5 Must-Haves in Your Newborn Photograph Collection

After all those months of anticipation, when the baby finally arrives, many parents are awestruck and overwhelmed by the whole experience and the presence of this tiny being.  Capturing some of those moments of incredible happiness will help you relive them for years to come.  Here are 5 must-haves in your newborn photograph collection.

1. First picture of baby after birth:  Remember to carry your camera with you at the time of baby’s birth.  The first photograph of your newborn is and will always remain special.  It is the moment your first saw him/her and so is an absolute must-have in your newborn photograph collection.  Shoot your newborn in natural light as far as possible, it retains a certain softness about the photograph.  Also try to get a close-up so that you get to see the face clearly (newborns are generally swaddled up, so you might need to try a few angles to achieve this!).

2. First picture with mom and dad:  This is another special.  Get a friend or family member to click a picture of the three of you (include siblings if any).  Again, try to avoid using a flash.  Instead, use the natural light in the room to your best advantage.  Hold the newborn against the mom or dad in a way that the face is seen clearly (after all, he/she is the star of this photograph!).  For first time parents, this would be their first family photograph.

3. First meeting with each family member:  Try to capture the first meeting of each family member with the newborn.  This would include first picture of the baby with mom, dad, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, and anyone else who is special to you.  These pictures make for great personalized gifts too.

4. Sleeping photographs:  Once the mom and newborn are home and settled, you have more time to focus on the baby and take lots of pictures.  The baby will sleep most of the day so most of your newborn photographs will be sleeping pictures.  Get photographs of the baby from as many different angles as you can – sleeping butt shots are another absolute must-have in your newborn photograph collection.  Also, include parts of the nursery in these photographs.  This would work as a great background as well as props.

5. Action photographs:  Getting any action photographs of a newborn will require lots of patience and some preparation.  Keep your camera handy and wait for the newborn to wake up.  Then shoot all the actions you can get – crying, feeding, trying to stuff the fist into the mouth, kicking tiny feet into the air, suddenly smiling or laughing, the list is endless.  Trust me, you will end up with some adorable newborn photographs.