I contemplated for awhile towards the end of my pregnancy as to whether I would pay a professional to do a newborn photo shoot or not. I ended up deciding against it just due to the cost associated with it. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my photographer – she is amazing (Allison Tucker Photography)! One day, I just decided I was going to do it myself, and on a budget. I wanted to share my experience and tips with doing one yourself. At the end of the day, you just have to decide if it is worth the cost to you or not. I must say, I was pretty happy with my end result (I know they aren’t professional, but they are so special to me). I am glad I did them.
Stay tuned…at the end, I provide some links to some super cute newborn photo shoot costumes / outfits you should totally check out.
Before getting ready to do your shoot, order any supplies, outfits, accessories you want to use. I bought a super cute tutu with a matching headband and a wrap blanket with a headband. There are seriously so many cute ideas for both boys and girls – so check them out. They aren’t too costly either.
Once you have your supplies, here are some tips and flow for having a successful DIY newborn photo shoot.
- The most important tip is HAVE PATIENCE! It will go along way – trust me!
- Make sure you have stellar lighting (filters can only do so much)
- I opened all the blinds in my room all the way up and turned on all of the lights I had
- Pick a room with good lighting
- Gather all of the supplies (outfits, accessories, props, etc…) you will need and have them nearby
- Boppy Pillows are perfect for giving support or adjusting positions (you should totally own one of these regardless of a photo shoot 😉)
- You could use other pillows to also provide support or adjust positions
- I just used my comforter for all of my photos (you can bunch them up and stuff)
- Get a nice comforter or blanket and lay it out across your bed (or some other flat surface) – I chose a fluffy, navy comforter as my backdrop
- Put baby in outfit / costume number one
- Make sure baby is in a good mood (calm); in fact, newborn photo shoots usually work best when the baby is asleep (mine was not)
- Put the baby in the position of your choosing (you will likely want to adjust numerous times in the same outfit / costume
- Have your camera or cell phone ready (in camera mode) and adjust as necessary
- Start shooting a ton of photos for every outfit / costume and every position
- Again, patience is key – it probably took me about an hour and a half to complete my session (my baby fussed a few times throughout – you just have to power through)
- Have fun! Not only are the photos going to be a memory you will always cherish, but so will the time you take to do this photo shoot with your little one
- Go through all of your photos and choose ones you like the most and then play around and edit them
- crop, use different filters (black and white is always classic), add text, whatever your heart desires.
- Share with friends and family and / or have them printed or made into art (do as you please)
Here are some of the beautiful (if I do say so myself) photos I took during my newborn photo shoot:
Other Cool Newborn Photo Shoot Props / Outfits / Accessories:
- Bear Beanie Hat with Bear Doll (perfect for a boy or girl – several color options)
- Cute Knitted Rabbit Outfit with Carrot (perfect for a boy or girl)
- Hat and Tie Set (several color options available)
- Crochet Knitted Mermaid Outfit Set (3 pieces; perfect for a newborn girl)
- Bathrobe with Towel Set
- Lion Hat and Tail Set
- Crochet Knitted Fisherman Set (5 pieces)
- Ruffle Bloomer and Lace Flower Headband Set (2 pieces; perfect for a newborn girl)
- Crochet Knitted Baseball Shorts and Cap (2 piece set – just add a baseball for a super cute photo)
- Crochet Knitted Anchor Bow Tie, Sailor Hat and Shorts Set (3 pieces)
- 4x Angel Wings and Headband Set (includes 4 sets of different colors)
- Crochet Knitted Pumpkin Hat and Pants Set
- Crochet Knitted Santa Claus Hat and Suspender Pants Set
- Various Crochet Knitted Rainbow Sets (several options)
- Crochet Knitted Mickey Mouse Set
- Crochet Knitted Marines Costume Set
- Gentlemen’s Vest (several colors to choose from)
There are so many wonderful items online, just do your research and find what works best for you. If you are really on a tight budget, I am sure you can find things around your house that can be altered for the shoot.
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