With the current COVID-19 pandemic and it not being safe to be around each other right now, here are some tips on photographing your own baby.  I am starting with the 3 month old age since I (sadly!) had to cancel one this past weekend!  These poses can also be used in the 3-5 month range (or the stages before they can support themselves sitting up).

The best ways to pose them at his stage are:

1. Laying on their back 

2. Laying on their tummies

3. Having them propped up and supported on a couch/chair or by a family member

Camera-wise I recommend using a wide angle lens.  I use a 35 mm but anything in the range of 28-50 mm will do (especially for the poses on their back).  I believe a phone’s regular lens is 30 mm so that would be fine.

Lighting is very important! Make sure you are in a well lit room by a window and turn off all artificial light sources because that will create a color cast on them.   You will know that certain times of day are better than others for lighting in certain rooms of your house.  I would choose the timing of the photos based on the lighting in the room and amount of sunlight outside.  A bright, evenly-lit room is best for portrait photography.   Neutral colored walls in the room also help to prevent a color cast on their skin.

LAYING ON THEIR BACK

This pose is great for all ages but it is especially a good one at this age since they are still limited in what they can do. You can get a wide variety of pictures of them while they are on their back by changing out the blanket or by putting them in a basket, crate, etc.  This is also most likely their happiest position (vs. being on their tummy)!  You will have to stand directly above them to take the picture so make sure to use your camera strap!  If you are using your phone just make sure you have a good grip on it!  This pose is best in a very well lit room for even lighting across their little faces.

In the pictures below, the windows were on the left and all were laying on the floor on a blanket.  I took these directly above them.

 

This is a good example of the same pose and angle above but using a different background.  For this picture we were outside and utilized the summer flowers as the background along with putting her in a wooden crate with a blanket.  For best lighting, I recommend taking outdoor pictures on a cloudy day, in the shade or taking them around sunset.

In this picture we were on his family’s shaded front porch since the indoor lighting was not ideal at that time.  The sun was behind me and I took the picture above but off to the side of him.  I love how he has his hands posed!

Another one shot off to the side of my middle son, Jake at 3 months old (now he’s 11)…

This is also an age when they are checking out their fingers and toes!  This is a picture I have always loved of my youngest son at 3 months old.  This was in our bedroom on a sunny late afternoon.  The windows were on the left of him and I was standing above.

Another example of them on their back but from a side angle.  This was on a bed and the blank wall on the other side of the bed made a perfect background.

This is also a cute pose when they are playing with their toes!  Perfect pose at this age!

LAYING ON THEIR TUMMIES

This pose is adorable but doesn’t always go over so well with the babies who aren’t fans of tummy time!  You have a limited time to take it and they aren’t usually as smiley on their tummy as they are on their back.   This pose gets easier with age since they are working on those neck muscles!  I would only have them in this pose for a few minutes at a time depending on the baby’s ability.   I would also highly recommend having another person there to help keep baby in place for safety.  I start doing this pose at around 3 months old but it gets easier as they get older.

The set up for this would be right in front of a window so they are facing the light.   I would place them on my beanbag but you could also use a bed or the floor.  I put a pillow under the blankets for a little hump to support them.   Having a blank wall behind them is ideal or you can always use a makeshift background out of blankets (second picture) pulled tight.  A chair or a couch also works well.

For this one I used pillows as the background that matched my bed duvet (this is my youngest, Ryan).  The window light was off to the left so this has a little more side lighting.

Another example with my middle son Jake (who was a bit happier than his brother in this situation).  He was facing the window.

Tummy time pose shot from the side (both facing the window)…

PROPPED UP WITH SOMETHING

Another good method to photograph them at this age is to have them propped up on a couch, chair or have a person hold them.  If they will be on a couch or chair you must have another person safely there beside them as you take the picture.

Here is a good example of a baby this age being propped up on a chair. Mom was very close, off to the left and the window was on his right.

Also cute when they are leaning slightly up on some pillows…

Here are some sibling pictures with this same idea…

This baby was 6 months old, but this pose can be used for a littler baby if they have enough head control.  Dad was holding him slightly in the air and we just cropped him out of the picture.

Or just incorporate Dad in it…

Hopefully this helps you in photographing this milestone age of your baby.   Please feel free to ask me any questions.  I hope we will all be together again soon and I can’t wait to take pictures of your sweet babies again!  Stay safe!