May 14, 2022

Best Pensacola Newborn Photographer | Top Baby Poses for Newborn Photography

One of my favorite parts of my education journey with newborn photography has been learning about the different flattering poses for new precious babies. These poses have been studied and perfected by multitudes of other newborn photographers to make sure that your sweet baby stays safe and comfortable at all times. When looking for a Pensacola newborn photographer, you should find someone who has lots of experience, as many of these poses must be done in a special way to ensure the comfort and safety of your newborn baby. Below I am going to introduce you to my favorite poses. I will list these in the order I typically go, since I tend to "flow" through my posing by carefully planning out which newborn poses safely and easily transition to others. If you are interested in seeing some of my flow-posing in action, make sure to check out my TikTok at @shelleybarrettphoto to see some of my behind the scenes videos. You can also follow my Instagram at @floridanewbornphotographer to watch my reels videos.

Froggy is one of my favorite poses - but it hasn't always been! During my first few years of newborn photography, I actually did not like this pose. But really it was because I couldn't figure out how to do it well! It is definitely NOT a pose that should be attempted without thorough training and education. This pose features baby's cute little feet peeping out behind elbows, while her chin sits snuggly in her hands. Although the goal is to get your baby in a nice, sturdy position, babies should NEVER be left in this pose without a photographer's hands on them. I am able to safely photograph babies in this pose by alternating my left hand from a sturdy position at the wrists to a stable hold on her temples. Then with a little extensive photoshop magic, I am able to put those pictures together! I have done all the training to learn where it is safe to hold baby and how to place them so that there is no unsafe pressure on their wrists/arms. Froggy is actually VERY comfortable for babies when done correctly. The positioning is very similar to a common burping technique. My experience has shown me that many babies actually love to fall asleep in this pose, which is why I often start with it.

Timber is also often referred to as "fallen froggy" since it is essentially the result of laying a baby's upper body down after doing froggy. Sometimes I will leave hands cradling the chin and cheeks, or I might place the hand under baby's cheek instead.

Taco is also commonly known as "womb pose." It earned its name because baby is essentially folded over in half like a taco. This is another pose that gets a lot of hate, but is actually very comfortable for babies. Did you know that newborn babies are squished and usually folded in half just like this within their mother's womb? (Thus why it is also known as womb pose). In my experience, this pose is best for younger babies under 2 weeks.

Head on Hands (known by many other names too) is one of my favorites. Such a classic pose that *almost* all babies like. This pose is so flattering for all babies as it shows off their sweet face and is very easy and comfortable for babies. Often if a baby is suffering from reflux, they might be less happy in this pose - so I will always follow baby's lead.

This is a less posed version of the next pose you will see. I love to add in a pillow to this one to make it super cozy. It's especially great for those older babies who are not quite as "bendy" as they used to be. It still gives an adorable look.

Another all time favorite. This perfect classic pose is one I do at every session. Some babies curl into it better than other (I say curl as I refer to their ability to bend and show off those adorable back rolls). Called "bum up" because the goal is to get their little feet/toe-sies under the bum, this is another one that takes a lot of education and training to get right. It may look easy, but it's not - it's actually all about the angles and keeping baby comfortable is always my number one priority. Babies commonly protest when being handled while they are trying to get some good sleep in, but when you have 8 years of experience under your belt, you learn to pick up on the different cries, and I always pay special attention to whether your baby is crying because she is hungry, sleepy, gassy, or uncomfortable. Thankfully all these poses can be altered slightly as needed to make sure every newborn is safe and comfy in the position. Bum up is another pose that I have found is great to help babies fall asleep - it is super comfy for them to be all curled up as newborns.

This sweet pose is perfect to showcase your sleeping newborn. It is also easily spiced up with a pillow. This pose is one that I often do in my Milton newborn photography studio.

Named because the wrap helps to create an egg shape around baby, this pose is perfect for babies who are having trouble sleeping. I love a sweet eye contact photo.

All babies do great being wrapped. I have never in my 8 years doing this encountered a newborn who did not find comfort in being wrapped. And I am an expert wrapper. I will get your little one wrapped cozy and snug. I love to get their little toes poking out for this wrap, but it's also beautiful with just a sweetly wrapped newborn.

This pose is another fun wrapped look. It was named the Willy Wonka by a couple of my photography mentors, but I never quite understood why.

I love this pose. Your little one is wrapped up perfectly round just like a potato (thus the name). This pose is super comfy and cozy for newborns.

This pose is one that I often go to for awake babies. It's perfect to keep your newborn feeling safe and secure and controlling their wiggles. Most babies end up falling asleep in the midst of this pose.

This is technically not a "table" pose, but it's one that babies usually love and therefore I try to do it at most sessions. I have an abundance of buckets so that we can get a lot of variety without disturbing baby too much, which is also a plus! Check out my sample of newborn buckets here.

Finally the always adorable "mugshots". These are called mug shots simply because the photo is focusing on the newborns precious face on a white background. It's also a goal to get cute expressions from your little one - even if they get fussy.