Seeing as to how I will have a newborn in about 4 months, my hormones are kicking in and I’m in full-blown search-for-nursery-bedding-and-decor-all-day-online, make-a-registry-so-you’re-prepared, dream-about-his-squishy-little-face, look-at-newborn-photos-and-sob mode. Yes, things are really exciting around here.
I LOVE searching through newborn and sibling photos online, because good ones can be so perfect in their composition and they have a peace and a beauty about them thanks to their tiny little subjects. There are just so many photos to draw inspiration from, and I want to be prepared before I sit down to snap some of my own in my sleep-deprived state.
Of course, you have to remember that you’ll never be able to recreate most of these photos exactly, so it’s best just to use them as inspiration and pull certain tricks and details from each. So many of them are special moments that happen to be captured with a little luck, and sometimes, a lot of talent.
Like that time I tried to recreate this photo:
If you look closely, you’ll see that Lincoln peed out of his diaper and onto Mia’s panties. Plus he’s making a weird fish face instead of a sweet smile like the inspiration photos, and he looks like a scrawny, alien baby instead of a cute squishy little thing. Clearly this was just not a pose that was going to work for my children…
Of course, other times you get lucky and your inspiration pulls out a pretty nice photo.
Here I mimicked the silhouette against a window idea, and it all just worked out. It’s not exactly the same, but I think it turned out pretty nonetheless.
Newborn baby & sibling photography inspiration
So while I’ve been perusing and pinning photos that I love of newborns and their siblings, I am picking out lighting, perspective, and prop ideas in hopes that I will get some decent shots of my newborn when he arrives. Check out these seriously cute photos and draw some inspiration from them too (I’ll point out some of the things I see).
I love the composition of this sibling photo; how each child is facing a different direction. The sweetness of the kiss is obviously adorable, but I also loved the soft, peachy/cream color created in editing.
Often times, we photograph newborns while they are asleep; they are easier to manipulate when they are sleepy, and they look so dreamy. But this little one with eyes wide open creates a piercing photo that draws you right in.
I think often times we forget to photograph baby in his/her room. This is where you both will likely spend many sleepless nights, so why not immortalize it in a photo? I love the black and white composition of this newborn photo and how it makes the photo so timeless; not to mention the shallow depth of field (a.k.a. blurry background), which brings all focus to baby.
Close-up shots allow you to capture some of those precious details you don’t want to forget. This photo will forever remind the parents of baby’s long, gorgeous lashes and perfect little lips.
I love this candid shot of siblings asleep together! And, oh, the snuggling! Now THAT is a moment worth capturing.
A photo of sibling kisses is certainly not a new idea, but the way that baby is positioned toward the camera with head propped up and sissy coming in from the side makes this one special. The shadows are perfection as well, reminding us that lighting is everything!
Perspective can change a photo! I love this under-the-table shot of mom and baby – especially because what you notice here is how small the baby is compared to mom and how chunky her little thighs are.
Here’s another great example of perspective. You don’t always have to capture baby’s face! Those little legs, feet, hands and even bum deserve a chance, too! I love the simplicity and soft color of the background as well.
I die. Candid shots can be so hard to make look so good, but this one just nails it. Baby looks utterly exhausted (haha) and his pose that mimics daddy’s is too precious. The bright colors in this photo actually work to its advantage, I think, and the shallow depth of field is gorgeous.
If you are looking for some more tips on newborn photography, I found these articles to be quite helpful:
- Camera settings for newborn photography via LittleSproutPhotography.com
- How to use off-camera flash for newborn photography via iheartfaces.com
- How a pro photographer does newborn sessions via inspiremebaby.com
- Tips for photographing baby in the hospital via lilsugar.com
modern baby books for all your newborn photos
