Tips/Tricks for Posing Newborns

[RachelC1184]

Ok so I keep seeing all of these beautiful newborn photos, where the babies are posed and so cute and ASLEEP! I can't ever seem to get my newborns to pose quite like they. They get mad everytime I move them so i'm trying to figure out if there are some tips/tricks out there to help make the process much smoother. I appreciate any input. I also can't seem to get them to sleep so I can photograph them. Even with full bellies right after mom feeds them. Thanks again!

Rachel

[Nessa1]

I also done a bit of research and will be trying in the next 2 or 3 weeks (depends on when baby decides to make her arrival) doing a freebie shoot to give it a shot.

I heard they say white noise soothes them and they don't really starle (if that's the word, I'm afrikaans LOL) everytime the shutter goes off. And heat, make sure the room your shooting in is very warm ;-) I can't wait to try.

Good luck... (if you don't have a newborn shoot coming soon... why don't you go to the maternity ward and offer one of the mommies a free shoot? I was concidering it but then my sis told me her friend is having a baby soon...) That way you also don't have dissapointed "paying" clients if it doesn't turn out the way it was meant to.

[iqbal624]

the days of being able to walk into a maternity ward are over. We just had a baby and the security has become so tight that it's ridiculous!

anyways, to answer your question, A heater and a bottle go a long way.
Take some practice shots where you're planning to shoot your baby. I used a stuffed animal to get the light right and then turn the heater on, Pop the bottle in the baby's mouth and when the baby falls asleep, You'll probably be set to go.
Having a little bit of noise in the background like music whether it be classical or baby tunes (sounds only, no words), it will help. babies will sleep through the clicking... most of them.
My son let me vacuum next to him when he was born. . .
but then again, he sleeps like his dad :)

[lesleysmeshly]

I use a space heater, white noise, and at times a vibrating thingy under the bean bag (a must have). Get the baby nice and asleep before you start moving them all around. Swaddling helps with some. I try to steer away from the bottle if I can only because it will mean pee and poo later on. Move them SLOW and let them get settled in before you move your hand away. No sudden movements. I photograph newborns between 5-14 days. I have had success with older newborns, but the earlier the better. A GREAT website to show you setup and give you tips is http://www.kelleyryden.com/babyblog/. Patience is the name of the game. I allow up to 3-4 hours just in case and I make the parents aware. There is no rushing, no stress, no worry over taking the time to get the baby asleep to get the good squishy shots. =)

Good luck!
Lesley

[delmama]

great tips. where can I purchase the bean bags?

[lesleysmeshly]

I have two, both from beanbags.com. I have a small vinyl and a large puck vinyl. You will also need to purchase an extra bag of filling for your beanbag or it will be lumpy and flat. You want it almost full so you can position the baby in it without them sinking down.

[RachelC1184]

OMG!!! Thank you so much for the great info Leslie! I posted this a few weeks ago and its had tons of views but not many responses. I appreciate you taking the time to respond!

Rachel

[lesleysmeshly]

Rachel,

I'm glad to help. I LOVE to photograph newborns, but they are not easy. Having the right tools (beanbag, space heater etc.) helps. I also forgot to add I bring my backdrop stand and pin the blankets from the beanbag up so I have a seamless background.

Good luck!
Lesley

[RachelC1184]

Great Tips, thank you so much!

[JennTut]

WARM HANDS WARM HANDS WARM HANDS!!!!! Thats a HUGE part in posing Ive noticed! Other then that... if it takes all day to get the baby to sleep its worth it. My newborn shoots last about 3 hours. :)

[SnapsbyPoteat]

I also done a bit of research and will be trying in the next 2 or 3 weeks (depends on when baby decides to make her arrival) doing a freebie shoot to give it a shot.

I heard they say white noise soothes them and they don't really starle (if that's the word, I'm afrikaans LOL) everytime the shutter goes off. And heat, make sure the room your shooting in is very warm ;-) I can't wait to try.

Good luck... (if you don't have a newborn shoot coming soon... why don't you go to the maternity ward and offer one of the mommies a free shoot? I was concidering it but then my sis told me her friend is having a baby soon...) That way you also don't have dissapointed "paying" clients if it doesn't turn out the way it was meant to.

