I absolutely love photographing babies. I just love babies!! Every age, every shape and every size. Chatting with the parents about how they are sleeping, feeding, how the birth went, getting a few little cuddles and maybe some smiles, I love everything about the process. 2016 kicked off for me on the first Sunday in January with a baby photoshoot, what a great way to start the year! A happy, smily, VERY wriggly six month old boy named Jaxon. This shoot was actually part of a year long project, his parents have asked me to record his milestones every three months throughout his first year, so instead of sharing those images here (I’m saving that for when the final instalment is complete) I thought I would put together a collection of my favourites from last year.
Tiny people, tiny details…
one of the things that I most regret is that is didn’t know how to take good photos when my own children were newborns. My eldest son was only 5 lb 2oz at birth, and it still blows my mind to see how small he was in the few blurry phone snaps I have of him. Because of this, I always make sure to try and capture plenty of those little details in a baby photoshoot. Little hands, little feet, eyelashes, pursed lips, shoulders still covered in soft down. These are the things after all that we want to remember!
I have a Sigma 105mm 2.8mm macro lens that is wonderful for capturing these precious details.
Sleeping babies..
ah those precious moments! Always well worth the wait. When the babies drift off to the land of nod, either in their parents arms or in a cosy nest of blankets, their colour settles and they look even more pristine and perfect. I always hope to get at least a few minutes with a sleeping baby. Even though sometimes they only give me 20 winks!
The sweetest interactions..
My favourite way to capture babies is interacting with their parents. In fact, my favourite way of capturing people in general is to catch the times when they aren’t aware of the camera, when they are being themselves and interacting together as they normally would. It’s easy to see that beautiful bond between parents and their babies in these images. I love the cropped ones, where the body language and expressiveness of hands and nurturing arms is doing the talking.
Usually when the baby is a little older they are very happy to interact with me, flashing me big smiles, and a few hard stares! What on earth is that lady doing!
All of these pictures were taken either in the family home, or in my own home if the client preferred, using a portable studio backdrop, and natural light. In 2016 I hope to work with many more wonderful families and their babies. I’d love to do more outdoor shooting too such as here, I adored this shoot and without a doubt many babies love to be outside. I would also love to do more shoots around the family home. Without a backdrop and without posing the babies, just capturing a couple of hours of life with a newborn as it happens.
Thanks for reading, and as always I’d love to know your thoughts…
Hannah x
14 Comments
I have tears in my eyes at the moment Hannah – these baby photos are truly beautiful! Such lovely, candid moments & I love the idea of a year long photographic record of a baby’s milestones! Wonderful xx
Aw Kim thank you so much, I honestly so thrilled that you like these pictures. It’s very special to get to work with babies in this way xx
They are gorgeous Hanna, thank you for sharing a bit of your work, it’s interesting to known how little you really need to make photo shoots like this. Talking about photography equipment that is. Most important it’s your experience and fantastic eye to see and capture those precious moments 😉
Thank you so much Susan, I have wondered about going down the route of setting up lighting, but I do so love natural light, and really I think you might as well go to a photographic studio for that. I love to work with people in their homes whenever I can! xx
Hannah all of these photos are just perfect! I would have loved even one decent photo of my babies, like you I have the blurry ones but not so many of the details. What a precious thing you capture for the parents. Plus the b+w tattoos/new baby contrast, incredible. Sigh. Almost makes you broody doesn’t it? Almost… xx
Aw thanks so much Julia, I’m really glad you like them. Those are two of my favourites too. The newborn one he was very unsettled and feeding, the black background is his Mum’s top, so I put my macro lens on and snapped a few details while he lay there feeding and they are some of my faves. Almost does makes me broody! I definitely make the most of the time I get with the babies! xx
Your eyes see these wonderful moments….love the pictures❤
Thank you my dear Daniela, so kind of you xx
So beautiful, Hannah. I would have loved to have photos every three months of my son’s first year. How wonderful to look back on. We did have maternity photos and newborn photos though. My mum thought I was totally bonkers when the photographer turned up to our flat. I think our little boy was 12 days old and I’d slept about three hours in all that time. I was a bit cuckoo! But those photos! First thing I would save in a fire – as well as the boy himself, of course! X
Oh how lovely that you had the foresight to have maternity and newborn pictures done, and that they are such treasures to you. It’s funny I often think that, it’s not the time when you would probably choose to be photographed, but it really is worth it isn’t it! I think second time parents are maybe more aware of that. Thanks so much for reading for post xx
Hannah these are the most gorgeous photos!!! Adore the ones with the dad with the tattoos – especially the black and white one – just stunning! Would love to hire your services some time to capture my boy xx
Thank you so much Jules, I’m so happy you like them! That is a favourite of mine too 😉 I’d love to work with you and Oscar, that would be so much fun xx
Hannah – I wish you were close to Copenhagen as I would love to have my little bub Maverick photographed by you! I’m so happy that I’ve found your blog (through Instagram), so much love and inspiration.
Please let me know, should your ways cross Copenhagen as I would definitely invite you for a cup.
Jasmin thank you! I would just love to photograph Maverick for you, such a shame the distance is so huge.
I will indeed take you up on that kind offer if I should come to Copenhagen, It’s one go my favourite cities in the world. My Grandma was Danish and it’s a long time since I’ve been over. Hopefully one day I’ll come again!
Have a lovely evening and thank you for your support x