The best newborn photography ideas for your next photoshoot

Newborn photography is about capturing the early stages of a child’s life to look back on for years to come. And in order to provide a hassle-free and enjoyable photo session, you need distinct newborn photography ideas.

Keep reading to find various newborn photography ideas for your next photoshoot. Let’s get into it. 

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Experiment with lighting, exposure, perspective, and color

Experimenting with lighting, exposure, perspective, and color allows you to find what works for your clients and their babies. You can play around with different lights (natural light and flash), perspectives and angles (standing, kneeling, bending, and squatting), and colors to find the best fit for every scene and theme.

1. Black and White Newborn Photography 

Colors are great and can communicate a lot of emotion, but nothing beats classic black and white newborn photography to emphasize simplicity with beautiful tones and shapes. Moreover, black and white photos are superb for newborns irrespective of skin tone. 

Most parents also love to have a black and white portrait of their babies and we think it should be one of the top newborn photography ideas you try out. And you can go the extra mile, using color grading to create different exquisite monochrome images for your clients, such as sepia, or selenium toned images.

2. Newborn Composite Photography

Many newborn photos are composites of multiple images combined in a photo editing app. One example is a newborn on a suspended cloth or sling. 

To create such an image, you need to photograph the baby in the desired position with adequate support from an assistant or parent. Safety first! Then take additional shots of necessary props and merge all photos in post-production. Some poses may require supporting the baby from more than one part of their body, so that you have unobstructed body parts once the images are put together. The more complicated the position, the better off you will be taking posing safety and training courses. For the simplest, all you need for newborn composite photography is photo editing skills, composite techniques, and practice. 

3. Natural Light Newborn Photography

One of the staple skills for every newborn photographer is knowing how to utilize natural light to create amazing baby photos. The natural light newborn photography idea is great for indoor and outdoor photography. 

It is also cost-effective and doesn’t require many technicalities to execute. Thus, all you need is your camera, the natural light in its full glory, and practice finding the perfect positions that allows it to shine on the baby’s face and body. There may be times when you could to use light modifiers to control the natural light to achieve the desired effect. This may be using reflectors, flags, gels, or other modifiers to change the look of the natural light.

4. Flash Photography Newborn

Flash newborn photography is an alternative to natural light newborn photography, especially in a photo studio. However, there are still controversies about how safe it is for newborn photography. This includes built-in flashes, speed lights, LEDs, ring lights, etc.

To ensure safety and achieve an even aesthetically pleasing effect, you can use a light modifier—such as a softbox or an umbrella—to diffuse the harsh light. Also, keep your distance from the baby while pressing the shutter. 

5. Newborn Macro Photography

In newborn photography, it is always important to pay attention to details. This is what newborn macro photography entails: taking close-up images of newborn features that fade as a baby grows. This includes puffy cheeks, tiny hands, feet, button nose, pouty lips, hair, eyes, etc.

You can also use a macro lens or close-up filters to create such images. Most importantly, be free to explore different macro photography ideas for home shoots and studio sessions.  

Unique Newborn Photography With Parents

Newborn photography with parents never goes out of style because parents love distinct and collective photos with their children. Let’s look at some ideas below.

1. Mom and Newborn Photography

Mothers value photo sessions with their babies because it allows them to create lasting memories with their little ones, which is why mom and newborn photography is so important. While you are photographing, building your portfolio, and making a living, you’re also capturing the joys of motherhood and helping to create these incredible memories that mothers can look back on.

Capturing such mother and child moments is a delight, even for you, the photographer. Every image of a mother and her newborn baby highlights their bond. From pregnancy to childbirth, a mother relishes holding her newborn baby in her arms.

The photo session can be indoor or outdoor and in any position, depending on what is convenient for the mother and child. However, do not limit yourself to just one theme or style. Explore! After all, the goal is to create timeless memories for your clients and their babies to reminisce as they grow older.  

2. Dad and Newborn Photography

Fatherhood is one of the defining periods for every man. What better way to capture it than in photos? The unique dad and newborn photography emphasize fatherhood in its purest form, depicting a father’s protectiveness, love, and the bond he shares with the little one.

