Children grow up so fast these days, which is why parents want to capture their baby’s cuteness in photos that they can cherish forever. As a photographer, it’s your goal to provide these parents with images beyond the ordinary poses you’ll find in typical photographs taken at home. This is why creative baby photography poses are a popular trend for parents who want to take their child’s adorable factor to the next level. But when parents don’t really have a lot of baby photoshoot poses in mind, it might fall on you to suggest baby photography poses ideas that deliver on the cuteness.
Before you send your images to us for image enhancement services, here are some of our recommendations for photoshoot poses for baby girls and boys to help you brainstorm some ideas for your next baby photoshoot.
The Simple Full Body
Here’s a newborn photography tip on poses if the baby is awake and uncooperative with your attempt to style their pose: don’t force them into poses. Babies are adorable enough as is, so put them in a cute outfit and place them on a soft surface. From there, take candid photos of the baby. The baby’s parents may provide assistance behind the camera to try an elicit a reaction from the baby with their favorite toy.
You’ll be surprised how many candid photos can come out of letting the baby take the lead. Eventually, they will get tired and fall asleep. From there, you can start to explore other baby photography pose ideas.
Facial Close Up
If the baby is still awake, use the opportunity to get closer shots of their face, not just their whole body. Give the parents a shot that will capture the natural expressions of their baby at different angles. When in doubt, remember that candid baby photography poses can be just as cute (if not cuter) than posed images. This also gives you the opportunity to experiment with angles and see which works best for the baby.
The Bundled Pose
Babies are a bundle of joy, so it’s no surprise that this bundled pose is a popular choice. The baby’s body, arms, and legs are snugly bundled into a ball and placed on top of a soft surface. However, feel free to explore other types of bundles, such as having the baby’s arms out or making the bundle looser and showing some of the baby’s neck, shoulder, and chest area.
You can use any safe fabric for the swaddling. A typical blanket is cute, but being open to other types of fabric can provide you with different textures that can result in different effects. For example, a knitted baby swaddle adds some texture and a home-like feel, while combining an opaque stretchable pastel fabric with some lace or tulle can give a dainty princess vibe.
The Butt-Up Pose
Another simple baby photography pose you can play around with is the popular pose where the baby rests on its tummy on an uneven surface with its butt up. This is a popular choice for parents as it highlights all the cuteness of their baby, from their facial features, to their baby wrinkles, to the adorable curvature of their bottom. You can use pillows and blankets to create the uneven surface to adjust the baby’s position. You’ll want to put them in a position that’s comfortable while also emphasizing the baby’s adorable lumps and shape.
While some parents are comfortable with having their babies photographed naked, keep in mind that not all parents are comfortable with this. Ask about their preferences before the photoshoot before moving forward.
The Frog Pose
This is a bit difficult to do, but if you’re lucky and find the newborn sleeping, use this as an opportunity to put them in the frog pose. This is much easier to do on newborn babies because of their size and flexibility. Start by putting their legs forward as if to let them sit down on a flat surface. Then gently let the baby bend forward and cup their hands under their chin. This is a great shot to emphasize their face, hands, and feet.
The frog pose can be a bit of a challenge for beginner photographers and those who aren’t used to handling newborn babies. Always make sure your babies are comfortable and don’t force them into positions if they try to resist.
The Taco Pose
If the frog pose proves to be a bit of a challenge, an alternative newborn photography pose is to do the taco pose. Instead of a flat surface, you’ll want a pillow on the side to support their head. Instead of trying to get the baby to bend forward with their hands cupping their chin, put their head atop a pillow slightly to the side and lay their hands flat under their head. If they’re asleep, this should look like them taking a short nap while folded gently.
Most photographers opt to take the shot from the front. However, feel free to explore different angles, like from above. Depending on the pose you create for the baby, you can capture their shape and features using different angles.
Posing with Mom and Dad
Check if the parents are willing to be part of your baby photography pose ideas. Some parents might want to be in the picture to capture moments with their baby, while others may want to limit their presence in the photo, such as having only their hands seen in the shot. Either way, having one or two parents in the shot can help you get more intimate and candid photos, whether the baby is awake or asleep.
Feel free to get creative with this shot. Some parents will want intimate shots holding their baby together, while other parents may want a more fun shot. Try to highlight some of the unique features the parents may have, such as if a parent has tattoos on their arms or if a parent gets emotional holding their baby.
Posing with the Siblings
Some parents would love to capture sweet moments with their newborn baby and their older kids. This creates memories that the whole family can cherish. How you style the infant baby picture poses depends on the ages of the other children. Teens and older kids may be able to hold the newborn baby carefully, while younger kids might want to lay down next to their sibling or crowd around their new family member.
Themed Poses
Some parents will want to see their newborn in a fun and creative shoot based on what they like. This can be a cartoon, a film, or any theme for a photoshoot for a baby girl or boy. Having various types of props on-hand and discussing the parents’ vision for their baby can help you deliver results that the parents can fall in love with.
For example, if they want a princess-themed photoshoot, having a tiny tiara, frilly princess outfits, and dainty blankets and pillows can help you design a whimsical photoshoot. Or if the parents want to see their kids in potential future jobs like a doctor, pilot, or artist, you can create a sort of flatlay filled with props and then lay the baby on its back to look like it’s part of a scene of them working. It’s much easier to pose the newborn when they’re asleep, but having the baby awake can provide you with a number of opportunities for candid poses that really blend in with the flatlay.
Before Anything Else, Make Sure You’re Posing the Baby Safely
Before following through with any inspiration you find in our newborn photography poses guide, keep in mind that your top priority is the comfort and safety of the baby. Not only is there a risk of hurting the baby if you’re not careful, but you don’t want to capture newborn photography poses where the baby is visibly distressed.
Prior to the photoshoot, ask the parents if they have any ideas they want you to incorporate into the photos. Now is also a good time to ask if they’re comfortable with you taking photos of their baby with no clothes in. Naked babies are common in baby photography, but some parents might not be comfortable with this, and you have to respect their wishes.
If you’re doing the photoshoot in a studio, make the room temperature a bit warmer than usual, especially if the baby is wearing little to no clothing. Cold temperatures can be very uncomfortable. When posing the baby, make sure their head is well-supported and you’re not forcing them into uncomfortable poses. If they tend to resist or cry, you can tell that they’re not comfortable.
Create Baby Photos That Parents Can Cherish with Paper Boat Creative
These are our newborn photography poses guide to some of the popular poses for baby shoots. Find out what your client wants and then brainstorm how you can provide creative ideas for photos that highlight the cuteness of their baby. Just make sure that your model is comfortable, and you can get the perfect shot that captures the baby’s best features.
But to give parents the best images, you’ll need some additional magic from our newborn photography editing services. At Paper Boat Creative, our team of experienced editors can provide high-end post-photography services that minimize the blemishes for vibrant and flawless photos that capture the innocence and cuteness of every little model. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our image manipulation services and request a demo from our team.
