Posed newborn sessions have some “typical” posing options. When babies are so young and new, they tend to be quite flexible and curly- especially within the first few weeks after birth. The longer outside of that initial newborn phase, the harder it is to get them in some of these poses. All of these poses are done on stretched fabric on my posing table. These are not what I consider a prop setup if you are looking at my session information PDF. It is important to note that even if a pose is done “naked” that no baby bits ever show. The most is typically a little bum profile in the Bum Up pose. All poses can be done in a more modest way with either an outfit or wrap/layer covering baby.

The first pose and one of the most popular ones is called Froggy Pose. This pose is done as a composite with the help of one of the parents to help hold the baby while I take the photos. I then combine the 2 images together in Photoshop (editing out the parent’s hands) to get the resulting image below. Finding a photographer that does this pose well and SAFELY is super important. This is not what I would call a natural pose but it’s super cute since it highlights their little faces, framed by their hands with their adorable toes poking out on the sides. As you can see we can add a hat, headband, textured layer or even some cute props.

The next pose is called Bum Up Pose cus well, their little bums are posed up in the air. This pose is adorable because it mimics tummy time with in a more curly way. It can be done naked with or without a hat or headband. It can also be done with an outfit or a wrap to cover their bum if you want a more modest version of the pose. This best part of this pose is getting those little back rolls to pop out.

The next curly pose is called the Huck Finn Pose. This pose has the baby curled up on their back with their feet/legs criss-crossed and stacked. It’s a more natural pose and is best done with a little outfit on to ensure baby bits are not exposed.

You can also do Huck Finn wrapped. You may hear this called Egg Wrap as well.

Another sweet pose is Head On Hands or simply “The Pose.” This one really highlights their face and can be done naked, or we can add a wrap/layer for more coverage. Examples of both are shown below.

The next pose is called Taco or Womb Pose. I don’t do this one as often anymore unless parents specifically request it or baby is super bendy and sleepy.

What I tend to do is the next pose which is called Modified Taco. 99% of babies don’t mind this pose whereas the true taco pose can be more challenging to achieve. Modified taco has their little foot up against their elbow vs their feet pulled up closer to their face. This version is typically more comfortable for the majority of babies.

The next pose is call Potato since we wrap baby up in a round potato shaped ball. Sometimes when babies are more fussy and gassy this is a great one to do. Baby is more secure in a snug swaddle and posed upright which helps when that gas is bothering their tummies. We can do this pose with or without a headband or hat. I also like to add a little lovey animal like the teddy bear below. Those curly newborn hands love to grab onto the stuffed animals and it’s just about the sweetest thing. I commonly will do this pose and place the baby in a prop as well.

The following pose is called Side Lying Pose. Another self explanatory name- Lol. This pose can be done naked, in an outfit or with a wrap. I love getting different angle from this pose. I especially love when they let me put their little hands stacked together under their cheek (commonly called prayer hands). It’s a really cute pose and I would say it’s also on the more “natural side” of newborn poses.

There is a cute modification of side lying that has been dubbed The Running Man since their little legs/feet get pulled up closer to them almost making it look like they are going to just jog away.

It is important to note that although a parent may request a specific pose, I cannot guarantee a baby will do it. The baby is very much the boss during a newborn session in my Shingle Springs studio. I let them tell me what they like or don’t like. I will attempt a pose few times if mom/dad really want it but in the end if a baby isn’t a fan, we move on!

Interested in booking a newborn session? Click here to fill out my contact form and I can send you info. Click here if you want to check out some of the basic session information and offerings.