Creative Baby Christmas Photoshoot Ideas That Will Melt Your Heart
Christmas is here and there is nothing more fun than taking cute and memorable pictures of your gorgeous baby. It is so calming to see your baby’s smile and every time I open my baby’s album; I’m filled with joy and happiness.
But can you DIY your own baby Christmas photoshoot?
Definitely!
Did you know that you don’t have to be a professional photographer or ever own a professional camera to take quality and creative pictures of your baby?
In this article, I’m about to share all the cutest photo ideas and best tips on how to DIY your own baby Christmas photographs.
What to Prepare for Baby Christmas Photoshoot?
All you need is a good camera in your smartphone, a few Christmas accessories, baby Christmas wear, and an imagination. If you have a good camera, like mine here, it’s even better, but it isn’t a must.
To start, first you need to choose from a wide selection of Christmas themed settings, find a location that has good natural light, then dress your baby in holiday wear, add a few accessories, and start taking pictures.
To make it easy for you, I picked up 10 gorgeous Christmas baby photography ideas. Under each image you can find exactly what you need to make it by yourself; location, lighting, babywear, Christmas accessories and where to buy them, and tips to make it work.
How to Prepare Your Baby for a Photography Session?
Before you start taking pictures, another important thing is to prepare your baby for the photo sessions.
In case it’s newborn photography, try to keep your baby awake for at least 1-2 hours before the sessions. The best time to photograph newborns is during their nap time.
Besides a sleepy baby, photographers often recommend parents to feed their baby full right before they come to the session. A relaxed baby with a full tummy will ensure a successful photography session.
Make sure that the room where the sessions will take place is warm enough for your baby.
In case your baby is older than three months, you should do the opposite and make sure your baby isn’t too tired. The best time to take pictures of an older baby is when they are the most active, usually after they wake up, earlier in the morning to mid-morning. Creating portraits during this morning time catches your baby at their best.
Here are a few tips to make your baby smile when you take pictures.
Tricks to Make Your Baby Smile / Laugh for Photographs
All parents want to capture the moment when their babies are flashing their radiant smiles. Here are a few tips that will help you trigger a real smile reaction.
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- Gently blow light air around their face. A little tickle might trigger a little smile.
- Gently whisper in your baby’s ear, it can work quite well.
- Do Eskimo kissing by gently rubbing your nose against your baby’s.
- Do funny faces.
- Tickle your baby at their sensitive spots.
- Ask the big brother or sister to help. You might be surprised to know about their special connection.
- Make weird and funny voices.
- Pretend to gently bite your baby’s legs or arms.
- Laugh yourself, it might make your baby laugh with you.
- Play your baby’s favorite music that makes him/her smile.
Baby Christmas Photo Ideas
Now let’s get to the fun part, here are 10 inspirational Christmas baby photo ideas!
The Sweetest Christmas Baby Gift
A creative idea is to take a picture of your baby sitting inside a gift box next to a Christmas tree.
Location and lighting:
This photo can be taken in the living room or in the baby’s room next to a Christmas tree. Make sure there is good natural lighting provided by a lookout window that shines on your baby’s front or one of his/her sides (not from the back because the photo will be too dark).
Dim the lights and add these tiny window curtain string lights or these tiny fairy lights at the back of your baby to create a magical effect in the picture.
Babywear and accessories:
For this photo, you’ll need to get a small Santa hat, a large gift box, or this cute red basket, and a white knitted baby wear like this one.
Smile for Santa
Baby Christmas Photo Idea from @thea.fie follow her on Instagram
A baby’s first Christmas photo can be as easy as laying on the stomach over a white fluffy rug. Place your baby on top of a white fluffy carpet and add a decorative accessory like this red decorative lantern.
Location and lighting:
Make sure there is enough natural light, you can place your baby near a large lookout window in the living room.
Babywear and accessories:
For this photo, you’ll need to get a knitted Santa baby hat, a knitted red baby vest, and a white top.
Extra Special Newborn at Christmas
Baby Christmas Photo Idea from @naomibarkerphotography follow her on Instagram
It might seem hard to swaddle a newborn this way, but if you think you can do it, this concept can turn to be a super cute newborn photography for Christmas. Wrapping up your baby only takes a few steps, click here to reach the full guide on how to swaddle your baby. Once your baby is swaddled, it will help your baby feel safe and secure, and therefore they might fall asleep (which is great for photo shooting).
Location and lighting:
Make sure there is enough natural light to make the photos clear. Another option is to use this lighting kit.
Babywear and accessories:
For this photo you’ll need to get a red newborn wrap blanket to swaddle your newborn, a basket with a soft knitted blanket or a fluffy blanket, a decorative berry Christmas garland with green leaves, and a cute newborn baby Santa hat. You can make this photo even more special by using this heart-shaped wooden bowl.
Stealing Santa’s Cookies
Baby Christmas Photo Idea from @noah_bear_photography follow her on Instagram
This photograph is so adorable! In a red overall, let your baby lie in a tiny doll wooden bed in an all-white room, holding a metal tray with perfect Christmas cookies.
Location and lighting:
Make sure there is enough natural light. Also here you can add this lighting kit.
Babywear and accessories:
This quick and easy Christmas themed setting includes a wooden baby doll bed, chunky knitted baby blanket, tiny posing pillow, a cute red knitted newborn overall or a hat + overall set, and a metal cookie tray with gingerbread ornament.
Christmas Peekaboo
A simple and super affordable way to take unique photos is by using a box to photoshoot your baby. All you need for this Christmas themed setting is one medium-size cardboard box, a baby Christmas outfit, and a Santa hat.
To take this photo, place your baby on a safe chair or a higher step, ask him or her to hold the box and look inside (open it from both sides), and take a picture from the other side of the box. Make sure you are in a bright space near the window.
Christmas Tongue Out
While everything is still new for your baby, something like Christmas ornaments or Christmas balls can make your baby filled with excitement and joy.
Babywear and accessories:
Place your baby on a fluffy brown rug, scatter Christmas ornaments around and take your baby’s photos from above. You can dress your baby in a cute Christmas costume, like this baby snowman costume, Christmas Elf outfit, or this knitted overall. Try to make funny faces to your baby to make him or her smile for the camera.
Sweet Baby Santa
Oh, Santa Baby!
Dress your gorgeous baby in this little 4-pieces Santa costume, and place him or her in a red Christmas basket filled with a fluffy blanket. Place your baby in an all-white room and use tiny Window Curtain String Lights in the back of your baby. To create the blur effect in the background, use the “Portrait” mode on iPhone or add the blur effect after shooting the picture by using the “Snapseed” app (good for Apple and Android users).
Tasty Santa
Dress your baby in this little 4-pieces Santa costume, place him or her near the Christmas tree, dim the lights, turn on the tree’s lights, and let your baby move around the tree area and play with Christmas ornament, capturing all the cute laughs and giggles. Sometimes natural and authentic pictures are the best!
You and Your Baby
Make it clean and simple and ask your partner or a family member to take a picture of you with your baby. You can use these tiny Fairy Lights to add a magical effect.
Christmas Lights
You can turn any picture great with these awesome Christmas lights. You can place your baby on your bed, dim the light and give your baby play with this delicate string of lights. It works on battery, so you can put it anywhere around your home and it’s also safe for your baby to hold it. Available on Amazon here.
With Big Sister
They are going to be each other’s best friends, so make their first Christmas together a sweet memory. Place them next to the Christmas tree or in their bedroom, and let them open the Christmas presents together. This photograph will go down memory lane for generations to come, no doubt!
Related:
15 BEST TODDLER BOY GIFT IDEAS
