How to Photograph Newborn Babies with Props

Newborn Photography  •  Photography Tips

Photographing newborn babies may seem like a perk in itself. But there’s more to it than just the cuddling and the cuteness. It takes a lot of passion, too. Photographing newborns can quickly become stressful if you’re not sure what you’re doing. As a photographer, you have to plan every single detail meticulously and keep everybody calm during the shoot. Ruth Medjber engages Nicole Le Saout in a one on one conversation in which she reveals some the secrets behind her adorable baby photos:

Although she always to be a photographer, it all started for La Saout when she had her own kids. She admits, however, that she does not have photos of her own kids like this, as she was only learning when they were newborns.

Props for Newborn Photography

La Saout says she has a sort of weird fetish for blankets and scarves and other baby props. She claims to sometimes goes overboard with it, buying stuff when she already has four or five of them already. But on the good side, it gives her an incredible variety to choose from.

Le Saout has a wide variety of blankets to choose from for her shoots.

Even with her props she has her favorites. There are some she uses more than the others, like textured blankets that create beautiful leading lines.

Textured blankets can create leading lines.

Props, especially those with texture, can be a great contrast from the smooth skin of newborn babies. But then again, La Saout also uses soft, smooth blankets just to change the scene and make everything appear soft in the final image.

Props are an integral part of newborn portraits.

Photos where a baby is placed inside a basket are the latest craze. Le Saout says she receives lots of requests like these, which make prop buying a lot easier. A photographer can simply look for unique baskets rather than an array of props that might not be popular with clients.

Later in the vidoe, La Saout shares useful tips on the kind of camera and lenses that she uses, her lighting techniques, and some insights into post-processing.