newborn photography | dallas | Finn Wilder

Welcome baby Finn Wilder! His session was smooth and easy and I love the backdrops and props that his mom requested! Finn was very relaxed and not challenging to work with, but that is not always the case. A lot of the times parents will ask if we ever have babies come in that just scream and won’t do anything I want them to. The short answer is no. I have been doing this long enough and have photographed enough newborns to know what works quickly and what they like. I pride myself on my ability to get a baby to chill and do what I want. However, it is not always easy!! Different babies have different personalities and temperaments from early on. Some are alert and easily upset, some are so sleepy and relaxed that they don’t even know they have had a photo shoot. Here are some of my tips and techniques for how I keep a baby cooperating and make sure I’m getting those shots that I’m so well known for!

Warm it up!

We keep our studio a toasty 80 degrees and have a space heater blowing on the posing beanbag to keep it nice and warm for baby. We make sure the heater is far enough away from the baby and the blankets, but close enough to warm up the posing surface. When parents come in and tell me their baby doesn’t like to be naked, I say “OK”, but I know that they will be just fine with it because it is so warm. I also make sure my hands are warm before handling the baby. This is really only a problem for me in the winter months. The warmer it is, the easier they are to pose and the less they care that they are naked and not in a blanket. The womb is about 98 degrees, so they are used to the heat and love it. But, if the baby gets very red and sweaty, it’s too hot and adjustments need to be made.

On the side!

When I notice a baby is starting to become unhappy, I hold it on it’s side. I like to just lay them down on my legs, with my knees bent up, put them on their side and apply light pressure to their arm and gently sway my legs back and forth. This is also the perfect position to get them to take a pacifier. So many babies won’t take them unless they are on their side. It’s the natural nursing position, so it makes perfect sense.

Shhhhhhh.

I sometimes feel like a bit of a weirdo shushing people’s babies. But, if it works, go with it! Babies can go from stiff and unhappy to putty in your hands when you shhhhhhh right next to their ear. It doesn’t work for all babies, but it can totally save a pose if they are starting to wake up or wriggle out of it. I also have white noise playing throughout the session.

Close those eyes

When babies are right on the brink of falling asleep, but have a wonky open eye or they aren’t all the way closed, take your finger and lightly pet in between their eyes. It almost always gets them to close fully. To get the most flattering images the eyes need to be completely closed or completely open, the halfway look is not my favorite.

That’s a wrap

When all else fails, wrap ’em up! Some parents think their babies don’t like to be swaddled but they all like to be wrapped up. That being said, I can tell why some parents think that. When I’m wrapping a baby that is not settled and it seems like they may not like to be wrapped, I have to just commit to it and wrap them. Once they are wrapped, picked up, and put on their side, they will relax and eventually fall asleep. Unless they are hungry, in which case mom needs to feed. Luckily wrapped shots are some of the absolute cutest, so if you have a really fussy baby that will only settle in a wrap, it’s ok! It’s smart to have a few wrapped props and set ups in mind for each session in case you get a baby that only settles in a wrap. There are so many angles and wrapping techniques you can do to make the images look completely different.

I believe that one of the main things that separates the true professionals from the hobbyist type newborn photographers is the baby handling skills. From the soothing, to the posing, to the safety. You have one shot to get these images that you will treasure for a lifetime, they are only this little for a few weeks, it goes by insanely fast. Do it right, I’ve never had a client regret doing a session. If you have trusted me with your tiny baby, thank you, I take it very seriously and love this job so much!