Discover our technique for shooting baby portraits using window light, and with bokeh as soft as your subject! You can rely on these baby photography tips to take classic, timeless images!
Most parents want beautiful shots of their babies, and one way to get that is to use a shallow depth of field to add plenty of background blur, emphasising the softness and fragility of the subject. A prime lens with a wide maximum aperture like a 50mm f/1.4 comes in handy here.
The wide aperture means we can shoot with a narrow depth of field, picking out details while blurring everything else. Wide apertures also allow us to work in lower light, so it's perfect for window-lit portraits, where the light can often be fairly low.
Younger babies like two-month-old Alice here won't be crawling or sitting up on their own, which means you can focus precisely and take a little time over framing the shot.
On the other hand, it also means you're restricted in the types of poses you can try. There are really only three options: lie them on their backs, try them on their tummies, or ask the parents to hold them.
The limitations of the shoot can be a blessing, forcing you to focus your attention on perfecting the shots while working with what's available.
It helps if you come prepared. Bring a few blankets and cushions to the shoot. Furry rugs can be handy – they add texture to the shots and babies like the feel of them on their skin.
To the outside observer one baby looks very much like another (don't say that to the parents!) so look for ways to add personality to the shots. A favourite toy or blanket can work well.
Ask the parents for a few changes of clothes too. Hats are particularly effective, they frame the face and provide a splash of colour.
A reflector proves invaluable when shooting with window light, which illuminates one side of the subject more than the other.
Positioned opposite the window, the reflector bounces some of the light back at the subject, lifting the shadows. The effects are often quite subtle, but vital for professional results.
You never know what you're going to get when photographing babies. They could be happy, grumpy, sleepy, hungry, or a mixture of these things. You need to be ready to adapt your approach. One thing is certain: you'll need to work quickly.
Windows work like softboxes in many ways: the closer your subject is to the light source, the stronger the light is.
Unless you've got sunlight falling through the window directly onto the baby (which will probably cause a lot of grizzling and eye-scrunching), it should be fairly soft.
To increase or decrease the light, you'll need to move the baby closer to the window or further away.
SEE MORE: 10 family portrait mistakes every photographer makes (and how to get it right)
How to set up and shoot baby portraits: steps 1-3
01 Soft options
Bring along light and dark blankets to the shoot. They give you different background options, and babies like soft textures or fur against their skin. Use quilts, clothes and toys that are personal to the baby as props. They'll help to add colour to your portraits, and for a shallow-depth-of-field shot, any patterns will blur beautifully.
SEE MORE: Family portrait ideas – how to photograph your loved ones at any age or occasion
02 Position the baby
In a photograph, you can tell where the window is from the catchlights in the eyes. Make sure the light is coming from above the face rather than below – picking out the top of the head, cheeks and tip of the nose, not under the chin and nose. This is a more natural angle for light, as our eyes are used to seeing light coming from above.
SEE MORE: How to pose for photos – find the most flattering angles for you and your subject
03 Select aperture-priority
Set your camera to aperture-priority (A) mode. This way, you can choose the aperture while the camera works out the correct shutter speed for a good exposure. This means that you have full control over the depth of field in the shot, and can narrow the aperture slightly if you decide you're getting a little too much blur.
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