Anyone who has dealt with babies, they would know that the new born babies are the most amazing models to be captures. We, Klicpic – A team of professional photographers and professional baby handler, capture the beauty moments and details of the new born babies in the hospitals.

Our goal is to have beautiful soft lighting, with soft form defining shadows. We don’t want harsh lighting or strong edged shadows along with avoiding completely flat light without any shadows.

Here we will be discussing about the lighting which is mostly followed during a hospital photoshoot for a new born baby.

What do we use?

  – Light: Our photographers do carry flash which has multiple power controlling settings. Few carries diffuser as well which diffuses the flash light to an extent however it keeps the surrounding bright. The flash needs to be on low power so that the picture can be taken at an open aperture without making the image over-exposed. The flash is fixed on the camera hot-shoe and the angle which is mostly preferred for clicking the images are either at 45° or 90o with the head of the baby facing towards the camera.

The light should fall over their face and throw soft shadows which makes the picture look appealing. You can see an example below:

  – Camera: Our team uses highly professional DSLR cameras for the photoshoot which results in the best quality of the pictures.

  – Lens: Wide angle lens and prime lens are used for the photoshoot. Wide angle lens opens up wide and gives a beautiful background focusing the baby perfectly and prime lens is to get beautiful expression of the babies.

Basic camera setting followed:

• Aperture is mostly kept at f/5.6.
• Shutter speed is maintained at 1/60 to 1/100 as per the location lighting and syncing with the flash light.
• Flash should be manually set at a correct power setup.
• ISO is maintained at minimum 100 and maximum 400, as per the light settings.
• White balance should also be set with custom WB.

There are chances that during the photoshoot, some pictures will be over-exposed and some under exposed. We will share some of the tips on how to control them.

Under exposed pictures: The pictures where the lighting is very little and results to dark photo. To correct under exposed lighting –

• Add more light to the scene: A flash can be used or any other lighting source to cover up the low light during a photoshoot.
• Change your f/stop: Open up one stop (or more if needed) to capture more light. For instance, change, the exposure from f/8 to f/5.6 keeping the same shutter speed.
• Slow down your shutter speed: As the new born baby shoot is for the sleeping babies and as they do not move much, a shutter speed from 1/80 of a second to 1/30 cane be used keeping the f stop at 5.6.

Over exposed pictures: The pictures where more light is recorded with highlights with no details. To correct over exposed lighting –

• Do not put direct light on the subject: Too much of direct light on the object creates harsh light, hence using of a reflector or moving to a little shadow or using a cloth to block the direct light can be useful.
• Lower the power of the flash: The flash do have power setting mode, hence, if you see that the light emitted is very high, the power of the flash can be decreased so that a correct amount of light is emitted towards the subject.
• Changing of fstop: Close the fstop in the settings like changing the settings from f8 to f11, which controls the amount of light.
• Increase shutter stop: Increasing of shutter speed results in the low amount of light which help in controlling the over exposed light during a photoshoot.

When it comes to photography and photo shoots, your photographer is sure to have some brilliant ideas and extraordinary poses but it is definitely a great idea to find out some poses yourself in which you are comfortable in order to show it to your photographer. This is the key way to capture the exact shots which you have been looking and will undoubtedly cherish it for a lifetime. Here are some year-long ideas for maternity and infant photographs which you must try out.

1st or 2nd month- Surprising the dad
Make the photoshoot more lively and realistic. This can be done by asking the to-be-dad to join the shoot as well. Get the perfect prop like a chalk board and surprise your husband with the biggest news. The photo is likely to showcase immense joy on both the faces.

3-5 Months- The star of the show. The Baby bump.
A maternity shoot is just incomplete without flaunting the belly or the baby bump. It should undoubtedly be the centre of attraction and the mom-to-be should flaunt it in every possible way. Keep aside the classic belly profile, one should not forget to take a straight or a front view facing the camera.

6th month- Holding hands
Maternity poses for the couples are a must. One can just hold hands while they walk for a natural and candid looking photo.

7th month- A flowing dress with a long trail
When the long trail of the flowing dress is swept in the air then it creates an unimaginable beautiful and a powerful image. The picture should depict that mum has superpowers which are true. All mums do have superpowers.

