You have a newborn but do not have an expensive professional camera. 

Below is everything you will need to know about how to take your newborn photos by only using your iPhone. 

Newborn photography is a style of portrait photography. All you need to start a newborn photoshoot is: 

• Simple clothing for the newborn
• A fully charged iPhone
• A white background 
• A form of lighting 
• A shot list to help the flow of creative ideas
• And of course, a newborn
  

Below is a guide with full details on how to take photographs with your iPhone specifically for newborns. Everyone on your social media will be fooled and think that you paid the big bucks for a photo shoot.

Let’s Go Through the Basics

We need to review the basics before you start a newborn photo shoot with your iPhone. Focusing on the basics will help the photo session go a lot smoother. Going through this checklist will help you be better prepared when using your iPhone for newborn photography.  

Make Sure the Baby Is Comfortable 

To avoid an unhappy baby, you must make sure the baby is comfortable. A comfortable baby will help with the process.  The newborn needs to be: 

• Warm
• Fed 
• Have a clean diaper 
• Background noise: a white noise machine is essential to keep the background soothing for newborns  
• Towels: placing rolled-up towels underneath your setups will support the baby if you want to create the illusion of posing pillows. Towels are economical and comfier for newborns.

Keep the Newborn Warm

This is important to keep in mind, especially if you plan to take photos where the newborn is nude. You want the newborn to be warm, no matter the location. A warm baby means a better chance of snapping pictures with your iPhone. To keep the infant warm consider using:

• Blankets
• Portable heaters
• Heating pads with washable covers 
• Wool items
• Knitted items or anything made with chunky yarn  

Check the Surroundings

Please pay attention to the newborns’ surroundings, especially when you plan to use:

• Specific props 
• Lighting
• Location 
• Certain poses for shots

You do not want the newborn to get hurt just to capture an aesthetically pleasing image. Make sure there is another individual helping you throughout the photo shoot if you need help with specific poses or while using props. Safety is the most crucial thing during a photoshoot with an iPhone. 

Age Of The Newborn 

Newborns tend to photograph the best when they are between 7 to 14 days old. The reason behind this is because newborns spend most of this time asleep. Capturing images during this time is ideal because the newborn is not as alert to their environment. 

Also, consider snapping images with your iPhone right after the newborn is finished eating. A full belly equals a sleepy newborn. The key to newborn photography with your iPhone is to capture the newborn when they are not fidgeting or moving.

If you want to wait a little longer than two weeks, a key suggestion is to conduct the photo shoot around the newborn’s nap time or feeding time, so they are not restless.

Create A Shot List For The Photoshoot  

If there are individual shots you want to capture, consider making a shot list. A shot list will help you brainstorm ideas for the newborn’s photoshoot using your iPhone. The best part about creating a shot list is that you can always reference it during the newborn photography session.

A shot list helps the photographer build off existing ideas while behind your iPhone, taking pictures.

Make Sure Your iPhone Is Fully Charged 

The worst thing to do is to be in the middle of capturing photos or videos with your iPhone, and then you see the white circle and black screen signaling your phone is dead. If you are right in the middle of snapping pics and your battery charge is close to dying, you might want to consider using a long extension cord or a portable charger to charge your iPhone. 

Use the Rule Of Thirds Grid On Your iPhone

The rule of thirds is a guideline stating a photo is compositionally more interesting if the essential elements of the image line up on one of the grid lines or their intersections.

How To Pose The Newborn 

Whenever you snap a photo with your iPhone, you should be thinking about the newborn’s safety. Nothing is more important than the safety of the newborn, especially when you are trying to recreate a pose seen on the social media or one you just thought of in the moment of the photoshoot. 

Any pose you have seen of a newborn holding up their head with their hands, the baby’s chin on their chest or the newborn laying in a hammock are edited. For most of these style of poses, photographers will have one of the parents holding the baby and then edit the parent out. 

These are critical moments for the development and well-being of the baby. You do not want the newborn to suffer an injury just for the sake of a good photo for your social media.