Like mom and newborn photography, there are many ways to portray a father-child connection. You can concentrate on lifestyle newborn photography, which involves taking candid, casual shots of the baby and dad in their natural environment. Or you can focus on posed newborn photography, which involves using lovely backdrops or props and other artificial items.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Whether at home, studio, or park, the aim is to create a story with images that clients will cherish for as long as possible. Above all, pay attention to clients’ needs and prioritize the baby’s safety. This will help you have a seamless and successful dad and newborn photoshoot.

3. Newborn Photography with Parents

A newborn photography session is incomplete without a group photo with the parents; it is, in fact, a necessity. It is also one of the most popular, creative family photography ideas to consider when taking family photos, especially for new parents. 

However, preparing for this kind of newborn photography is a little more complex, as you now cater to three people (or more on some rare occasions). You have an obligation to make the father(s), mother(s), and child stand out in every shot, depicting the true essence of family—unity.

The good thing is that you don’t have to break an arm to create family photos. With good lighting, exposure, and the right perspective, you can take the ideal shots in a few hours or less. Most importantly, work with your client’s vision for the photoshoot—right from shooting to editing—as much as you ride on your creative horse.  

4. Newborn Photography with Parents’ Hands

At every point during a newborn photoshoot, the baby needs the support of either the father or mother. So, why don’t you convert this seemingly helpful situation into some stunning, tender, cozy memories for your clients? 

Newborn images with parents’ hands are highly significant in every newborn photography collection. This pose also depicts parental bond, availability, and support. Like macro newborn photography, capturing a newborn with parents’ hands doesn’t require a lot of technical intervention, and you don’t need the parents’ faces.

First, lay the baby on its back on a bed or a soft cloth. Then have the parents gently place their hands (one hand each) on any part of the child’s body, preferably the tummy, head, legs, or hands. After posing them and ensuring they are all comfortable, stand up and shoot down over them to help you capture the baby’s full body and the parents’ hands. 

Creative Newborn Photography Poses

Posing little humans is entirely different from posing adults. It requires a lot of patience, perseverance, skills, and poise because they need help to assume whatever position. On that note, let’s look at a wide range of creative newborn photography poses for newborns according to their genders. 

Baby Girl Newborn Photography

1. Simple Full-Body Baby Girl Pose:  To do the simple full-body baby girl pose, lay the baby on her back while awake or asleep, half-wrapped or fully clothed. You can also get her to smile, chuckle, or sway her feet in the air if awake. Likewise, you can try a variety of angles with this pose. 

2. Baby Girl Womb Pose: This pose is similar to a baby’s position in the womb during pregnancy. Lay the baby on her back, and elevate her head with a pillow. Afterward, cross her legs, and place her hands on her chest. In any case, wrapping or clothing the baby should be the parents’ call.

3. Baby Girl Tummy Pose: You can take this simple, versatile pose from different angles and variations. Begin by safely laying the baby on her tummy while asleep, then use a soft pillow to elevate her head and position her hands under her chin to support the neck. Let her relax, then take your shots! 

4. Froggy Pose: The froggy pose is one of the most difficult newborn poses. Hence, you need to be cautious when posing the baby. Curl her legs underneath her stomach, and position both hands to cup her chin. Most importantly, use a prop or ask a parent to support her during the shoot.

5. Side-lying Pose: The side-lying pose is great for sleepy baby girls, as it portrays their innocence even with minimal effort. Lay the baby on her side, placing one hand underneath her head and the other on her jawline. Afterward, cross her legs or keep one on top of the other and click away. 

Baby Boy Newborn Photography

1. Natural Expression Pose: Sometimes, a baby’s natural facial expression is all the pose you need to create an uncommon newborn photo for your clients. Put the fully-awake baby boy in a comfortable form while you take on the right angle and click away as the baby makes different natural facial expressions. Easy peasy.

2. Chin on Hands Pose: The chin-on-the-hands pose highlights the baby’s face and his round, chubby cheeks. However, you will need a spotter, a parent preferably—which you can remove virtually—for all your shots to guarantee the baby’s safety. Lay the baby on his tummy, and place his hands adjacent to each other under his chin. 

3. Bum Up Pose: This is similar to the baby-girl tummy pose. It requires the baby to lie on his stomach. However, you have to arch the baby boy’s back to showcase those cute baby fat rolls on his bum. You can also get beautiful angles from the side, top, or up close.

