Hyde - The Design Aglow posing guide to family portrait photography : 100 modern ideas for photographing newborns, babies, children, and families

Photo by Lena Hyde Photography

It might seem that babies and infants have less to offer in terms of poses, but in fact they offer a world of amazing possibilities.

With babies, we photographers become foragers for ideas, props, and scenarios that showcase the personalities of those young models. At the same time, they also allow us to express our own artistic vision.

Because working with the very young brings unique opportunities and challenges, thankfully there are some basic ideas you can keep in mind when photographing your youngest subjects. A shallow depth of field emphasizes the baby and accentuates brilliant pops of color in dazzling blue eyes or the sweet details on a tiny shoe. Black and white more so than color de-emphasizes noise in low-contrast lighting. A warm room at 80F helps calm a sleepy newborn. Keeping a parent spotter nearby is always important, especially when you never know if the baby might risk falling. Encourage family participation in sessions; even when mom doesnt want to be the center of attention, a sweet over-the-shoulder shot (or even a capture of babys hands in her hands) creates an important bonding and connectedness necessary for family portraits.

Now is the time to capture huge, gaping grins, shy smiles, and even the furrowed brow of a baby about to cry for lunch. Whether you have your subject posed in the comforting arms of a parent, in a modern porcelain sink, or au natural on an ottoman, documenting these all-too-fleeting moments creates precious portraiture to be treasured forever.

There is nothing sweeter than dogs and babies, both prone to slobbering. For many parents, a dog was their first baby, so it makes sense to capture these two together after the baby arrives. If the dog is large, position the sleeping newborn on an ottoman at face level with the pooch, and then ask the parent to get the pups attention off-camera. For a smaller, gentler canine, have the dog lay down first; then place the baby close to the dogs furry face.

tip Ask your clients to wear the dog out a bit before the session by walking or playing fetch. Canines tend to exude quite a bit of energy, especially when there is excitement afoot. Keep a few extra treats handy to hold the dogs interest during the shoot.