Mom and baby poses are full of joyful expressions and capturing memories of a lifetime.
The first few months are full of new experiences and learning more about the new member of the family. When parents arrive in my studio with their baby my goal is to make the mommy comfortable with the new place, get comfortable working with the photographer who will be handling their precious during the session and continuously cheering then up with warm and assuring pep talks.
Many new moms are tired and do not want to participate for the session. However, I also get a lot of moms who are eager to take an active part in the photo session and are very happy holding their baby in front of the camera first time after birth of their precious.
Normally, I will start the mom and baby session giving mom a chair or a stool to sit on comfortably. Then I will show her the pose I would like to capture using a life size doll. This helps mom to feel more confident holding her baby for that specific shot.
For sitting shots it is always a good idea to remind your client to keep the posture straight while holding the baby.
Side shots of mom holding her baby also requires reminding mom to have her back straight. She can either look at the baby or at the camera, a smile on her face gives a beautiful expression of motherly love.
Baby usually senses the moment mom holds him/her so the shots planned to be taken has to be captured quickly before the baby wakes up or starts to get fussy for feedings.
For newborns 3 weeks and younger swaddle wraps works beautifully. Not only the baby stays comfortable, it is also easier for the new mom to hold the baby and pose in front of the camera.
Babies 1-2 month are more alert and frequently needs to be hold or fed. They are more alert of the new environment and is usually awake most of the session. Soother/pacifier are great tools to keep them calm and get the session go smoothly.
Babies 3-4 months have stronger back and can hold up their head lot better. At this age they smile a lot and is easier to make them sit on mommy's lap. Also, they love to be held at this age and camera flash or studio soft lights are get attractions for them.
I keep a few small audible toys handy for baby sessions. Babies love to follow the sound and that can be a life saver sometime.
Last but not the least as a photographer I have my set of sequence of shots planned but every baby is different. There is no same pose that works for all babies and every mom is different in their abilities to hold the baby in a certain way for a specific shot.
Improvisation is at the key for maintaining a smooth flow of the session. Lots of patience and quick thinking are other innate tools that helps to achieve a wonderful and memorable mom and baby session.
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