Photography Tips - Capturing the Best Newborn Baby Photographs

New proud parents are just as ecstatic about taking photographs of their newborn baby as they are about sharing them with family and friends. Since everyone is eagerly awaiting those first precious photographs, it is certainly a good idea to brush up on a few simple photography tips that will make it easier to capture a darling newborn´s most precious features and expressions.

Move in close.

In any newborn baby photograph the focus should be on the baby. Don´t be afraid to move in a bit closer or to use the camera´s zoom feature if it has one. While family and friends will definitely want to see the precious bundle of joy´s cute little face, don´t forget that a tiny baby has wonderful other features that will only be so tiny for a very short time. Close-up photographs that capture mommy or daddy holding a tiny baby hand are sure to be ones parents will cherish years later. Try to capture the facial expressions and emotions of siblings, family, and friends as they inspect the new addition. These precious moments only happen once and new parents will want to remember them.

Less is more.

When deciding what to dress a newborn in the rule of thumb should be less is more. Fingers, toes, and bottoms are particularly cute in photographs but will not be seen if the baby is completely swaddled up. If an outfit is desired, dress the baby in clothing that is more subtle or subdued. Brightly colored and busy patterns will only distract from the baby´s adorable little face. Try to also avoid toys, rattles, pacifiers, and straps from the car seat or bouncy seats.

Pay attention to the background.

Keep the background simple. A busy looking background detracts from the focus of the photograph, which again should be the baby. Aim for a simple or soft colored background that is continuous, or not interrupted by creases or edges. Either an oversized blanket or a white sheet can easily be turned into a simple backdrop.

Be patient.

Good photographs might be captured in a second, but waiting for that moment takes patience. Newborn babies spend a lot of time sleeping, eating, crying, and having their diapers changed. If the photographer´s goal is to capture the little one with eyes open and a happy expression, be prepared to wait for that second. The first few days of a newborn´s life can be fairly hectic so it may be a more realistic goal to capture the happy smiling expression at about a week old.

Experiment with Black and White.

Color photography is great, but there is always something very special and moving about black and white newborn baby photographs. Black and white photography captures the emotion, the sentiment, and the essence of newness, innocence, and beauty. Black and white photographs are very candid and speak volumes void of color. Some of the best newborn photographs are simple black and white ones. When applying the above- mentioned tips, don´t be afraid to experiment with black and white in the process. Black and white photographs are often surprisingly the ones people choose as their favorites.

The best newborn photographs are often captured at random moments that are extremely unpredictable and occur when the photographer isn´t necessarily specifically looking. For that reason, the joy of taking newborn photographs is truly in simply enjoying this precious time, and then delighting in the pleasure when that perfect exact moment is not only captured by a camera, but captured in your heart.