Thats probably not a good idea, soliciting is illegal at most hospitals - I'm a nurse on a maternity wing and wish I could tell so many of the moms that I would do newborn sessions for them (especially since we aren't doing the typical newborn hospital pictures anymore) but I could possibly loose my job.

[SnapsbyPoteat]

also where can you buy a bean bag these days?

[SnapsbyPoteat]

I use a space heater, white noise, and at times a vibrating thingy under the bean bag (a must have). Get the baby nice and asleep before you start moving them all around. Swaddling helps with some. I try to steer away from the bottle if I can only because it will mean pee and poo later on. Move them SLOW and let them get settled in before you move your hand away. No sudden movements. I photograph newborns between 5-14 days. I have had success with older newborns, but the earlier the better. A GREAT website to show you setup and give you tips is http://www.kelleyryden.com/babyblog/. Patience is the name of the game. I allow up to 3-4 hours just in case and I make the parents aware. There is no rushing, no stress, no worry over taking the time to get the baby asleep to get the good squishy shots. =)

Good luck!
Lesley

thats a great blog, it also looks like she has a heater blowing on some of the babies, great idea!

[SwitchBlade]

Thats probably not a good idea, soliciting is illegal at most hospitals - I'm a nurse on a maternity wing and wish I could tell so many of the moms that I would do newborn sessions for them (especially since we aren't doing the typical newborn hospital pictures anymore) but I could possibly loose my job.

That seems crazy. Over here when my daughter was born last year one of the midwives came into our room the morning after the birth to give us a leaflet for a photographer for newborn pictures. Can't see how they got any custom though as the leaflet quality was dreadful.

[k-style]

Thats probably not a good idea, soliciting is illegal at most hospitals - I'm a nurse on a maternity wing and wish I could tell so many of the moms that I would do newborn sessions for them (especially since we aren't doing the typical newborn hospital pictures anymore) but I could possibly loose my job.


funny thing, im a respiratory therapist in my local hospital and this hospital happens to have one of the nicest and most popular maternity wards around my way...ive been so tempted to hand over my business card when ive treated the new mommies, but my better judgement keeps me from trying, just seems very unethical to do such thing.

[SnapsbyPoteat]

yeah we had a nursing student solicit to a patient about being a personal trainer, he gave her his card and everything - the patient complained and the student got in big trouble.

[Crissy7682]

I just had a photographer come take newborn pictures of my daughter. She came to my house with TONS of stuff including a bean bag chair, space heater, heating pad, and white noise machine. She was also very patient. First baby pooped all over blanket so we had to bathe baby and she had to change out the blanket then baby woke up and stayed awake for about an hour. We just hung around until she fell back asleep. She also mentioned how she likes doing newborns under 10 days bc they sleep more.

To me, patience seems to be the most important. She was at my house for over 3 hours.

[Michelle Brooks Photography]

Rachel,

I'm glad to help. I LOVE to photograph newborns, but they are not easy. Having the right tools (beanbag, space heater etc.) helps. I also forgot to add I bring my backdrop stand and pin the blankets from the beanbag up so I have a seamless background.

Good luck!
Lesley
This is a great thread! What size bean bags do you use?

[Michelle Brooks Photography]

I use a space heater, white noise, and at times a vibrating thingy under the bean bag (a must have). Get the baby nice and asleep before you start moving them all around. Swaddling helps with some. I try to steer away from the bottle if I can only because it will mean pee and poo later on. Move them SLOW and let them get settled in before you move your hand away. No sudden movements. I photograph newborns between 5-14 days. I have had success with older newborns, but the earlier the better. A GREAT website to show you setup and give you tips is http://www.kelleyryden.com/babyblog/. Patience is the name of the game. I allow up to 3-4 hours just in case and I make the parents aware. There is no rushing, no stress, no worry over taking the time to get the baby asleep to get the good squishy shots. =)

Good luck!
Lesley


Do you know what it is that she is using to place the babies on that could be a chair covered with the blankets/rugs? Is that a big beanbag chair?