Newborn Photography. Take your own Newborn Portraits. By Amy Kuntz Photography, an award winning Newborn Photographer in Kansas City.
Disclaimer: This video and tutorial are not meant to replace a professional photographer. iPhone cameras and professional SLR camera equipment cannot be compared and iPhones cannot replace a professional SLR camera and lens. Newborn photography is hard work and this tutorial is only to help parents in a time that they cannot hire a professional photographer. Newborn Photography takes many many years to learn and excel at.
Kansas City Newborn Photographer
While I would normally never recommend taking your own newborn pictures; unfortunately, during the current Coronavirus Epidemic, newborn photographers aren’t considered an essential business. I am so sad to be missing so many newborn sessions and I’m even more sad that my clients won’t have beautiful, professional portraits of their tiny baby. So, I have put together a little tutorial to help new parents capture their own newborn portraits with an iphone!
You can watch my video that I posted LIVE to Facebook here:
As for my step by step instructions, keep reading.
Light
First, you want to find a room in your home that is well lit with a good window that you can get close to. If a bed is next to it, that’s even better! Be sure that there isn’t direct sunlight coming in or if there is, cover the window with a white sheet or two. Even without direct sun, it’s recommended to cover the window with a white curtain.
Heat
Heat your room up! Turn up your thermostat as high as your spouse will allow, lol. And bring in a space heater. This step might not seem important but I promise you that it is. Don’t skip over the heat!
Materials and Props
- Choose a blanket to pose the baby on. A blanket that is thick and stretchy is ideal. You will also want plenty of blankets underneath your top posing blanket. Underneath layers will help your top layer to lay nice and smooth.
- Pick out a wrap to swaddle the baby in. Wraps that newborn photographers use are different than normal swaddling blankets that you purchase in a store. The best wraps for photography are stretchy knit material cut 18-20 inches tall and as wide as the bolt of fabric that it came from. Etsy has many choices for newborn wraps if you have time to order one!
- Choose coordinating headbands or hats!
- Prepare some items to use for support. 1-2 rolled up towels, a pair of rolled up socks, or rolled up burp cloths and receiving blankets will work well.
White Noise
Using white noise is another very important step that you don’t want to skip over. If your space heater is loud, that will probably be enough white noise, but you can also add in other methods of white noise. Either a shushing or womb sounds, app or device will work.
Full Tummy
Once you are all prepped for the session, give the baby a clean diaper and feed it! Make sure it has a nice full tummy as you start your session.
Session Time
- Wrap your baby up! Refer to my video for a good wrapping technique.
- Place your iPhone in portrait mode.
- Be sure to turn off all artificial light in the room and have the only light source from your window.
- Light baby from the side or a downward angle. Never light baby “up the nose” or lay it in too much shadow.
- Lay baby down on their back with head propped up. Watch your lighting angles! Get different angles and details. Change baby’s positions with head and hands. Don’t forget those details shots of feet, hands and lips, hair, etc.
- Gently roll baby to their tummy. Go slowly and as gentle as possible. Try to keep hands under their chin and their knees up under their tummy almost like a frog position. Baby’s love to be snuggled up tight. Having their arms and legs loose and unsupported generally startles them as they have little control of their limbs at this point.
- When taking parent shots, watch lighting angles and stay close to the window.
I’m here to help
I sincerely hope that this tutorial is helpful. While I don’t want to encourage replacing professional images by a professional photographer with iPhone images, during this time in our world it is our only option. I truly want the best for my clients and your family and hope I can do a small part in helping out with all of the special things that we are missing out on right now.
Guys, these were taken with an iPhone 11 in Portrait mode. I know the quality isn’t the same as an SLR. But the lighting is nice, the aperture is low and I got some seriously sweet images. The point is to take the time. Take the time to do your hair, do your makeup, put on a beautiful dress (try to stay away from bright colors that will cast color onto you and baby. White, cream, gray, neutral colors are ideal.
This image below is an example of “up the nose”. It’s easy to do, just be aware when taking images that you use a more downward angle.
