In the current economy and with the easy availability of advanced cameras, a lot of new parents are looking to take their own pictures of their newborn baby.
Although North America’s Top Newborn Celebrity Photographers Keri Meyers & Jennifer Blakeley recommend you hire a professional newborn photographer, they have developed some tips for those looking to handle the photo shoot independently, but most importantly, safely.
Says Keri Meyers,
“If you’re going to handle the shoot yourself, the most important tip is safety. Always ensure your newborn baby is in a safe environment and position,†added Meyers, who recently launched NewbornPhotography.com with Blakeley. The site is dedicated to helping new parents find the industries top photographers in their area.
For new parents that want to handle the shoot themselves, Keri & Jen have offered up these Top 10 Do-It-Yourself Newborn Photography Tips:
1. Natural light : Instead of using a harsh camera flash, position the baby and yourself in a room that has natural light coming from a window. This will help to create more subtle and appealing shadows and texture.
2. Depth of field or blur : Use a large aperture with a long focal point, and if that doesn’t make sense to you, then stick your digital camera on “portrait†mode, and it will provide you a nice and soft background blur.
3. Get in close : Get down on the floor and get as close to the baby’s eye level as possible with your camera. This will give you a more personal point of view.
4. Clear the background : Clothes, pillows, empty water bottles, whatever the case, de-clutter the background.
5. Soothing Sounds – Use white noise (i.e. hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, or iPhone app).
6. Timing is everything – The first few days and couple of weeks when your baby is still sleepy and curled up is the most ideal time for a newborn photo shoot. Make sure your baby is well fed, and wait for your precious little one to doze off. Patience is required to maneuver your baby into the correct position.
7. Don’t forget the “small things†: Those cute, tiny hands and feet are going to grow FAST, so get them on camera before it’s too late.
8. Don’t forget the “firsts” – Your baby’s first bath, steps, crawl and even first piece of “human foodâ€, make sure to capture as many “firsts†as possible.
9. Candid photos : Sometimes the best photos are caught in the “spur of the momentâ€, so carry your camera phone whenever possible.
10. Get in the shot : Your child will want to know what mom and dad looked like while you were taking the photos, so don’t forget to ask someone to take your photo, or get a tripod and self time a family photography.
For more information, visit www.NewbornPhotography.com
About Keri Meyers & Jennifer Blakeley
Keri Meyers & Jennifer Blakeley are considered North America’s top celebrity newborn photographers in the business.
The duo has photographed Ian Ziering of Beverly Hills 90210 fame and his wife Erin and their newborn baby Penna, Brian Austin Green & Megan Fox and baby Noah, Donald Trump Jr., Vanessa Trump and their newborn baby Spencer and Big Bang Theory’s Simon Helberg, his wife and their newborn daughter Adeline, to name just a few.
Curious to learn more about Birth Boot Camp and our natural childbirth classes? We have an online birth class option and natural birth instructors in your area. We also offer a comprehensive two disk breastfeeding DVD, “Breastfeeding: The Ultimate MREâ€.
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I will say it’s difficult to shoot newborn photography because many elements have to be right in order for the baby to cooperate. These tips are definitely ones I will keep in mind for my next photo shoot. Thanks for sharing!
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I would not suggest trying to do this yourself, newborn photography is a specialty thing, you will see they won’t turn out. The extravagant poses you see the babies in, in a newborn photography portfolio is composed in 2 or 3 shots it is’t the safest move to try to this on your own. I cant eve believe this website advised it. A professional newborn photographer knows that is safe and what isn’t when it comes to posing etc. When you see certain photos of babies in odd poses the baby was not holding up their own head. Also just in terms of them looking good you won’t get the result. Most newborn photographers have been perfecting their craft for years and they have everything needed skill wise, and item wise which is why it is expensive. How could you expect to compare with a professional it makes no sense. Reading a 5 min tutorial is not going to make you a professional photographer. Most of the look comes together in post processing. The main issue though is that it is just flat out unsafe.