Top Creative Poses For Your Next Baby Shoot

Photography with newborns can be a tricky business. Depending on the date of your shoot, your newborn may have grown from a ball to a crawling boy. This is why it is important to book newborn photography sessions within the first week or two of a baby’s birth. This means that posing will vary greatly depending on the age of your newborn on the date of the shoot. For example, you may need to change your plan if you plan to shoot your newborn at 8 days old as opposed to 3 months old. Furthermore, if you are not familiar with handling a baby, setting up newborn poses can be a bit of a challenge. Props are a great way to fill the void of posing in any photo session. So, let’s explore some of the options below.

Cute blankets, onesies, and hats

Bringing a cute blanket or hat can drastically change the look of your newborn photography session. Sometimes you want a soft, matte blanket that absorbs some of the light, while other times you want something bright, vibrant, and shiny. 

Bundle pose

The newborn bundle can be used for this pose if your subject (baby) is under 1 month old. To do this pose, make sure you have a blanket to wrap your baby in. However, you can get the same effect if your baby is wearing a onesie/pajamas. Babies under 1 month sleep a lot, so there is a good chance that they will fall asleep in this comfortable pose. 

Hands cradling the head 

If you’ve ever seen a picture of a baby (or caregiver holding a baby’s head in their hands), you’re probably familiar with how cute those photos look. Play with the lighting and angles to capture and interesting perspective.

With newborns, you’re one of the parents holding the baby, resting their head in your hands. This creates a stunning photograph that showcases the bond between baby and parent. 

Sitting on your lap

This is one of the easiest poses to do, but it’s a tried and true classic. One of the parents should be holding the newborn in their lap, holding the baby in her arms. This creates a connection between the parents and the baby, and it can look like a very private, quiet moment between the parents. This pose is especially effective because it doesn’t require much guidance from you to ensure the parent feels comfortable in these pictures.

Lying on the tummy pose

There’s a good chance that your newborn will get tired easily and roll over onto his back or your tummy if you pose him in this way. If your baby is up and moving around, with a bit of encouragement from your parents and good placement, you’re likely to see the sparkle in your baby’s eye when he looks at his parents in this pose. 

Crawling towards the camera 

You’ve seen pictures of babies crawling towards the camera, but that’s only after they’re a little older. Some babies are crawling right out of the gate, so if you can capture a moment of joy while they’re crawling towards you, that’s a bonus.