Newborn Photography Posing Tips & Ideas

Tips for Newborn Photography | Everything You Need To Know

These in-depth tips for newborn photography will help you always know how to take jaw-dropping newborn pictures. We are sharing invaluable newborn photography tips for beginners on lighting, camera, lens, aperture, photo props and sleepy baby secrets. In this article, you will:

  • be inspired by how to make a lot of pictures from just one newborn pose;
  • find out the secrets of a successful newborn photo session;
  • discover how perfect newborn photo props and neutral white colour can help you to create unforgettable and timeless pictures for your clients.


I am excited to publish this captivating interview with Andrea Krey – a Savannah photographer and print artist. She is most passionate about maternity, newborn and baby portraits, with a high emphasis on motherhood photography. Her approach and style to photography can be best described as natural, timeless and pure. She believes in the power of printed photographs to preserve family history – posed moments, candid moments, and everything in between.

We are lucky enough to have her as a devoted customer-pleasing our eyes with her gorgeous work of art. She has shared her best tips for newborn photography. I am thrilled to share it with you in this blog post.

Table of contents:

  1. Meet Andrea Krey.
  2. Starting a Newborn Photography Business.
  3. Tips for Newborn Photography Session: Secrets to Success.
  4. All About Newborn Photo Props.
  5. Newborn Photography Tips for Beginners.

Meet Andrea Krey

We are curious to hear about yourself. Please introduce!

My name is Andrea Krey, born and raised in Germany. In 2011 I listened to my heart and moved with my Airman to the US. We have two children (21 and 8 years old) and the sweetest Chihuahua named Joy. Travelling, decorating and Netflix binge-watching are my favourite things to do besides photographing and cuddling my clients’ babies. I specialize in maternity, newborn and baby photography in Richmond Hill, Georgia, not far away from beautiful and historic Savannah. I have a boutique photography studio in my home and provide my clients with a luxury studio wardrobe for mommy and babies up to 18 months to use during their maternity and newborn portrait sessions. As a full-service photographer, I pride myself in planning and curating everything for my customers to their taste and needs. All they have to do on the session date is to show up.

Tips for Newborn Photography | Everything You Need To Know

Get the newborn photo prop setup

Starting a Newborn Photography Business

Find out the story of how Andrea’s journey started.

How long have you been in the photography business? And how many years have you been shooting newborns?

I have been in business since January 2016 and started to photograph newborns in October of the same year.

Why did you choose the niche of newborn photography? What do you enjoy the most about it?

I have always been interested in photography growing up, but never really got into it, besides a few kid’s model jobs in front of the camera. When I had my sweet daughter in 2010 and we booked a hospital newborn session, I could really see myself photographing babies. We had just bought our first digital camera and it was just as good as the hospital photographer’s camera. I was convinced, that I can absolutely do a newborn photoshoot with my fancy new camera, little did I know.

After I took a few courses over the years I found out that newborn photography is not easy at all, but I was challenged by learning all the ins and outs of newborn photography and loved it and knew that this is what I want to do. Handling and soothing fresh babies are my favourite thing to do. Helping new parents to capture this fleeting time on camera, is my passion. We get so busy, once our babies are born and I am here to design and print Heirloom albums and Wall collections to last a lifetime.

Who/what inspires you for your newborn photo sessions?

Every photographer who poses newborns in a simple and natural way. I love timeless and simple setups with the main focus on the sweet baby.

Tips for infant photography Europe

Read more: Newborn Photography Props: Tips on Creating Luxurious Monochromatic Setups Easily >>

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

– Leonardo Da Vinci

Tips for Newborn Photography Session: Secrets to Success

Time to share all those secret tips for newborn photography session that lead to success.

How much time is the newborn photoshoot?

My newborn photo sessions take 2-3 hours depending on how the baby is willing to work with me. I always work on the baby’s schedule. If baby wants to nurse, we nurse. If baby needs mommy’s cuddles, we cuddle.

What type of lighting do you use?

Natural light is what I prefer, but I know how to work with artificial lights as well. All bean bag shots are taken with my artificial light and I love that people don’t see the difference of light source in my images.

