Hospitals are enforcing visitation restrictions to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 to our community, and many mothers are now limited to having just one support person with them at a time. For many families, this means that they will not be able to have a photographer come into the hospital for their little one’s magnificent first moments.
In light of this, I want to equip you all with some tips and tricks for using your iPhone for capturing those precious moments on your own. This way, you can still document your baby’s grand entrance to the world with quality photos.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
Hospital lighting is harsh and flattering to no one. It can be too bright and wash out colors in photos, or it can be too dark, leaving faces hidden in shadow. The flash on your phone or camera won’t be much help either, as it can lead to harsh shadows and yellow-looking skin tones. If your room has a window, use the daylight as much as possible to capture some photos of your newborn. Make sure to open the blinds all the way, and if you need to, you can even move the bassinet over to the window in order to showcase your baby in the best light.
Don’t Worry About Posing
Hospital photos should be more candid, capturing the real moments of your baby’s first days. You can definitely move your child around the room for different angles and backdrops, just be sure to focus on capturing their genuine first expressions. Those are the images you’ll most want to look back on.
Choose the Right Angles
To get the best photos, test out different angles and see which images turn out the best. As a general rule of thumb, downward angles work well, so try photographing your baby from above. You can even play with different focus points and see what you like. The best thing to do when using your phone as a camera is take a lot of photos so you have plenty of options when you look back at them later, so be sure your phone has sufficient storage space ahead of time.
Capture the Details
You’ll be amazed at how fast your little one grows up, so it’s always a great idea to capture those tiny toes and fingers. Your baby’s life will be pretty simple those first couple days, but that doesn’t make the moments any less important to you and your family. Be sure to take photos of first feedings and visits from family members, even if they are limited, as well as that adorable outfit for their trip home.
Make Sure You’re Not Just the Photographer
If this is your first child, you may be understandably excited to capture photos, but you may not realize how little you end up in images when you’re always the photographer. Ask family members to get photos of you with your baby before you leave the hospital as well. I know that many mothers want to avoid getting in front of the camera because of how they look and feel, but trust me, those pictures will mean a lot to you down the road.
I’ve never met a parent who regretted having hundreds of photos of their newborn, but I’ve definitely met people who wish they had taken the time to take more pictures when their baby was small. Take some time before you leave the hospital to capture your child’s first moments, even if you don’t have experience in photography. You will cherish these early photos down the road.
