Whether it’s your first baby or your fifth, there’s nothing like the emotion of welcoming a new baby into your family. New ways of being, new roles, and working it all out under the blanket of sleep deprivation mean that the early days can end up being more about survival than anything else! With this prompt you give parents the opportunity to reflect, adding meaning to the photos when they look back in years to come.
Newborn photo prompt for bringing out new parent feelings
This prompt is useful for distracting new parents and relaxing them into the shoot. They might be worried about how they look (after zero hours sleep), about the baby crying, pooping or needing a feed, or about the state of their newborn disaster zone (also known as a “house”). This will help them enjoy the shoot by reminding them you’re there to document their new parent experience in all its forms.
How to use this photo pose prompt
Ask parents to answer the questions to each other, not to you. Wait for moments of connection such as touching, shared gaze, laughter, tears.
Don’t be afraid of emotion. Give them silence and space to answer the question fully. Let them get emotional and don’t joke through it. Give them the gift of real feelings captured in your photographs.
Don’t be afraid of silence. Being silent and waiting after a question is asked is the best way to illicit thoughtful, emotion-filled responses, as it gives them time to formulate a response.
Thank them for sharing when you move to the next prompt or next part of the session.
Part 1: Move through different cuddles
- Sitting: face each other at 45 degree angle with baby cradled between, sit side by side on bed, sit one leaning against the other (bed or couch), sit parent cross-legged with baby on lap and have other lean in.
- Standing: baby on chest of one and parents face each other at 45 degrees, side to side from the back with baby’s head resting on a parent’s shoulder, one parent lean against the other (hug from behind).
Part 2: Ask questions
- What does it mean to you to be a parent now?
- Tell your partner how they are doing as a Mum/Dad.
- What do you appreciate about each other?
- How have your feelings changed since before?
- What surprised you about parenthood?
- How did you feel the first time you saw your baby?
Creative extension
- Look for close ups and details: hands, wedding rings, little gestures that reveal emotion and connection.
- Look for creative frames: e.g. parents side by side from the back, have them lean their heads together, and focus on baby through the triangle formed by their heads and shoulders.
- Involve older siblings or grandparents by asking them to add their answers as well.
What’s your go-to for a newborn photo prompt? Tag me @promptographerguide and use the hashtag #promptographerguide to share your tips.
Want this prompt in your Field Cards set?
All the info in this prompt post is summarized onto a single card in the Promptographer Guide Field Cards, with the details given in the accompanying Guidebook. All the ideas are given on the one card so you have a rich, comprehensive tool for sparking ideas. I’ve designed it this way so you only need five to ten cards to build a whole photoshoot.
If you want this prompt in your set, make sure you include Set 7: New Baby Moments in your Field Cards.
