Want an at-home photoshoot for your newborn? We have all the tips

So you’ve just had your newborn and you’re home from the hospital, congratulations! The hardest part is over and now you can enjoy watching your baby grow into themselves and form their own personality. 

If you’re wanting to remember your baby’s newborn phase forever, a photoshoot is a great idea. Going to a professional photographer can be expensive though, which is not what you need right after having your baby, so we’ve composed a list of photoshoot tips and tricks for you to do at home. 

You can take the photos using your phone or camera and we’ve come up with prop ideas that cost next to nothing or that you may even already have in your house. 

The Poses

Firstly, there are special moments that you may not have thought about capturing on camera, but in years to come you’ll be glad you did. Having your baby swaddled will make for easy posing too! Here are some of our favs.

1. Yawning- There is nothing cuter than a tiny baby yawning and capturing this on camera will make for a precious photo.

2. With pets- If you have a family pet, having keepsakes of your baby and fur baby for years to come will mean a lot in the future.

3. Sleeping- This is not only easier for you to photograph but will be a nice reminder that your baby can be peaceful sometimes, amid some sleepless nights!

The Shoot

On the day of the shoot it is important to take your time and have fun with it. Not every photo will come out perfectly, but that’s part of a photoshoot and shouldn’t discourage you doing this in future for other important milestones in your baby’s life. 

1. It’s better to do the photoshoot during the day when  there is plenty of light. Choose a bright room in your home and have all of the curtains open to create as much light as possible. 

2. Have all of the backgrounds and props ready to go before you introduce your baby to the photoshoot setting.

3. Use your baby’s favourite toys and songs behind the scenes to keep them distracted.

The Backgrounds

It’s best to use light and neutral colours so your newborn is the centre of attention in all of the photos. You can introduce light texture to help make the photos pop as well.

1. On your bed- Your bed is a great option to lie your baby down on to have a solid background. Use a white duvet cover to keep the background simple or add a pale pink or blue blanket under your baby to add traditional colours if that’s a look you’d prefer. 

2. Texture- To spruce up the background that your baby is laid out on, why not add a fluffy blanket or cushion.

3. Themes- If your baby was born around a holiday or you just want to incorporate your favourite season into the background, add pieces of decorative card or paper to make the theme stand-out in the background. These are cheap and can be bought from any stationary or craft shop.

The Props

Props can make a photo of your newborn come to life. This is where you can get really creative and use what you have at home to complete the photographs. The list of what you can use is endless but we’ve mentioned some of our favourites below.

1. Bunches of flowers or flower petals- Have the petals sprinkled around the baby or have the flowers surrounding the baby in a ring. 

2. Their first baby scan- Have the scan placed beside the baby to see how much they’ve grown.

3. A chalkboard with their name on it- Great  to use for announcing the name if you haven’t already.

4. Hands- This can just be the baby’s, baby’s and siblings’, or baby and parents’.

5. Kisses- Put on your favourite red lipstick and get smooching your baby all-over.

It is always so important to be mindful of what poses you put your baby into and to never leave your baby alone with any props just in case. It may even be a good idea to have a friend or partner lend a helping hand during the photoshoot to make sure everyone is happy and safe.