4. Swaddle Pose: Because babies can be wiggly, the swaddle pose is the perfect way to keep them in a position. Don’t worry; it is safe to wrap a newborn like in the photo above. Use a clean cloth to fully wrap around the baby, leaving his face out to enable proper respiration. 

5: Loosed Wrap Pose: There are many possibilities and variations with this pose. Like the swaddle pose, use a clean blanket to loosely cover the baby and place him on the back or the side. Whether the child is asleep or not, you can bring out his hands and legs to allow minimal movement. 

Newborn Twin Photography

1. Back Pose: Posing twins is a great way to display their individuality despite the obvious resemblance. They can dress in different or similar outfits. Lay them separately on their backs, with faces upward and bodies closely touching each other. You could also spice things up by joining their hands to portray togetherness.  

2. Sitting Together: This newborn twin photography pose may seem basic, but your approach can completely turn it around. Have the twins sit closely together, doing anything, then take your shots from different angles. This pose also works well for any twin newborn photoshoot—girl-girl, boy-boy, or girl-boy. Appearing in matching outfits is optional.

3. From a Bird’s Eye View Pose: The Bird’s Eye View Pose is a popular staple in newborn twins photography, irrespective of gender. All you need to do is place the twin in opposite positions, like in the image above. They can either face themselves or look upwards directly at the camera while you do your thing.  

4. Macro Twins Pose: Sometimes you need to leave aesthetically-pleasing props and focus on the tiny details. With this pose, you can get macro shots of the twins’ tiny features that change in size over time, such as the legs, hands, etc. You can also include the parents’ hand for extra support and class. 

5. Wrapped Pose: Wrap the twins with one blanket, leaving their heads and hands, and lay them on their backs in a box or basket. Note that you can’t control the expression of any one of them. All you need to do is ensure they are in comfortable positions and take your shots. 

Newborn Photography Themes

Newborn photography themes are great ways to spur your creativity. Parents also love to have photos of their babies in specific costumes and elements. However, organizing a newborn photo session that requires styling and customization is tasking. So, here are newborn photography themes to try in your next newborn photoshoot.

1. The Nerd

To create a typical nerd photo, dress the baby like a scholar with glasses, and surround them with books, pencils, and electronic gadgets as props. 

2. Little Fashionista 

The little fashionista theme features a baby girl surrounded by various fashion items, such as shoes, jewelry, clothes, bags, perfumes, makeup products, and other accessories. 

3. The Baker

The Baker is an artistic newborn photography theme. Decorate the stage with different baking items and dress the baby in an apron and a toque. 

4. Jungle Theme

In this theme, use a jungle scene as background and attach zoo props like birds, giraffes, trees, etc. Then dress or wrap the baby up.

5. FairyTale Theme

The fairytale newborn photography theme is about children’s magical stories. All you need to do is provide studio props for any story the parents suggest. Try to bring a little magic into the scene with the props

6. Armed Force Newborn Photography Theme  

This newborn photography theme is suitable for clients affiliated with the armed forces who would love to have photos of their babies representing their profession. 

7. Christmas-themed Newborn Photography 

To achieve this theme, you need the basics, such as red and white props, jingle bells, paper flowers, a Christmas tree, and faux Santa Claus.  

8. Balloon-themed Newborn Photography

The balloon-themed newborn photography involves using colorful balloons to create a background or backdrop for your images while the baby appears in any comfortable attire. 

9. Summer Outdoor Newborn Photography Theme

In the wake of summer, carefully position the newborn outside to enjoy and connect with the sun and other natural elements while wearing protective clothing. 

10. Shoot for The Stars

This dreamy newborn photography theme illustrates that a baby is free to have big goals. Decorate the stage with star, moon, and sky props, then lay the baby close to them.

11. Mirror Newborn Photography Theme

 Using a mirror as your prop, have the baby sit gently on it and look directly into it while you capture the mirror reflection image. 

12. The Little Princess

For the little princess photography theme, a sizable tiara, pink dress, and cute shoes to match could do the trick for the baby girl’s photoshoot.

13. Football-themed Photography

Football is a popular national sport and can serve as a unique newborn photography theme. Dress the baby in a jersey and use football-related items as props.

