Photographing the newborn baby is an art form. It requires a photographer to have a vast experience in photographing, know the camera settings, how to light, prop and create scenes, but most importantly how to handle and pose and calm a baby.
It is no secret that newborns are best photographed between 5-14 days old with a handful of photographers that will also enjoy photographing during the 3rd week. There are several reasons why photographers view the younger newborn to be easier. The first and most important is they are still sleepy. It is silly to believe that birth was not a big change on them. They need rest to learn the new behaviors and sensations. This is great for photographers, as these restful babies are going to sleep through being adjusted. Early day newborns are also small. They fit in size newborn. That is where a majority of photographers have invested in size not just for clothing, but for “newborn” props also. As the newborns continue to grow as we encourage them to do so and thrive, they grow into 0-3 clothing and grow out of size in length and weight for some of our props. If having a wide range of props and poses is important to you, I truly encourage you to book your newborn session during the last trimester. Newborn babies are intelligent and they have personalities with wants and dislikes. As they become more in-tune with their environment they begin to develop preferences such as but not limited to; being swaddled, laying in your arms instead of being put down, not liking people other than their parents. The last reason to photograph as early as possible is they will never be this little again.
So does that mean we don’t photograph older newborns? Babies 1-3 months old deserve to have their portraits made. Here is the problem that photographers face. Parents still see their small babies as newborns- they rightfully are. They also may experience shame or guilt for waiting; especially when they turned away from photographers. Rightfully so, some photographers may not feel comfortable photographing an older newborn. Older newborns can escape wraps and might scratch their face, or bump their arm on the side of a cradle, or stick their foot between a cradle and hurt their foot. But most of all there is the fear that they will let down the parents who have these traditional newborn photographs as expectations. When we adjust our expectations for an older newborn session we, the photographer and he parents can create lovely portraits.
To accomplish a session with an older newborn several things have to be taken into account and we will have to have different expectations. To expect some of the harder poses is unfair not only to the photographer but also the baby. There are several poses that would be unfair to expect. They could be very uncomfortable for the baby, are not natural, and require a very sleepy baby.
One of the poses include the taco. This when babies are folded at the hip and their feet are up by their face and hands are under the cheek. This pose is very darling, but as a baby led photographer, this is not a pose that I believe every baby is comfortable in. One thing that makes this pose accomplishable is the hormone Relaxin. Relaxin is actually the hormone that softens mothers hips and tailbone so that they can adjust to make space for the baby to come out of. This means baby is full of the hormone when born making them limber and a bit more stretchable, but as their metabolism kicks in and the hormone is excreted we can not expect a baby to stretch in a way after 1 or 2 months out of the womb that they most likely not have been experiencing. I have not known a mother to fold her baby in half to lay the baby down. To all of sudden ask this of a newborn when they have been laid flat on their back to sleep, is to ask for a disaster. If we were lucky to have an asleep lder newborn, we have now just gave them a stretch that could cause discomfort not only stressing the baby but waking the baby. But why do we see this pose on pinterest with older babies? I would say 8 times out of 10 the baby that accomplishes this pose is the photographer’s baby. The other two times that baby has been repeatedly placed in that position as they were used as model several times over.
Another popular pose that should not be considered as attainable but rather miraculous is the Froggy Pose. This pose is when baby is on their belly with their hands holding their head and they are laying in half with their feet up by their shoulders. It makes for adorable portrait and is done as a composit (two images placed over eachother) to achive. One where their arms are held together and a portrait is made of the baby’s face and then another photograph is of their arms while the head is being supported. These two photographs are put together. But here’s the hard part, Baby is folded in an unnatural for a baby pose, one they would never do at this age on their own. Also we are asking the baby to sleep while maneuvering the head and hands into this unnatural position. This is to times the likelihood the baby will hate their position and want and cry for relief from this unnatural position.
The last unattainable position is head on hands. An older baby is alert and easily woken, ad accomplishing this position while not impossible may take the while session to attain. With photographer’s focus on making sales, to get this one picture and only this one picture during a session is not feasible. It should be abandoned, unless! a very sleepy posable baby surprises you. I would say these babies are unicorns.
If we abandon these three poses and focus more on photographing the baby on their back there will be more of an opportunity to create success. In fact, I consider the baby to be incredibly sleepy and us very lucky if we are able to photograph the baby asleep safely on a baby bed on their tummy in a butt up position.
Here are some of the expectations that I prepare parents of older babies. Parents should be prepared to bring in clothing that fits their baby that is photographable, and be prepared to perhaps not even see it. Most older newborns are wrapped for the entirety of their session. This is because older newborns are more active and wave and kick their feet more often and to have some control where we are just working for head control, the baby tends to be swaddled. Most of these older newborns who are not used to be swaddled or have decided that the swaddle life is not for them, will fight and escape their wrap. Every time they need to be rewrapped, baby is given a break to stretch and get reassuring cuddles from mom. If by some grace from the Angels, the baby falls asleep and can be slowly unswaddled, so we can peek into the wrap and perhaps hold a stuffy or see the outfit I see this as an awesome win. At some point of this slow unwrap, the baby will startle and wake again. Starting the whole process again.
With care, patience and indeed love older newborn babies can have successful and lovely session.
Here is an example of a newborn over 2 months old, but not holding her head up and her doting family.
In this portrait, we have the older baby double swaddled in her father’s arms- she is awake, but calm.
Two month old swaddled older newborn in her father’s arms surrounded by her mother, sister and brothers in this portrait by Nature’s Reward Photography
In this portrait, the newborn baby is swaddled and propped in this cradle. It is important that we use poses that are not only cute but safe for a baby that can startle or roll.
2 month old swaddled newborn baby girl with her older siblings in this portrait by Nature’s Reward Photography
Another lovely sibling portrait. And don’t be deceived. This portrait has a baby that has taken a slow blink. She is not asleep, but comfortable and content. Safely swaddled with a parent standing on the other side of the carriage, for safety that has been retouched out of the portrait
Two month old newborn baby girl swaddled in white while in baby carriage with her big sister and brothers, a portrait by Nature’s Reward Photography.
As you can see the very next portrait this older baby is awake and making what her mom said was her normal expression.
2 Month old newborn and her big sister, a portrait by Nature’s Reward Photography
In the portraits above we started to get long blinks and as baby was transferred from the stroller to this set, we had some luck where she rested for a minute or so. After I created this portrait and a few others, as I tried to unswaddle her she quickly awoken. This portrait though brings all the feels of looking down at a sleeping babe.
2 month old newborn baby girl swaddled and laying in bowl surrounded by florals, a portrait by Nature’s Reward Photography
As you can see she is wide awake. There are a few shots in between the above and this which were not chosen. But we can all see the magic of what an older baby has to offer when photographed. Just look at those expressive eyes.
2 month old newborn in a pink bonnet and white swaddle a portrait by Nature’s Reward Photography.
Life gets in the way sometimes. There are so many reasons why parents are not able to get to a photographer within the first few days, but that doesn’t mean that the opportunity for beautiful portraiture lost. With adjusted expectations, every baby will wow us with their beauty.