8th -9th month- Whole family
A maternity photoshoot is incomplete without a complete picture of the family. Keep it simple yet classic.
When it comes to infant photography then it is necessary to remember that infants are not comfortable in any and every situation. Here are some outstanding and safe ideas:

Month by month
This photo helps the family to track the manner in which the face of the baby changes over the year by taking a picture every month.

2nd Month- Basket
You can stick to the classic by finding a basket and filling it up with something soft which will cradle the baby to sleep. Soft blankets and faux fur are some probable options.

3rd Month- Sketch Around
One can doodle a picture of their baby into a funny and exciting sketch. As the baby is too small, so the pictures are taken while sleeping. These sleeping pictures are then transformed into various doodles, art or drawing to make it look quirky and interesting.

6th months-Best Friends
Ahhh!! Best Friends forever #bff
Pets are definitely the best friends of babies. The bond between the two are simply inseparable. Hence, this bonds needs to be captured in order to cherish it forever. By the time the babies are 6 months old, they are able to sit with and without support so sitting postures with dogs/cats can be easily taken.

7th-9thMonth- Out to dry
Capture the utmost cuteness with this laundry shot. This shot is best captured when the babies are wide awake and are in a playful mood. Set the entire picture with cute props that makes the picture even more cuter.

10th-11th Month- Play full
By time the babies are 10 months to 11 months they are quite big and are not always sleeping. Hence, the playful mood is captured best in this age. Using colourful props gives an even more beautiful outlook to the picture.

12th Month- Busy
By the time the babies are a year old they are always busy doing something or the other. An infant photoshoot is incomplete without clicking them indulged in work.

The camera is sure to make you happy once the baby is born. The pregnancy period is one of the most cherished duration of a woman’s life. It is always essential to get a few pregnancy shots in order to treasure it for a lifetime. Lets us quickly glance through some of the best maternity photos which are a must for all the mom-to-bes.

Heart hands- The heart hands always work because it is already known that a little one is growing inside which makes it natural to showcase the love with the help of a heart. There is no difficulty in making the mom-to-be pose this shot.

Props- A tiny pair of baby shoes are the cutest props one can ever have and when it is paired with the beautiful baby bump it just brings out a breathtaking picture. The props can range from toys, clothes to shoes or socks. The level of difficulty involved in this shot is easy to medium.

Countdown- The countdown picture attempts to highlight the number of days that are left for the baby to be born. All it is required is a beautiful setting along with excellent clothing and the cutest props. One of the most common props for a countdown picture is a chalkboard. The difficulty level is from medium to difficulty and the shot is best taken while sitting with the appropriate light.

Silhouette- There is incredible beauty in the shape of a pregnant woman’s body. When the mom-to-be poses in a silhouette, it showcases the epitome of elegance. This picture should look forward to a clean, simple and dramatic background. For creating the silhouette, it is obligatory to have a back-light. The composition is the chief component for capturing a dramatic image.

Monthly shots- Everyone understands not wanting to model for the camera during pregnancy. But it is an excellent way to capture the changes that the body is going through every month. These will serve as the precious gifts for the child one day.

Beach beauty- The beach is the perfect location for any photo. In case of a maternity photo shoot, the beach makes the shot pretty, peaceful and romantic with the help of dramatic colors. The best time to get a perfect click is around sunset.

Sibling bonding- The older ones can never wait for their brother or sister to arrive. It is definitely the best to capture their excitement. It is advisable to play with kids during a photo shoot. When the kids have fun during the shoot then the clicks will definitely portray joy and sweetness.

Family- A family photo is a must and at times the poses differ from each other considering the age of the older child. In case the photoshoot is for the first child then a perfect picture of the mom and dad-to-be is mandatory.

Pet love- There is absolutely no reason to leave aside one’s paw friend. All that is required to get the best click with the furry friend is a soothing background and a huge space. It is necessary to keep mind that the pet should be well trained.

Name game- A chalkboard is a must for the name game in order to make friends and family guess the name of the child. A little style with the chalkboard can do wonders.

These are some of the best maternity photos that are a must for all.