14. Music Newborn Photography Theme 

You can use this theme for babies whose parents have an incline for music. While the baby is lying, surround them with different musical instruments.

15. White-themed Newborn Photography 

As the title suggests, this photography theme involves creating a background with white props and wrapping or clothing the baby in an all-white cozy fabric.

16. The Playground Theme

Because children love to play, this theme is perfect for newborns. Decorate the scene with the basics, such as toys, stickers, and a baby swing. 

17. Animal-themed Newborn Photography

In this newborn photography theme, stylishly dress the baby in a specific animal-themed costume, and use props that represent the animal’s habitat for the background. 

18. Little Chef Newborn Photography Theme

This newborn photography theme features a baby dressed like a chef, with an apron and toque, surrounded by different food items and kitchen utensils—like pots.

19. Fruit-themed Newborn Photography

Fruits are great natural props for newborn photography. To create this theme, place the baby in any comfortable position and surround them with different fruits.

20. Beach-themed Newborn Photography

With a sea-like background, a pair of glasses, an inflatable ring, and a baby, you can create this classic newborn photography theme for your clients.

21. Pacifier-themed Newborn Photography

This is a simple newborn photography theme. All you need to do is position the baby comfortably with the pacifier in their mouth. Easy peasy.

22. Snow or Winter Newborn Photography Theme

You can use this photography theme when you have newborn photoshoots during the winter season. The basics are a winter-like background, blankets, and star props.

23. Garden-themed Newborn Photography

If your clients love gardening, this is the perfect theme for their newest addition—boy or girl. It is simple, artistic, and great for newborn photography.

24. Rainbow-themed Newborn Photography

This theme allows you to play around with colors. Wrap the baby with a white blanket, then use different colors of blankets as your backdrop.

25. Toy Bear Newborn Photography Theme

Toy bears are newborns’ buddies. And capturing them together is a great idea. Position them beside each other or use the toy bears as backdrops.

Ideas for Newborn Photography with Props

Props are to photography as salt is to cooking. They take your photos from tasteless to delicious. Below are ideas for newborn photography with props. 

1. Newborn Milk Bath Photography

The newborn milk bath photography is a classic and safe prop idea. Get a mini bathtub and fill it with warm water to the desired level, allowing the baby to breathe properly. Then add milk to it. Voila! You can also use flowers and colorful toys to enhance the look. 

2. Newborn Basket Photography

Baskets make versatile newborn photography props. Get a basket fit for newborns and place it on a sturdy platform. Put a soft blanket inside for comfort’s sake, and gently lay the baby on it. Then take your shots from any angle. Fortunately, you don’t need elaborate posing with this prop.  

3. Backdrop for Newborn Photography

A backdrop for newborn photography can be anything from clothes to images and other organic decorations. The aim is to create a background with great aesthetics that complements the baby’s mood and gender and the photography theme. Most importantly, prioritize the baby’s safety when choosing a backdrop for your photoshoot. 

4. Newborn Photography Blankets

Blankets are multi-purpose newborn photography props. You can use them as backdrops or swaddle wraps to keep babies warm and cozy. If you must use blankets as a prop for your newborn photography session, go for safe materials for babies. Cotton, mesh, ruffled knit, and gauze fabrics are great options.

5. Newborn Photography Wraps

Like blankets, wraps are common newborn photography props. You can use them to soothe a newborn and add texture to your images. When creating your newborn photography wraps collection, endeavor to add lace wraps, knit wraps, and cheesecloths. They are safe and durable. You can also include custom, handmade pieces.

6. Newborn Photography Bean Bag

Newborn photography bean bags are great comfort props for babies. They are affordable and easy to source. Moreover, they take your photography game from zero to a hundred in every shoot they feature. You can use them for newborn poses, such as the Froggy, Bum up, Womb, and Back poses. 

The Bottom Line

Newborn photography ideas are endless. You have the liberty to tweak and customize anything to fit your client’s visions. Furthermore, intentionally build your portfolio as you advance in your career. 


You can check out some of our photography portfolio examples to discover ways to position your brand for wider reach. Above all, we are optimistic that these shared newborn photography ideas will take your photography skills a notch higher.

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