Just like any other type of portraiture, there are certain types of compositions that work well for newborn photography and others that don't.
Naturally, part of that is because your subject is a very delicate little being with whom you must take the utmost care. That means that there are some types of compositions that simply will not work (i.e. the baby sitting up on its own).
But just because there are some limitations with your subject doesn't mean every photo you take of a newborn has to be of him or her on their back.
In fact, if you did that, your newborn photos would get a bit boring!
Let's take a look at a few different composition ideas that will help you create photos of newborns that maximize their cuteness and make you look like a pro.
Move to the Sides of the Frame
One of the simplest ways to spice up your newborn photography compositions is to simply place your little subject near one of the edges of the frame.
As you can see in the image above, putting the baby at the top of the frame gives us a unique view.
In a sense, the baby seems like they're floating in midair, which is inherently more interesting than, say, a top-down view of them sleeping on a pillow.
Additionally, this type of placement in the frame allows you to incorporate props in a meaningful manner, like this beautiful basket.
Not only does the basket serve as a frame within the frame to bring our attention to the sleeping baby, but its long trains of feathers add texture to the photo as well as length. What's more, those feathers act as leading lines, directing our attention upward to the baby.
Move to the Middle of the Frame
Conversely, you can go the opposite route and place your little subject in the middle of the frame, as seen in the image above.
Placing a portrait subject in the middle of the frame breaks the most fundamental of compositional rules - the rule of thirds. Yet, as you can see here, doing so still results in a pleasing image to view.
The key when placing your newborn subject in the middle of the frame is to ensure you have plenty of visual interest that helps draw the viewer's eye in.
In this case, having two babies certainly helps, but the basket in which they are sleeping also goes a long way in adding something to the shot that grabs our attention.
The dark wood provides a nice contrast against the soft, light tones that are predominant in the shot. What's more, like the basket in the first image, this basket also serves as a sort of frame within a frame, with the handle helping to contain our attention on the babies.
Make Use of Negative Space
Though negative space might not typically be associated with newborn photography, it can certainly be a powerful compositional tool that gives your photos added visual punch.
In the image above, we see how the abundance of negative space in the upper two-thirds of the photo helps give the image a light and airy feel.
What's more, all that empty area helps us move our attention to the subject because there's nothing there to compete for our eye.
But as you can see in the example above, negative space doesn't have to be completely devoid of detail.
The lace canopy adds just a touch of detail that breaks up the brightness and detail-free background with a little bit of texture and shape.
Notice as well how the shape of the canopy acts like a frame within a frame as we've seen in previous examples.
When using negative space in newborn photography, adding subtle details like this will help elevate the photo to another level and make it feel as though the negative space was a purposeful compositional choice rather than a mistake.
Go on the Diagonal
Another really simple way to add more visual punch to your newborn photography is to shoot on the diagonal.
Parents see their baby on the horizontal all the time. They also get plenty of views of their child from a perspective of looking down at them.
By composing the shot on a diagonal, you give them a more unique view of their baby that has a dynamic feeling to it - much more dynamic than a traditional horizontal shot.
In the image above, all that was needed was a bumper under the blanket to help elevate the baby's head and create the diagonal sight line from the upper left corner of the shot to the lower right corner of the shot.
This type of positioning and perspective also gives you the opportunity to add props, like the rhinestone crown and angel wings seen above.
Since the background is devoid of detail and is a soft, consistent color, adding props with a little sparkle to them helps ramp up the visual interest.
I think you'll agree that combined with the diagonal pose, this is one compelling photo to view!
Go Wide
One option when tackling newborn photography is to get in for close up shots.
But you don't want all your images to be close-ups, so a good complement to them is wider shots that give you a full view of the newborn's body.
As you can see in the image above, the wide shot allows us to see this little guy from head to toe, but the photo isn't framed so wide that we feel like we're too far away to see any details.
What's more, this wide point of view gives you the opportunity to incorporate elements of interest that add depth and dimension to the shot.
In this case, the bedding adds just a touch of texture for that depth I mentioned, and the soft, blue background helps make it feel as though the baby is floating, not unlike we noted with the first image.
Wrapping It Up
Newborn photography certainly has its difficulties, not the least of which is the delicate state of the subject.
However, as you can see in the images above, newborn photography is also ripe with opportunities to create images that are unique. It's a simple matter of understanding the compositional choices you can make to create that interest.
Though this list isn't an exhaustive one, these tips are simple, basic ways to start creating photos that have a greater ability to grab ahold of - and keep - the viewer's attention.
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