Why I Use Natural Posing For Newborns

Newborn photography has become one of my favorite types of sessions. I have been photographing newborns now for over 10 years, and I LOVE it. During this time, I took numerous posing workshops, lighting workshops, read about techniques, and practiced… a lot! I am very comfortable with newborns (and even have three children of my own). I know how to soothe them, I know how to pose them, and I know how to do all of this safely. However; now I’ve moved to naturally posed and unposed newborn sessions. Here are a few keywords to help explain why…

TIMELESS

I truly believe that photography should be timeless, and this is not any different for a newborn shoot. There are a lot of trends out there that come and go, but a sweet, simple shot of your newborn baby will never go out of style. I’ve seen babies dressed up as pilots, propped in baby recliners reading the paper, laying on books with huge glasses, etc… And as much as I admire the creativity of these photographers, it’s not what I find important in newborn photography. For me, timeless means shots of tiny toes, beautiful light hitting a baby’s face softly, the mother soothing her baby in her own natural way, the baby placing their hands behind their head because that’s how they always sleep. It’s real, and it’s beautiful… forever.

STRESS

Stress is another reason why I stopped posing newborns. And it’s not even the stress on me! It’s the stress on the families and baby as well. Posing takes time… a LOT of time. It involves a very sleepy, well fed baby, and patience. It can take a good 20 minutes or longer to get a baby into just one pose. And let’s be serious. The new mamas and daddies are TIRED. They are sleep deprived and hungry, and patience is not something they always have. haha! And newborn babies do not know anything about patience. But seriously, coming to a shoot with hopes of getting specific poses that you saw on Pinterest is stressful. You want to do everything in your power to have the photographer get that perfect shot. I want to take the stress away. Your baby is beautiful without being propped up on their hands and without having their feet under them almost touching their face.

FOCUS

The focus of the newborn shoot should always be the newborn. Often, I see photographers always looking for the next amazing prop to put a baby in. Something different for every baby… something creative. But, you know what? Your baby is beautiful all by itself. I don’t want the focus of your newborn portrait to be the colorful backdrop, the airplane, the guitar, or any other prop or outfit. I want the focus to be your baby.

Your baby is beautiful just lying on a white bed with window light behind him/her. Your baby is beautiful curled up with a blanket wrapped around him/her.

Your. Baby. Is. Beautiful.

COMFORT

I truly believe newborn shoots should be comfortable. I want the parents to be at ease, and I want the baby to be at ease. No matter how experienced a photographer is at posing babies, I know that those parents are always just a little worried something could go wrong in that pose. Newborn posing can be very safe if you have someone trained to pose safely. However; it’s hard to take away the stress/anxiety over someone else posing your baby.

A lot of the poses for moms and babies is also quite uncomfortable. Holding your own newborn should never be awkward or uncomfortable. It should feel natural, and I want to capture how mamas naturally hold their babies. Daddies always have a special way they like to hold their babies too, and this is what I want to capture. Babies themselves are never very happy to be posed in certain positions. In fact, it should never be assumed that a newborn can do every pose. I want the babies to be super relaxed and comfortable. I wrap them in soft blankets, support their little necks, and let them be themselves. Non-posed is much more comfortable for baby.

So, there you have it! There’s a little look into why I photograph babies the way I do now. If you love the idea of a timeless, natural, organic newborn shoot, please reach out. I can’t wait to talk to you!

Find out what to wear for a newborn session here.