One Month Baby Photoshoot Ideas at Home

Looking for one month baby photoshoot ideas at home? Today we have simple tips to help you create professional new-born photographs, without even having to leave your house – and a list of pose ideas and example photos to help you out if you get stuck for inspiration. 

You do not have to be a  professional photographer to get frame worthy beautiful shots of your little one that you’ll want to keep forever, it just takes some planning and thought to know what it takes to make good images.

And I can tell you, with young babies often the most successful photography is done from home. We all know what young babies are like, and scheduling a newborn photoshoot in a strange environment and timing around naps and feedings can be daunting – so why not plan your own newborn photoshoot at home. 

One Month Baby Photos

Why take baby photos at one month? One month is the first monthly mile stone, so if you are planning to take photos of your baby every month to track his or her growth and development, now is the time to start!

You may still feel like you’re in the newborn haze, but you don’t want to miss this milestone.

Keep Something Consistent

If you are planning to take milestone photos every month then a great idea is to keep something consistent to use in your photos, so that you can create a mile stone series and track your baby’s growth.

For example, photographing on the same blanket, or with the same teddy bear in shot will easily help you capture how much baby grows over the first year.

You can even include a board with the numbers of months, or wooden blocks to show the month number. There are lots of fun and creative ways to do this, as you document your baby turning into a child.

Find the best lighting in your home and use it

Lighting can make or break a photoshoot, so make sure you spend some time checking out where in your home receives the best natural daylight and observe how long it lasts and might change throughout the day in advance.

For a shoot at home, natural light is your best bet and the ideal time to make the most of this lighting is during the early mornings and can often be found in a room with lots of windows and doors – so the natural light can shine through. Bear in mind your one month old’s sleep schedule when picking the time to do your photoshoot.

In the Spring and Summer months, shooting outside in the garden is also a great option. You want to avoid strong midday sunshine, so a bright but over cast day is best.

Once you’ve found the perfect spot, spend some time testing out the space with some practise shots to see how the area performs in terms of the lighting.

If it’s too bright, the images will look too overexposed, but if it is too dark, they will appear underexposed – so it’s important to get this right.

A really simple way to adjust natural light is to use white curtains or bedsheets as a reflector to manage the light effectively.

Choose The Right Background Colors and Themes

For a new-born photoshoot, it’s best not to over complicate things – especially if you’re shooting at home as this naturally gives a relaxed, laidback feel to the shoot.

Try to keep it simple with a natural background, with tones of white or cream, that will let baby shine and be the main focus of the photos.

This type of background also gives an angelic new-born feel and will look crisp and fresh in the final images.

If you do wish to go for something a bit more creative and standout when it comes to the background, it’s a good idea to opt for a theme that is reflected in both the props, outfits and background.

This way there will be some synergy to the photoshoot and it will bring the images together.

A good place to start with this would be to consider the time of year. For a festive background, consider a Christmas tree or gifts, for summer introduce a beach theme or for Easter consider pastel colours.

These types of themes are also a really nice way to remember the wonderful time of year that baby entered the world.

Capture the Details with Close-ups

Try not to worry about creating really extravagant photos and remember that capturing the smaller details such as fingers, toes, leg rolls, smiles and even little yawns and facial expressions will all remind you of how delicate and small your baby once was – which is why close-up photos are often the best.

To get these shots, it’s easiest to put baby in position during nap time when they are more likely to cooperate and stay still – you’ll also get those stunning sleepy pictures that are sure to make you smile when you look back at them.

Focusing on tiny fingers is a simple newborn photo idea but very meaningful, and can come out with very effective results.

Focus on the Eyes

Close up of tiny hands and fingers, toes and feet, are adorable but don’t forget to go for some close up shots with a focus on your baby’s beautiful eyes.

Babies may be sleeping a lot with their eyes closed, but once he or she is wide awake and looking around with those big wide eyes, make sure to take your chance to capture it.

Consider your Composition

It’s also really important to carefully consider your composition – meaning how all the elements sit together within the frame. One of the basics of photography and a common composition technique is the ‘Rule of Thirds’.

Imagine your image is divided by two horizontal lines and two vertical lines, creating a 3×3 grid. When taking photos of your little one, ensure you are photographing near to these lines or close to one of the four intersections of the grid. This will create stunning images that perfectly capture your baby.

Include Family Members

Here’s a simple pose for baby and dad, using the rule of thirds. You can replicate this photo idea with other family members too – mom, grandparent, aunties, uncles or older siblings.

This makes a touching photo that reflects the bond between Dad and baby

Keep it Neutral

Opting for props and outfits that are a natural colour will help to ensure that your new-born is the star of the photography.

