without sacrificing the view of the baby.
Frame the Shot to Showcase Baby Fat
Photo by Axsys Design
For my money, there's really nothing cuter than the fat rolls on a baby.
It's just one of many features of a newborn that can make for a photo that's precious and sweet (and that serves to embarrass the kid a bit when they're older!).
Fortunately, for those of us that love newborn photography, newborns have plenty of baby rolls that we can highlight in an up-close photograph.
In the image above, positioning the baby between soft foam bumpers helps reveal all those glorious chubby lines across her back.
Accenting those adorable fat rolls with soft, delicate accessories like a simple tieback adds some depth and visual interest to the image without taking away from the baby.
Another way you can show off a newborn's rolls is to position their arms or legs in such a way that their chubbiness is on full display.
https://www.photographytalk.com/photos/404319
Photo by Loni Smith Photography
In the image above, you can see how the placement of the baby's arm maximizes its chubbiness.
What's more, the angle of view - with the baby's arm at our eye level - puts her fat rolls in prime position for us to adore.
The close-up nature of the shot helps accentuate the baby's other features as well. In addition to her cute arms, her chubby cheeks appear ready for grandma and grandpa to pinch, and even though her leg is out of the field of focus, you can still see its chubby goodness through her gorgeous newborn gown.
Start Simple and Work Your Way to More Complex Shots
Photo by Ruthie Mae Photography
Even though you might time your photo shoot perfectly, the fact remains that your subject can wake up, soil themselves, start crying or otherwise throw a fit at any time.
That means you don't have the luxury of taking a ton of time to create fantastical, complex shots.
Instead, when striving to highlight a baby's features in a close-up shot, get the essentials first.
Get in close for a shot of their face. Move to their hands. Get a few frames of their feet too.
Also get the necessary wider shots of the baby's full body while you're at it.
Photo by Belly Beautiful Portraits
After you get the essentials, then you can start working on the more complex images, like the one above.
That way, if the baby wakes up or otherwise requires attention, you've at least got the basic images out of the way.
Plus, those basic images should go by pretty fast, so you'll have a good collection of photos if the shoot has to come to an early close.
Of course, whether the posing is simple or complex, beautiful accessories like those seen in the images above will help elevate your photos and give mom and dad beautiful pictures that document their baby's appearance at this stage in their lives.
In the end, newborn photography isn't just a chance to give parents a lasting memory of what their child was like shortly after their birth.
Instead, it's an opportunity to create an emotion-filled photo that the entire family can cherish for the rest of their lives.
To amplify the mood and emotion of the shot, get in close for some detail-filled images. You'll likely find that close-ups are the ones that mom and dad love the most.
Photo by Belly Beautiful Portraits
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