iPhone Photography

Isn’t technology amazing when you really stop to think about it? Pretty much everyone has access to their own camera. And not just a camera, but a pretty good one that can share the images it takes all over the globe within a matter of seconds. When a new baby arrives, those cell phone cameras are put to work in overtime mode by new parents, grand parents, aunt/uncles, best friends … why? Because this new bundle of joy is instantly loved by so many people, and everyone wants their own photo of the newest, tiniest member of the family.

Taking better snapshots

When taking these photos, they’re not all going to be prize winners. In fact, the hospital is one of the trickiest environments for taking photos, especially when it comes to available light and the ugly background. But, there are a few things you can do to improve your cell phone shots of a new baby.

Look for natural light

Not all babies are born during the day, but for those who are, open the window blinds and let in some natural light. This will create a more flattering direction to the light, since it’s coming from the side and not from straight over head. This also allows for more light to fill the room, and soften some of the harsher shadows. If you want, you can even carry baby over to the window before you start snapping away. If your baby is born at night, try to avoid the direct overhead light, and instead turn on smaller, secondary lights around the room to soften things up. Be careful, however, as this will probably make it darker in the room, so you will have to hold your phone still in order to avoid blur.

Take a minute to tidy up

In the heat of the moment, nobody is going to care what the hospital room looks like; after all, this is real life at its finest! Later, when things are calmer and you have some quiet moments to enjoy baby snuggles, take just a minute to tidy up. Tossing bags aside, straightening blankets on the bed, and moving those rolling tray-tables out of the way will go a long way to improving the look of your hospital cell phone shots.

Hire a professional

Of course, when it comes right down to it, as a new parent, do you really want to have to worry about remembering the best way to shoot pictures on your iPhone? No! You want to live in that moment as much as possible and not allow screens to come between you and your new addition. In that case, hire a professional birth photographer. Many photographers, myself included, offer the service of a mini session right there in the hospital, typically taking place within the first 24-48 hours of a baby’s arrival. It’s a great way to make sure you have beautiful photos of your baby’s arrival without having to worry about getting it right yourself. Instead, you can just focus on life with a new baby.

Meeting baby brother

A hospital mini session, sometimes also known as a Fresh 48 session, is a great time to bring in older siblings to meet baby for the first time. Take a look at this hospital session the day after baby Mark arrived. I was able to tell a little of their birth story, including how his big brother wasn’t super thrilled about losing his only child status!

Let’s chat

If you’re expecting a baby and are thinking about a session like this, email me and we can talk about it more to see if it’s the right fit for you.