Non newborn babies can be tricky to take pictures of, since they don’t sleep as much and start to crawl around. But that’s why you have me to give you some tips. In this week’s blog, I’ll be giving you 5 ways to prepare non newborn babies for a photoshoot.
- Nap Time. First thing’s first, make sure you schedule the photoshoot for right after the baby’s nap time. Or at least try to have your baby take a nap before the photoshoot. This ensures a happy baby that will probably smile during picture time. Sleepy babies are usually more fussy and don’t want to sit still for a photoshoot, especially one that’s gonna last a whole hour.
2. Eat! Eat! Eat! Make sure that the baby has had a meal relatively recently so that they are not hungry during the shoot. This will keep them from being fussy while taking pictures. You may even ant to bring a snack just in case the baby is still hungry during the shoot. If you’re gonna be in the photos, make sure you eat as well. It can be easy to forget about yourself when taking care of others! Speaking about packing some snacks for the shoot, that brings us to number three on the list.
3. Packing the diaper bag. You’ll want to pack a few items to make sure you have a successful photoshoot. This includes a couple of your babies favorite toys, some snacks, their sip cups, diapers, baby wipes, and a change of clothes. The diapers and baby wipes are pretty self explanatory. The snacks can be used to bribe the baby if needed but also to give them something if they’re feeling hungry. Same with their sippy cups in case they’re thirsty. Their favorite toys can be used to get their attention while they photographer takes pictures. it can also be used as a prop in their photoshoot. The change of clothes are good in case you want your child in multiple outfits or in case baby has an accident and stains their clothes.
4. Grab a Helper. If you plan to be in the pictures with your little one, you may want to call your spouse, parent, or a friend to help with this shoot. They can help hold up a toy to grab the babies attention while you and your baby pose for the photographer. This is especially helpful if you plan to take the picture with your baby and other kids you may have. Then they can try to grab all of the kids attention with the photographer for even better pictures.
5. Don’t Stress Yourself Out. Babies might not be happy and playful the entire session. They may get fussy or not want to get still but that’s because they’re still young! There’s no need to stress yourself out about it. As a photographer we’re trained to be able to capture as many photos as possible when they baby is cooperative. It’s rare that we’ll do a shoot with your little one and come out with little to no images at all. However if it is agreed upon by both the photographer and the parents that the baby was a little too fussy the day of the shoot, you can always reschedule and try again another day.
I hope this article has given you some good tips on preparing a non newborn baby for a photoshoot. Remember to have fun and enjoy this time with your child. Creating these types of moments are important. Share some tricks you have to make your baby laugh during pictures in the comment section!