How to photograph your baby in the hospital

Jacksonville, Florida

You and your partner are preparing to bring one of the most precious lives into this world and you want to capture every moment you can. Well, I’m here to walk you through how to photograph your baby in the hospital. Whether it’s with your phone or you invested in a nice camera these tips will help you capture this time in your life.

If your partner is giving birth or you’re meeting your little one for the first time at the hospital there are key moments you won’t want to miss.

Before baby’s arrival

There is a lot going on during labor and it can be very easy to get swept away in the chaos of it all. However, you know these pictures are important so the first thing you want to do is learn your camera frontwards and backward. Spend time taking pictures with different settings, in different lighting, from different angles. Practice on your pets, on your partner, friends’ kids if possible. This will allow you to learn your camera and find out what settings work best for you. It will also help you understand lighting and angles which will help tremendously.

This will allow you to be confident in your skills come the big day. The better you know your camera and its capabilities the better you will navigate any hiccups the day of.

How to photography your baby in the hospital: Things to Keep in Mind

Remember your angles. Stand up, use a stool, whatever you need to capture images from above. This will help you create images that are flattering, which she will appreciate.

Capture the real moments. Your birth person is a badass. There are so many moments during her labor that you will have the opportunity to capture. She’s breathing through her contractions, focusing on her strength, meditating, praying, singing, thinking about meeting your baby. Each of these moments can be caught in photographs when you pay attention.

You cannot take too many images. Don’t overthink your shots, you cannot take too many, and switching angles will allow you to capture the best shot. And remember to capture the details too. How the room looked, what her comfort items were, candles lit, people a part of the day, pets that stayed by her side, etc. These are things she will likely forget or didn’t realize at the moment and looking back on them will allow her to immerse herself in those memories.

During baby’s arrival

Once things start getting real be sure to capture a few intense moments if your partner is okay with it. Once she says it’s time to set the phone down then be all there with her. However, up until that time capture the incredible power, beauty, and strength she possesses during this time. Make sure to get a close up of her belly, of the two of you holding hands, of her leaning against her doula, or the side of a tub, of the water trickling over her skin, the way she sways to distract from the pain, all of the moments are leading up to baby’s arrival.

After baby’s arrival

Your little one has arrived and you captured it all! Great job! Now that your little one is here be sure to capture their arrival. How to photograph your baby in the hospital:

• Capture baby coming to your partner’s chest for the first time
• Ask your nurse or doula to take some pictures of you with your partner and baby
• Be sure to get some detail pictures of your baby. Toes, feet, fingertips, hair, face, lips – babies change so much so quickly. The sooner you start documenting it the better.
• Pay attention to lighting. If you have a window in your room, stand by the window, and capture your images looking into the room.
  • If you can, move the baby near the window and capture their details in the natural light.
• Again, remember those sweet candid moments as you and your partner bond with your baby. I highly recommend bringing a tripod so you can set up some family shots.

This will be one of the best day (or days) of your life and you’ll want the opportunity to look back on it for years to come. I hope these tips help you create images you will cherish for a lifetime and once your little one is home I would love to capture your family so you can focus on snuggling with them.

Expecting?

Here are some tips to plan for your maternity photoshoot, your newborn photoshoot, and if you’re local to Jacksonville some of the best doulas around.