Newborns are still developing. Poses like those referenced above can really strain the newborn’s joints or cause a pinch in their nerves. Other areas you may strain with trying to recreate poses seen from social media are:

• Airways 
• Joints 
• Circulation
• Spine
• Neck 

Avoid any poses where the baby is sleeping on their stomach or anything where the newborn is being forced to hold themselves up. Please always ask yourself, “Is this safe for the baby?” when considering any poses during the photo shoot.

Newborn Sleeping In A Basket

Have an Easter egg basket lying around the house? Well, it makes for a fun prop to use while photographing newborns. Just make sure to wrap the newborn in a blanket, so they stay warm during the photo capturing. Then you will carefully place the newborn inside the basket.

Held By A Parent Or Both Parents

Close-up shots of the newborn being held by a parent, or both is always a go-to shot to capture. You should also consider this pose if you want to photoshop the newborn in a different background. This pose is also perfect when you are taking close-up shots of details. 

Lay the Child On The Bed 

Place a patterned, solid, or even knitted styled blanket to place on the bed. From there, just place the newborn on the blanket, and you can start snapping pictures on your iPhone. Try to switch up the position by decorating the background of where the newborn is lying. You can also position the newborn to their side to add a bit of variety.

Do not lay the newborn on their stomach. This will cause the newborn to have trouble breathing and is not safe. 

Variety of Positions

Add some creativity by playing around with the length of the newborn. Something as simple as tilting the pose of the newborn will add some dimensions. Instead of just snapping the photo with the baby straight across, hold your iPhone to a slight tilt where the baby’s head is higher up than the rest of their body. 

Roll the newborn on their side. This will help give you a variety of images without making the baby uncomfortable or disturbing the newborn’s sleep. 

Pay Attention to Placement 

You want to capture the image of the newborn’s face. Everyone focuses on the face, but many individuals tend to forget the simple rule of not shooting up the baby’s nose.

Safety Always Comes First 

Sure, you want to be creative and have fun during the photo shoot, but do not put the newborn in danger or in risk to get hurt. For example, do not pose or place the newborn’s head over the edges of a basket or make the newborn hold their head up with their hands. 

Instead of doing these types of poses, consider shooting poses and things separately and then photoshop them together. For example, have the parent hold the baby’s hands to their face and then simply photoshop the parent’s hands out of the image.

Props to Use 

There are endless amounts of props an individual can use to capture images of a newborn. Below are some props you can consider when deciding what type of shots to take or the aesthetic you are trying to achieve.

Rose Petals or Flowers

A white background with rose petals or other flowers while the newborn lays on a bed is a great and simple prop to use. 

Knitted Wear

This is a great way to keep a newborn warm during the photo shoot, especially if you plan to have the baby only wear a diaper throughout the photoshoot. Consider:

• Blankets
• Beanies
• Headbands
• Socks
• Mittens or gloves
• Wraps

Stuffed Animals 

Place stuffed animals around the newborn or just have one. For example, a giant teddy bear, and have the newborn lay in the middle as if the teddy bear is holding the baby. You can also use little small stuffed animals and surround them in a heart shape around the baby. 

Include Items You Treasure 

To make the newborn photoshoot, consider including items you treasure close to your heart. Unique treasures will personalize each photo you take with your iPhone and make it have an emotional touch. Some ideas you can include are: 

• Jewelry passed down in generations
• A collection of things you have that you may want to pass down to the baby
• Handmade clothing items
• Using your favorite shirt or scarf to use to wrap the baby as if it were a blanket

Focus on Details

When you are capturing images on your iPhone, you tend to forget you can take pictures as if it were a handheld camera. One thing to always remember while capturing images of a newborn on an iPhone is to focus on details. 

