Pensacola Florida Newborn Photographer | My Favorite Smiling Newborn Pictures
If you know me, you know one of my FAVORITE things is those sweet sweet smiles from babies of all ages. You will find me constantly peek-a-booing and acting a fool for the older babies trying to coax a smile or two. At my newborn sessions, if you are patient and watch for a while, you will see me sitting with my camera trained on a dreaming baby, waiting and waiting and waiting for that little dreamy smirk. I live for those precious smiles.
My Top 16 Favorites!
I had the HARDEST time narrowing it down to 16. I just could not narrow it down any further. But I also wanted to include a nod to the other 30+ favorite smiles, so keep scrolling to see even more of my favorite Newborn Photography Smiling Baby Photos!
Mommy Snuggles
One of my very favorite ways to get smiles is with mommy snuggles. All babies just sink into their mommy's arms to get all the precious cuddles. Some babies will even display their extreme affection for their moms with a little (or big) smile! These are some of my very favorite because it is just pure love!
Daddy Snuggles Too!
And of course we can't forget dads! Sometimes they even get more smiles because those itchy beards can be so tickly!
Awake and Smiling
It's definitely rare, but sometimes we will get a baby who gives the amazing awake smiles! Usually this goes to slightly older babies, but you just never know what these sweet little ones are going to do! It is just so special when I am able to capture a huge smile with eye contact - it feels like they are really smiling for me!
Smiling Potatoes
Something about being all wrapped up like a tiny potato makes babies smile HUGE! Babies just love being wrapped and swaddled, and I know how to do it just right so that they feel extra secure (and can't break out!). Having just come from Mommy's womb, newborns are used to being squished up all tight and cozy, so the act of swaddling helps them feel like they are safe inside mommy's belly again. They love it! And the expressions on their faces show it! Obviously I had a very hard time narrowing down these smiles!
More Wrapped Up Smiles
Newborn photographers have lots of techniques for wrapping up newborn babies to make them feel secure. It's often our go-to when babies are fussy or unsettled because every baby really does love to be swaddled. (Even if your little one cries and breaks out of them at home, let me give it a try. I have NEVER encountered a baby who didn't settle in one of my swaddles, and I have worked with hundreds and hundreds of babies over my 10 years!)
Smiling Eggs
This wrapping is often called the "Egg Wrap" in the newborn photography community, since the wrap helps baby curl into an "egg" oval shape. I usually do this pose at the end of my table workflow, but something about it almost always pulls out the BIGGEST of the smiles.
The Elusive Froggy Smile
Because the froggy pose requires a lot of prep and is not one I can just "let go and snap away" with, it is very rare for me to capture a smiling froggy. The Froggy Pose is created with a little photoshop magic because when babies are in this pose, it is extremely important to never fully take your hands off of baby. Although once in this pose, babies are very comfortable and stable, all babies are also reflexive, so they can jerk and jump at any second. Making sure babies are safe is always my top priority!
That said, I have managed to capture a few big smiles over the past 10 years. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Big Smiles
I love getting big face forward smiles. This tends to be a common pose for babies to dream and smile. You will often see me stroking a cheek and coaxing out more smiles from these cuties.
Pillow Smiles
And sometimes we throw in a precious tiny baby pillow and get some big newborn smiles. Who doesn't love a baby photo of a newborn smiling on their baby-sized pillow?
Smiling In Props
I love getting sweet smiles while I am posing babies in props. Prop photos are always so special, with the sweet baby beds and buckets, crates and baskets. Add a smile and they are even more special!
Naked Baby Smiles
Most babies do not appreciate being naked. Changing time? No thank you! But I always keep my studio extra warm and cozy. Babies cannot regulate their temperatures well so we like to keep things warm so that they are very comfortable. These sweet little ones were clearly very comfortable and showed it with these big smiles!
Smiling Personalities
I love personality shots. They always display so many different expressions since newborns are still figuring out how exactly to use their facial muscles. And every once in a while they will sneak in some smiles for us too!
Which is your favorite?!
Comment below and let me know if you have a favorite smile! Did you see YOUR baby? I had such a hard time narrowing it down because we get so many sweet newborn baby smiles!