What camera are you shooting with? What lens?

I am a Nikon girl and own a D850 and a D750 as a backup camera. I use a Nikon 24-70, 2.8 for newborns and my Nikon 105mm for detail shots. I also love to use this lens for portraits in outdoor sessions. It’s definitely my favourite lens.

What aperture do you generally use?

3.5 is my sweet spot.

What are the tricks that you use to make newborns fall asleep?

I use these ‘sleepy baby’ tips for newborn photography for a smooth photoshoot:

  • a good swaddle,
  • my Shusher,
  • my Dyson heater to keep the studio cosy warm and
  • gentle strokes on their forehead.

Which application do you use for making the baby sleep?

None. My phone is always far away from the baby (outside the studio on my desk). And cell phones, in general, are not allowed in my studio (I’m just weird like that. There are 10 times more germs on the average cell phone than on a toilet seat. I just don’t want to risk anything. I prefer my Shusher or white noise teddy with vibration to put near the baby).

Tips for Newborn Photography Session: Secrets to Success Eu

All About Newborn Photo Props

As you are aware newborn photo props are a must for the photoshoot. Let’s find out what tips for newborn photography props Andrea has.

What are the must-have newborn photography props that you cannot shoot a baby without?

Stretchy wraps in neutral, preferably white colour are a must. I love my All Newborn Props posers ‘Create-a-Nest(s)’™ (I have two, that’s how much I love them) for newborns and even for bigger babies (with the insert pouf) for them to sit on. I use it all the time either just simply placed on a white floor or in baskets and vessels.

Do you find yourself using the same photo props almost all of your newborn sessions? If so, what are they?

Generally, I don’t use many different newborn photography props. I keep my sessions very minimalistic. I like to keep my photo sessions as timeless as possible, so we can love all images now and still love them in twenty years from now. My go-to prop is my All Newborn Props newborn poser ‘Create-a-Nest’™, and currently, an IKEA wooden basket, which is perfect for the nest.

Read more: > (opens in a new tab)”>Newborn Poser for Photography ‘Create-a-Nest’™: Pose Baby Easily >>

Do you use a beanbag only or you have a stand also?

I use the bean bag and a stand. I achieve the perfect pocket with the posing beans to place under all of my blankets and fabrics.

Is your bean bag full to the top and firm or did you leave a dip in the middle?

I left a dip in the middle. If I need the beanbag to be firm I have an additional firm layer (nap top) to place on top of the mother bean to make it nice and firm and it also protects the beanbag from peepee accidents.

What do you have under the blankets?

Two soft blankets, a disposable pet training pad, and three to five posing fabrics.

How do you achieve that sharp, crisp look on your images? Do you use a Photoshop action for sharpness & skin tone?

I try to get everything right in-camera, especially when it comes to white balance. If your white balance is spot-on, your skin tones should be perfect as well. For red baby skin, I apply a hue and saturation layer and pull out the reds. I apply a few go-to level layers which I saved into my own action and sharpen in Photoshop as well.

Newborn photoshoot props white bowl wrap eu

Newborn Photography Tips for Beginners

Do you have any expert tricks / tips for newborn photography to create the best pictures for a beginner photographer?

My newborn photography tips for beginners are really simple:

  • Make sure the baby is well-fed, has a clean diaper and is warm. This makes for sleepy babies.
  • Another tip is to always photograph down the baby’s face and body from your light source, never up to their nose. The head should always be close to the light source and not their feet.

What is the best email that people can reach you?

It’s [email protected].

Website: https://andreakrey.com

Thank you for taking the time to share your tips for newborn photography and story with the All Newborn Props community!

Thank you for interviewing me, it was so much fun!

All images published in this blog post are taken by Andrea Krey.


PIN IT: if you’re on Pinterest and want to save this article for later – here’s a graphic we made for you.

Newborn Photography Tips for Beginners Eu

Let me know how did you like this interview? If you like it, please share and comment. If you have more questions to a newborn photographer please leave them in a comments section and we will find a photographer to answer them!

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