A great tool to use while focusing on details is the rule of thirds discussed earlier. Some features you can focus on are:

• The eye color of the newborn 
• Eyelashes
• The hands grasping on a finger, bottle, or even blanket
• Feet
• Hair texture
• Smile or other facial expressions
• Their tiny ears
• Belly buttons 

Location Ideas

There are many locations you can photograph the newborn. Just keep in mind:

• Surroundings
• Safety hazards
• Weather condition 
• Lighting 

Although outdoors can give you natural lighting and give you more of a nature like aspect, it may not be the most comfortable for the newborn. Maybe only consider the outdoors if you plan to take some images of the newborn being held. Be aware newborns’ eyes are sensitive, and you do not want to hurt or damage the newborn’s eyesight just for an image.

Indoors tends to be the safest and most comfortable for the newborn. Consider using backdrops to create the illusion you are in an outdoors setting. 

The best photos shot on an iPhone are those capturing the natural environment. These may be indoors or outdoors:

• The newborn held by one of the parents
• The newborn being fed or put to sleep
• The newborn just waking up 

Lighting 

Lighting is your best friend when taking photos on your iPhone. You want to avoid using the flash on your iPhone. Flash on iPhones is not the most pleasing for photography and tends to hurt newborns’ eyes.

The Sun

The sun is going to be your best friend or enemy during newborn photo shoots. Make sure you pay attention to the direction of where the sun is facing. As tempting as it is, try to stay away from placing the baby directly next to the windows. Direct sunlight is not always the most helpful when you are capturing images on an iPhone. 

If you want to incorporate sunlight, the best suggestion is to set up your background across windows or sliding glass doors. Choose a room that is very well lit, and you have access to natural sunlight.

White Background 

A white background is one of the most essential items to have while snapping photos with your iPhone. It will help absorb the sunlight as well as with color balance in the images. Something as simple as a white bed sheet can make such a difference when you are trying to capture more sunlight in your pictures and when you are photo editing.

If you do not have a white background and want to use a different color, consider having a white foam board to help bounce light. Just have another individual walk around and stand where there are dark shadows holding up the white foam board. This will help balance the color lighting and also help create brighter photos when you are in a poorly lit room.   

Do Not Use Flash 

Whatever you do for lighting, do not use your iPhone’s flash. The flash from the phone will just hurt the newborn’s eyes, even if they are sleeping. To top it all off, the flash is just going to either wash out the focus of the image or create an unwanted blurb or shadow. 

If you need more sources of lighting, try one of the above lighting suggestions. You can also purchase a ring light if you do a lot of iPhone photography and know you will get good use.

iPhone Tips and Hacks 

There are a lot of tips and hacks you can use while shooting photos from your iPhone. Below are tips and hacks you may not know as well as advice on what apps to have handy while shooting with your iPhone. 

Make Sure to Wipe Your Lens and Screen

This may seem like an obvious thing, but you would be surprised when people miss an awesome shot due to a dirty lens. Often, you touch the lens of your iPhone without really paying attention. So just make sure to wipe off the lens to avoid your photos from being cloudy or blurry.

iPhone Tripods Help With Stabilization 

If you have shaky hands or want to avoid capturing images that look blurry, you should consider purchasing an iPhone tripod to help you during the newborn photoshoot. The tripod will also help you capture images when you combine it with the timer setting if you want to actively be in the photo. Some tripods also come with a Bluetooth remote if you want to snap the photo while moving around to ensure the newborn is safe.

Try Using iPhone Lens Adaptors 

If you want to transform the way you take photos with your iPhone and add more creativity, you need to try using iPhone lens adaptors.

One lens that is highly used and popular among iPhone photographers is the fisheye lens. This particular lens will help you add some creativity when you want to add creativity or a dramatic effect to the detailed close-up shots. 

Use The Portrait Mode 

Hands down, portrait mode, is one of the best features the iPhone offers users. With portrait mode, you can capture images that look like they were shot from a professional camera. This mode on the iPhone gives the user the ability to focus on one thing and blur the background entirely. Just be sure you are far enough from your baby to achieve the desired image and focus.

