How to Prepare Your Newborn for the Photoshoot
You’ve locked in the time for the shoot since before the birth and now Baby’s all safe and sound in your arms! Most of us remember our own experiences with photoshoots, whether for school or special occasions.
The same tips and tricks apply here – preparing ahead of time and maintaining a relaxed state of mind always help. However, we understand that frazzled new parents might be stressing out over their newborn, so we have compiled this helpful list you can check off.
Read on for our top 4 tips on getting Baby photo-ready!
1. The 2-week rule
For a newborn photoshoot, it is generally understood that pictures should be taken within the first two weeks of birth, and ideally within the first 10 days. This is for several reasons.
One, a newborn gets more active and alert after the first two weeks, and since most newborn photoshoots want to depict Baby sleeping peacefully, it would be a lot easier to get cute shots of your little one snoozing if taken before they get too alert. Professional newborn photographers recommend sticking to this two-week rule for the best photos of Baby.
The second reason is that slots for newborn photoshoots fill up fast, so booking in advance is always recommended! Besides, most parents have reported hardly having any time to themselves once their little bun is out of the oven, and you’ll be thanking past you for having the foresight to lock in the photoshoot weeks or even months in advance so that you can focus on your little one post-birth.
2. Keep it loose
Since most newborn photoshoots have pictures of Baby in the buff, we recommend dressing your little one in loose clothing before the shoot to avoid dreaded diaper marks or red skin.
That’s right, these marks on Baby’s soft skin show up, and they don’t look good in photos. Avoid putting your little one in a onesie or anything that has to be pulled over their head. Also, if possible, remove the diaper an hour before the shoot starts.
If not, at least try to keep the diaper as loose as possible to make sure that it does not leave any marks! Likewise with little gloves and hats – your newborn might look absolutely adorable in them, but the elastic marks these items leave look unsightly in pictures.
3. A full and sleepy baby is a cute baby
As photographers, we’ve done and seen it all, and we can say for certain that newborns look the most adorable in photos where they are asleep or on their way there. That’s why we have a little list of rules for their parents (and nursing mummies) to get the best results!
Nursing mummies should avoid having spicy food at least 24 hours before the session as it might upset Baby’s tummy. In addition, food and beverages containing caffeine (such as coffee, tea, cocoa products, and some soft drinks) should also be avoided as it could stimulate Baby.
We also encourage parents to keep their baby awake for about one to two hours before the session, which ensures that Baby will be all tuckered out during the photoshoot.
Feeding the baby before the session helps as well. It is usually easiest to feed Baby before heading out for the photoshoot, and gives parents a window of time to burp the little one.
4. Relaxed parents = Relaxed baby
Within the first few days, it becomes obvious that babies are sensitive to their parents’ moods. A frantic parent can result in a fussy newborn, which is why we let parents know that we know exactly what we are doing so that they can sit back, relax, and take the load off their feet, which is rare once you have a newborn.
And there you have it! 4 tips to prep you and your little one for the photoshoot. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself amid the hustle and bustle!
