How To Take Newborn Photos At Home - DIY

DIY Newborn Photography Accessories

Wondering how to take newborn photos at home? You’ve come to the right place!

Today I want to share with you my favorite accessories for doing newborn photoshoots at home. With the right preparation and a little bit of creativity, any mom can take the most adorable newborn pictures by herself at home!

But before we get to the accessories you need to have for these photoshoots, here are a few tips and tricks for taking the most perfect newborn baby photos.

When to take newborn photos

The best time to shoot is no later than 2 weeks after your baby is born. During this period the newborn baby is the most flexible and fussy while sleeping.

Can you do newborn photos at 4 weeks?

The two weeks window is really a guideline rather than a rule. Typically, when a new baby is aged two weeks or under, they’ll spend long periods of time asleep, and will naturally enjoy spending time in the fetal position, which results in them also being comfortable in newborn photography poses. After two weeks, babies will typically start to spend longer periods awake, therefore they may not be able to manage some of the poses.

If your baby is older than two weeks and you want to take your own newborn photos at home – you can, but you should know that the sooner the better.

What is the best time of the day to take newborn photos?

Shoot during the day so you can use the natural daylight – this way you will get the most natural and professional-looking photos.

How do you prepare your newborn for newborn pictures?

Naked babies get cold. One of the more important tips for parents for a successful newborn photo session is keeping the baby warm. You can crank up the temperature in the house to a comfortable 80 degrees about half an hour before your session start time. Space heaters work well too if you would prefer.

Should the baby be awake before the photo session?

Try to keep the baby awake by interacting with him/her for about 2 hours prior to the photoshoot.

What about feeding the baby before the photo session?

Feed your baby 20-30 minutes before your session. Feeding and burping your baby right before your newborn photo session begins means less crying and better sleep.

How can you keep your baby calm during the photoshoot?

Here are a few tips to keep your baby calm during photoshoots:

Make sure your baby is warm
Make sure your baby is comfortable
Play white noise
Wrap your baby during the photo session

What camera do you need to take newborn photos?

If you want a professional camera, stick with a full-frame camera, or an APS-C camera if you’re on a budget. This will allow you to take the most advantage of the available light as well.

Another great option is to use your iPhone! Here are a few tips that may help.

Tips for using your iPhone camera

Use the regular photo mode – portrait mode can distort the face a little and the blur just not always look good. If you want to try it you can but make sure to make also regular photo mode pictures.
Make sure you use the regular color – add filters later.
Use the focus tool on your iPhone – This is the yellow box that appears on your screen when you touch the sceen. It will help you focus the camera on your baby.
You can control the exposure of your photos before you shoot. Next to the focus box, click on the exposure meter to lighten or darken the image. It can make a whole difference, especially when there is not enough light in the room.

Best photo-editing apps for your phone

Lightroom
Snapseed
Adobe Photoshop Express
Prisma
Bazaart
Photofox
VSCO
PicsArt

Try different backgrounds

Prepare a few cute backgrounds and set up your baby on top of a few different backgrounds. You can use bed sheets on your living room couch with blankets and pillows underneath to help with propping your baby and then you can switch up by using different patterned sheets or blankets. Another pose is to shoot from above while your baby is lying on his/her back.