Another great thing about portrait mode on the iPhone is it gives the user the ability to select specific lighting without needing all the fancy equipment.

When you are using portrait mode, make sure to try and focus on a detail if the newborn is asleep. If the newborn is awake, try focusing on the newborn’s eyes to engage the viewer in the image.

Use the Burst Mode

Many people do not know their iPhone has a burst mode. All you need to do is place your finger and hold the camera shutter button on the iPhone to be on burst mode. Once you think you have captured the image desired, just remove your finger from the shutter button. 

Burst mode is the most useful when the newborn is awake or being more active. 

Use The Live Mode

Live mode is one of the best options the iPhone offers if you cannot seem to get your baby still or if the newborn is an active sleeper. Live mode captures images with a small clip. You can edit the photo clip and select the frame of the image you would want.

Combing burst mode with the live mode is the perfect way to capture an active baby.

Apps Will Make A Difference 

Apps can genuinely make a difference when you are snapping pictures on your iPhone. Apps will help enhance your photos and can help create a certain aesthetic. There are numerous of apps you can use. Here is a list of the most popular and useful to iPhone photographers: 

• VSCO Cam: This is an ultimate favorite among iPhone photographers and anyone who enjoys taking photos with their phones. This app is excellent for moody and aesthetically pleasing filters. You can either use the app itself to snap the photo, or you can upload a photo to edit.
• Snapseed: Great for a spot correcting all different types of things or backgrounds
• ColorStory: This app is great for filters. It can also help save your editing steps easily.
• Retouch up: This is another useful app for spot correcting, editing distinct marks that may prevent you from liking the image, and for color correcting
• Afterlight: It will help brighten your images if you were unable to get good lighting
• Lightroom: Another good app for brightening and color control of images

Make A Shortcut To Capture Photos On Your iPhone 

You do not always need to unlock your phone to capture an image. You can simply swipe to the left on the lock screen to access the camera on your iPhone. You can also snap photos by using the volume buttons on the side of your iPhone if you do not want to use the camera shutter button. 

Do not forget your iPhone camera comes with a timer. If you prefer to use a tripod or want to be included in the photograph, you can simply add a 10-second timer to your phone to capture the image.

Play Around With The Exposure and Auto HDR

Some individuals tend to forget their iPhone camera allows you to play around with the exposure before you snap the photo. Just tap on the phone screen to focus on the image. Then a little sunshine will appear on the slide. You can then slide the little sun up or down to adjust the brightness of the image. This is very useful when you do not have the proper lighting during the photo shoot, and you want to snap a picture quickly.

Another useful tool many forget about is to use the Auto HDR. This will automatically give you a higher definition image by mixing all three parts of three different exposures. All you need to do is click on the little HDR at the top of the camera screen. This tool is the most helpful when you have all lighting types in your environment during the photo shoot from very bright sunlight and very dark shadows.

The Grid Is Important for Composition 

The composition is the key thing to make all types of photos pop. The rule-of-thirds is very important while photographing. 

To enable this tool on your iPhone, all you need to do is enter the settings and scroll down to Photos & Camera. Then click to turn the grid on. Any photographer you ask will tell you all the images you take will look better when your subject is a third of the way to the right or the left. The grid will help guide you to accomplish good composition in your newborn photography. 

Use the Photo Editing Options in Your Camera Settings 

If you want to easily edit an image on your iPhone, click on the editing tool on the lower corner of the phone’s screen. You can select a filter or use the magic wand tool for an easy edit. You can also edit the coloring if you do not like the magic wand tool edit or filer options. Other things you can edit with the editing options are:

• Saturation 
• Exposure 
• Brightness
• Contrast
• Intensity in black and white images 
• Crop images to fit a certain format 
• Change the image position 
• Adjust the white balance: The iPhone camera normally does a good job correcting the white balance automatically. 

Now, you are all equipped to snap newborn photos using your iPhone. As long as you follow this guide you will be able to capture images that look like you used an expensive camera.