Sometimes bold prints, patterns and colours can be distracting in the photos and take the focus away from baby, so try to choose lighter coloured props and blankets to ensure your bundle of joy is the focus.

Props are definitely something you should consider within your shoot to add a different dimension and enhance the photography.

Things such as a cosy blanket, knitted boots, a cotton headband or soft toy will all look great on camera and Caden Lane can offer the best ones.

These items will also help to relax your baby if they are a familiar scent or something they regularly have around them.

Inspiration and Poses for Newborn Photos

Frog Pose

This is one of the most famous traditional poses, which many parents like.

If you google “froggy” or “frog pose” you’ll see this instantly recognisable pose, where the baby has their chin on hands, and body resting underneath.

The main thing is the baby’s safety and comfort, so I would not recommend trying this pose at home with your baby. Instead, go with something more natural.

Wrapped

Wrap your baby carefully in a swaddle or blanket, either with their hands in or hands out. As long as your baby is comfortable then you can experiment with different angles and you can also play around with textures by placing him or her on a fluffy background and so on

This is sometimes called a Burrito pose because baby is wrapped up like a little baby burrito. So cute!

Many newborn babies feel safe and comfortable when swaddled, and will sleep deeply and well. This gives you time to take a few keepsake photos while knowing that you are not disturbing your precious baby.

Arms Out

Some babies prefer to be a little less restricted and cocooned. In that case, wrap with arms out and even little legs out if your baby prefers.

Loose Wrap or Drape

You can also use the fabric for a draped effect, more than a tight wrap. Each of these will give a different look for your final photos.

Sibling Photos

Preparing baby comfortably wrapped up in a swaddle or blanket on the floor is also a good safe way to get some adorable sibling photos, if you have a baby and toddler.

Big sister or big brother kissing baby on the head is a super sweet photo, and setting the scene like this gives you a chance to naturally capture their genuine interactions.

Sleeping

This is probably one of the simplest newborn baby photography ideas, but definitely one of the most effective.

Sleeping babies are adorable – that’s a fact. And it’s so precious to capture their innocent sleeping faces.

A cute sleeping pose you can create is to wrap a blanket like this, so baby looks like tucked into bed. Many babies naturally sleep like this with their arms raised above their heads, so to capture your baby’s natural mannerisms like this is cute and special.

Use the Crib as a Studio

If you have a white or light colored crib or cot for your baby, this is an ideal place to set up a mini photo shoot knowing that baby is perfectly comfortable, and the white background will reflect light perfectly.

Yawning

Babies sleep a lot in their first weeks and often yawn. So, if you can capture a candid snap of that tired little yawning face, this will definitely be a great shot.

Natural Facial Expressions

It’s not only about the smiles, and at one month old your baby may or may not yet be smiling. There are so many adorable and funny faces that little babies pull and trust me you will not regret capturing these on camera.

In a Basket

Have a suitable basket? You can experiment with using it for at home baby photo sessions.

Just be sure to make sure the size suitable and baby is comfortable, so use blankets to pad it out and make the area cozy before you place your baby inside.

Experiment with the shots and positioning, take from above or from the side.

Mommy and Baby

These are must have shots that will bring back so many sweet memories when you look at them in years to come.

Don’t be so busy photographing baby that you forget to prioritise these shots together and document your journey into life together.

Another idea is to capture those candid moments of baby in moms arms, with a focus on the baby.

You can get some gorgeous shots of baby looking up at mom.

Birth Shots

If you feel bold enough, you can pose baby alongside your body to show where he or she has come from. This looks particularly striking along side a C-Section scar, but perhaps you want to show stretch marks, or just celebrate your post baby body.

Black and White

Don’t forget to capture a few black and white shots, among your baby photography poses.

Black and white photos are so charmingly simple and can give really stunning results.

Washing Line Baby Photo Idea

The example below is a slightly older baby, but the washing line idea can be used to take your monthly milestone photos starting from one month old.

Lie baby down on the floor or bed, with a mock up of a washing line behind showing some of baby’s current sized clothing. By placing baby carefully, it will look like she is hanging up on the washing line along with the clothes.

Create a beautiful baby photo album with the finished pictures

The photos you take will no doubt become some of your most prize possessions, due to how incredibly sentimental they are. 

To make the most of them, compile a baby photobook, which allows you to document these precious memories. 

With every page turn, you’ll be filled with joy as you get to reminisce on these incredibly wonderful moments.

You can also take your favorite photos from each month and create a gallery wall, or craft a beautiful way to display them for baby’s first birthday party.

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