I’ve just had a baby. I’m not sure I want to be in the photographs – I’m worried I’ll look too tired.
I see your beauty. I know you have insecurities, but let me show you the beautiful woman and mama that I see. I’ll crop all the photos of you and baby closely and photograph from angles that compliment you.
“Six days post delivery is not always the easiest time to feel beautiful. I got up early so I’d have some extra time to get ready, but I say [Katie] worked magic!”
In addition to knowing the best angles to photograph you from, I have 7 posing tips and tricks for mom so you CAN get Pinterest-Worthy photos with your newborn baby.
1. Lean Forward at Your Hips
If you’ve had a newborn session with me, I’ll bet you’ve heard me tell you a few times during the session, “Now, lean forward at your hips.”
This is such a subtle but effective way to make a pose more flattering. You can see the difference in the examples below. In the first photo, our moms are standing up straight. In the second photo, I asked them to lean forward at their hips.
2. Natural Interaction While Leaning Over Baby
I strive for authentic photography that captures the beautiful nuances of motherhood. To create these candid moments, I place baby on a bed or the bean bag, and direct mom to lean over and gently interact with her sweet baby. These moments never disappoint!
3. Over Your Shoulder
Placing baby over mom’s shoulder brings baby front and center and captures the support mom provides for baby in a compelling and classic fashion.
4. Turtle Neck
No, no, no. I’m not going to tell you to wear a turtle neck here. But, another thing you’ll hear me say?
Push your chin forward.
It feels weird. But, pushing your chin out like a turtle elongates your neck and eliminates that dreaded double chin ; )
5. Snuggle Baby Against Belly
Your baby bump undoubtedly gets the lion’s share of attention throughout your pregnancy, but now that your little one is out, maybe you are insecure about your post-baby belly. Relax. Know that your belly is beautiful. In fact, your entire body is beautiful, so I try to capture all of your wonderful features with this pose: by holding your baby a little lower and placing him over your belly, the focus is on your face, supporting arms and baby.
6. Close to Your Face
These are always some of my favorite shots. Don’t be afraid to get close. When I need a guaranteed show-stopper for your portfolio, I utilize this simple equation: pull baby really close to your face + crop in close = perfection!
7. Tilt Your Head
This final tip is crucial: tilt your head in the same direction as your baby. Compositionally, the tilt creates an aura of peace and unifies the photo by drawing the viewer’s eyes in one direction – starting from the top of mom’s head and flowing down.
Tilting your head in the same direction as your baby’s head will also cause the light to be flattering as it goes down both mom and baby’s nose.
I hope after reading this you are feeling a bit more confident in being photographed with your brand new baby! She will treasure these photos for years to come, and I promise you will find at least ONE that you absolutely LOVE of yourself from the session.
Contact me to talk more about booking your newborn session. I look forward to hearing from you! Or if you aren’t quite ready to book but want to stay connected be sure to sign up to be on my email list here.