The importance of capturing the moment is something that newborn photographers should strive to perfect. It can be easy to get lost in complicated poses, and over-the-top newborn outfits, that many photographers forget to preserve the moment. The majority of the time, mothers want a shot of their baby looking at the camera, and if the newborn or baby is smiling, even better.
As a photographer, I find that creating the circumstances for the perfect moment is equally as important. There is only so much you can control, especially with the newborn or toddler as a model. Go with the flow, and be patient. Not every photo shoot needs to be perfect, but sometimes you can capture the perfect moment. I truly believe that this is where the magic happens.
From a technical standpoint, I try to keep my camera at a shutter speed of 1/125 or faster for freezing motion. I know each photographer is different, but I also also prefer to overshoot … a lot. I find the more photos I take, the more photos I have that I love in the end. Even the moments that are less than perfect are still heartfelt memories and deserve to be documented. Although posing guides are great, and I do use them, I think it’s important to know when to throw them out and just have fun. Forced smiles are never a good look, and you want the experience of the photo shoot to be an enjoyable one, since it is the experience they will remember when they look at your photos.