7 Tricks to Photograph Newborn Babies Safely
Have you ever wondered how babies can be kept asleep in carefully posed photographs? Learn the essential rules to working with newborns
The arrival of a new addition to the family is one of the most important events in a parent's life and deserves to be immortalized perfectly.
Newborn photography is the area of photography that specializes in newborn babies and handling portraiture of the little ones, when they are barely weeks old or even a few days
Photographers Guille and Marina, founders of photo studio Le Photograph (@lephotograph) specializing in capturing newborns, babies and families, are experts in newborn photoshoots. They aim to give a personal and recognizable style to their pictures, and for the images to move their clients emotionally.
Thanks to their great experience as newborn photographers, they have developed a series of guidelines and tricks which are key to enable photo sessions in safely:
7 rules for a newborn baby photo shoot
First of all, you must always remember that you are working with very small human beings who require very special care.
1. Maximize the hygiene
During the sessions, you must use a hand sanitizer at all times. Use this before handling the baby as well as to wash your hands. Fingernails are also an issue and must not be kept long or sharp, as baby skin is extremely delicate and can be damaged easily. Do not kiss the babies either, and ensure that all the clothing, fabric and shoes to be used are cleaned before the session.
2. Take care of the temperature
Never work with a temperature lower than 29 degrees Centigrade, keep a thermometer nearby to check the temperature during the shoot. If the baby is wrapped up warm, turn off the heater if you have one.
3. Take care of the camera
Always wear the camera on a strap to avoid accidents.
4. Work with an assistant
One of the most important safety rules to follow is to work with an assistant. If you do not have one, get one of the parents to work with you. At least one set of eyes must be kept on the baby at all times.
5. Always support the baby's head
Use both hands, arms, and chest to help support the baby safely. Never put pressure on the soft areas of the head, such as the center top and the temples.
6. Take special care with the surface and texture of your props
If you are using baskets, cubes or cots with the baby, make sure the surfaces are covered to avoid damage to their delicate skin. You can use towels or cushions for this purpose, for example.
7. Take care of the baby's poses
You must never force a pose on a baby. Their well-being takes priority over your photography.
Guille and Marina teach the Domestika course 'Introduction to Newborn Photography', a great choice to discover the secrets to photograph newly born babies professionally: from photoshoot planning to post-production processing in Photoshop.
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