How to take beautiful baby photos yourself

Want to capture baby's first moments but you're not a photographer? A photo shoot at home is entirely possible! Here are a few tips for taking photos of baby with your camera or smartphone.

Where and when to photograph baby?

As baby isn't used to photo shoots, it should take place in a reassuring setting. Settle them in their bedroom or the living room, and add a few decorations, as long as your child doesn't feel unsettled. You can take photos outdoors if you're somewhere baby feels comfortable. Either way, don't invite too many people to join you for the photos: your little one won't feel at ease.

Take your photos near natural light. To do this, we recommend doing your shoot during the day, when the sun is well up. Use natural sunlight: it will show off baby's soft skin beautifully in the photos. For a successful shoot, baby's mood is key. That's why it's best to choose a time of day when baby is full of beans. If baby is grumpy or crying, don't rush. Comfort them and photograph them once they're calm and in a good mood again. For example, you could take your photos just after a feed. Once baby is full, they'll be more settled.

A few precautions during the photo shoot

Those adorable photos of babies in flowerpots or hanging from swings are often composites. Whatever you do, don't try this at home: you could hurt yourself and put your baby in danger. If you want to vary the setting and poses, keep it simple and always make sure your child is safe and comfortable. We also advise against using the flash, as it hardens babies' features in photos as well as being unpleasant for little eyes. If you'd like more light, do your photo shoot near a window. Conversely, use a blackout curtain to soften the light in the room. Finally, take as much time as you need to capture the most beautiful photos. Take breaks during the shoot. Baby will get hungry, need changing and need to feel comfortable. Keep everything you need within reach: nappies, wipes, comforter, pacifiers… You can take the opportunity to photograph them with their favourite toy!

Vary your shots and have fun!

For quality baby photos, show baby at their best! Choose an uncluttered background, natural light and a plain-coloured outfit for baby (you'll find some really lovely ones in our shop, all 100% organic cotton). The fewer distracting elements and patterns there are, the more your baby will stand out in the photos.

Vary your photos of baby if they seem comfortable enough. Take photos from above while they're lying on their back. Then move the lens and photograph them at their level. Play with the zoom: take close-ups of their little hands, their feet… To get a natural smile on camera, laugh! Laughter is contagious and will amuse baby. The best position for newborns is lying on their back. But there's nothing to stop you adding a bit more variety. Take photos of baby in the arms of one of their parents, baby next to their comforter, baby with their pacifier… Go for these natural positions for great shots.

What to do with your baby photos?

First of all, spend a little time sorting through your baby photos. Keep only the best ones. There's no point cluttering up your camera or smartphone, or your computer, with blurry or failed shots. If you're comfortable with photo editing software (or apps), make the most of it to enhance baby's best shots. Slightly increase the brightness and boost the contrast… Or not! Try some photos in black and white if you fancy it. Then keep these photos to frame or stick in an album that your child can look through to their heart's content throughout their life. You can also use one or more photos on your birth announcement card.

Remember to send photos of your little one to your family and loved ones, especially if they don't get the chance to see baby often. Finally, remember to repeat photo shoots with baby throughout their life. These photos will be wonderful memories for later.

Dylan
Proud dad of three little ones and founder of Premiers Moments. Together with the whole team, I share our parenting tips here to support you, from pregnancy through your child's first years.