Newborn pose ideas may seem daunting as the cute poses that one sees in the internet may be nearly impossible during a session. There can be a numerous reason for this. Many times newborn when come to the studio are over a month old. Age can be between 4-8 weeks.
That is a critical stage in a baby life where they are more alert, legs and arms muscles and bones are stronger and they love to stick those out to stretch. Baby by now already is aware of the new surroundings and love to be held instead of being placed in a prop.
Urges of multiple feeds are also very common at this stage of life and therefore babies take longer to pose for a session at this age. They are also very vocal and would communicate with loud cries. This makes the new parents also stressed out.
Through the years I have found out a few poses that can easily be done during a session. These work for newborns less than a month old and above.
Wraps- Soft stretchable wraps not only help the baby to feel secure and warm, it makes life whole lot easier for a photographer to go through the sequence of poses that were planned.
Baby in a wrap does not move much. I helps them to sleep and also is easier for the parents to hold and pose for the photographs.
Bean bag- Some babies love to lie on their back or tummy or on their side. Bean bag can be very helpful for all the above. Even is the baby is awake and moving its arms or legs, when placed on a bean bag usually gives a few cute shots.
Patience and lots of patience- First 30-45 minutes can easily be spend knowing the baby, calming as well as getting to know the parents and making them feel that baby is in safe hands. If the baby is happy, pictures can be taken without much effort. If the baby is fussy for some reason use this time to get some family group pictures with parents holding their baby.
Select the outfit wisely- cute frocks and outfits often have the arms, legs or back of the baby exposed. This can make the baby move more due to baby feeling cold or uncomfortable (especially if the outfit material is nylon or synthetic). Soft cotton outfits are comfortable for newborns. Outfits that have most of the legs, arms and back covered can keep the baby warm and cause minimal movement. A soft wrap can be placed around the baby that not only looks good in the pictures but also helps the baby to stay warm and cozy.
Headbands and hats can be used that are not too snugly or tight. Many babies are very sensitive especially to caps or bonnets and will not allow to have any on them. I will wait in that case till they get tired or starts to fall asleep.
Sleepy baby- After a few poses and feeds baby will require a diaper change. Once the first half an hour is over the baby has a tendency to fall asleep. That will be the time to get some closeup shots or pose the baby with the props.
Props that fits- Use of props are very common in a newborn session. However, use only those which are safe for babies, fits them properly and always have a parent overlooking the baby.
This newborn participant was sleepy most of the session especially when in wraps. As shown in the pictures, I took this opportunity to demonstrate a few poses I had used that day to get some momorable shots for the family.
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