It is no secret at this point that lifestyle newborn photography has my heart. I've written love letters to it here and here, and continue to photograph all my newborn families in this way. It's comfy, cozy, and natural. But, achieving that takes more than just coming into a family's home, pointing a camera at them and saying "act natural"! It still requires some direction and posing, but done in a way that doesn't feel stiff or forced and doesn't compromise the purity of the feelings we're trying to evoke. These are a few of my favourite simple prompts and poses for lifestyle photos that I use at most of my in home newborn sessions, that don't feel too posed, but that allow candid, sweet, and cozy moments to unfold naturally.
The Cozy Cradle
The set-up: Have one of the parents cradle the baby in their arms. If desired, have the other parent get in close and hold the baby as well.
Why it works: This pose is easy to explain, and feels very natural for parents. It's comfortable for them and allows them to easily gaze at their baby. It's also very versatile because it can be done standing or sitting, and with one or both parents.
Make it even better: encourage parents to interact naturally—kissing the baby’s forehead, looking at each other, or softly talking or singing to baby.
Head in Hands
The set-up: Have the one or both parents sit with the baby lying face-up in their lap(s), with baby's feet pointing towards them, and his/her little head in their hands.
Why it works: This is a great pose for showing how tiny baby is, in the strong protective hands of parents. It's also easy for parents to admire their baby from this position, and tends to be quite flattering as it encourages a slight lean forward of the body and an extention of the chin.
Make it even better: Get all the angles! A photo from above of two parents together in this pose makes a heart! A close up from the top of baby's head emphasises their smallness and shows off their soft wispy hair.
The Arm Chair
The set-up: Have the one of the parents hold the baby in front of them facing outwards, holding one arm under the baby's body like a chair, and the other hugging them in close from the front.
Why it works: This pose shows baby's full face alongside the parent's, and is awesome for showing resemblances! It also brings the baby's face up close enough for snuggles and kisses.
Make it even better: Have the second parent come in behind the first for a big squeeze!
Couch Cuddles
The set-up: Have the whole family snuggle up together on the couch.
Why it works: This is a great way to get everyone side-by-side and visible, while still looking relaxed and natural.
Make it even better: Pass the baby around to different family members so they can each have a turn snuggling. Have the parents tickly older siblings to encourage smiles and giggles.
Bed Snuggles
The set-up: Have the whole family snuggle up together on the bed.
Why it works: Similar to the couch, but with added coziness and intimacy, this pose gets all the family comfortably together in the frame.
Make it even better: Back up and get a wide angle shot with more of the room in the photo to give the impression that we're looking in on an intimate family moment.
Lying Down
The set-up: Have one parent or the whole family lie down with the baby snuggled into them.
Why it works: This one is as cozy, comfy and intimate as it gets!
Make it even better: Pile the children and baby on top of the parents and make sure the parents don't have any gaps between them. Stand up above them for a birds eye view.
Minimal Moment
The set-up: Lie baby down on a simple background.
Why it works: Keeping the surroundings minimal allows the focus to remain on the baby.
Make it even better: Play around with different compositions for interest. Try a black and white edit to simplify the image even more.
Hand-in-Hand
The set-up: Have the parents hold the baby's hand(s) in theirs.
Why it works: This emphasizes the bond between parent and child, and the size difference between adorably tiny newborn fingers and adult ones.
Make it even better: Get in close to really capture those details!
Feeding Time
The set-up: Have Mom breastfeed or a parent or sibling bottle feed the baby.
Why it works: This captures a real part of everyday newborn life, creating a meaningful memory.
Make it even better: Including other family members hanging out while baby eats makes it even more candid.
Sibling Smooches
The set-up: Ask an older sibling to give the baby a kiss.
Why it works: This pose is just so cute! It highlights the immediate bond that occurs between kids and their new siblings.
Make it even better: Have the older sibling count slowly to five while they kiss, so there's time to capture it.
Admiring the Details
The set-up: Instruct the family to admire various details about the newborn.
Why it works: This prompt encourages natural, candid interactions bewteen the family members.
Make it even better: Ask siblings to count the baby's fingers and toes.
In the Crib
The set-up: Lay baby in the crib or basinet.
Why it works: This captures the baby's tiny size compared to their bed, and will provide a great benchmark for the family to look back on as the baby grows.
Make it even better: Get every angle! Include a special toy or stuffed animal for added sentimentality and to create another oportunity to judge scale.
Puppy Love
The set-up: Invite the family pet into the frame for a few shots.
Why it works: Fur babies + human babies! Enough said.
Make it even better: Have the parents encourage the pet to come in close and sniff the baby for some extra cute moments.
Diaper Time
The set-up: Have parents strip baby down to just a diaper and take some photos against a simple background.
Why it works: This allows you to capture all the squish and wrinkles, from leg rolls to belly buttons.
Make it even better: Use a diaper with a simple non-distracting design, or better yet, a solid-coloured cloth diaper.
Take it Outside
The set-up: Have the family stand or sit together outside of their house.
Why it works: If weather allows, this gives you an opportunity to capture the outside of the place the newborn baby first calls home.
Make it even better: Plan the session for a time of day when the sun is not shining directly at the front of the house, to avoid squinty eyes and harsh shadows.
Well there you have it! While I certainly haven't shared every possible newborn pose, nor would I expect to use all of these at every session, this list is an excellent starting point. Whether you're a client of mine wondering what to expect from your upcoming newborn session, or another photographer looking for some inspiration, I hope you've found this helpful! The key thing to remember is that lifestyle newborn photography is not about achieving some perfectly placed pose, but rather giving gentle guidance and direction to allow the family's love and connection to shine through.
Ready to book your newborn session? Reach out here!