Newborn Photography Lighting and Studio Setup For Beginners

Are you a beginner in photography and want to know more about the newborn photography lighting setup? Well, if yes, then you are at the right place. You might face problems while capturing pictures in daylight due to shadows, or you might not know how to capture unique portraits in low-light. So in this guide, you will learn about the solutions to these problems and get a know-how of newborn lighting setups that beginners can easily use.

We all know that a natural lighting setup is not useful anymore because it requires a lot of hustle. It may be uncomfortable for the child, or you have to wait for the perfect hour of sunlight for an exceptional portrait, so you might consider a newborn photography studio Setup to capture the best pictures.

As a beginner, keep in mind that you capture photographs of someone’s earliest moments of life. So, be careful while capturing pictures of a newborn. Building up a newborn photography setup is very easy, but a photograph with perfect depth and pose might be difficult sometimes. So, establish a newborn photography lighting setup in a way that helps you capture easy shots without disturbing the infant.

You can Learn More about the Newborn Photography complete beginners guide here.

Further reading of this guide will help you learn more about different newborn photography lighting setups that surely will help you to capture a flaw-less portrait. Keep scrolling to know more about the newborn photography lighting setup!

Why do we need Studio Lighting for Newborn Photography?

There are many reasons behind newborn photography studio lighting. If you are a beginner and feel puzzled about why studio lighting is necessary for taking pictures of the infant, then here are some reasons that will show you the importance of studio lighting.  

1) Unavailability of natural light:

A beginner can capture perfect newborn photos in natural light, but it requires a lot of hustle. You must have a huge window and daylight for photography in natural light. For a newborn photo setup in natural light, a beginner must wait for a perfect time to capture the best picture, which may be irritating for some parents and photographers.

2) Comfort of infant:

While photographing newborns, their comfort and safety should be your priority. However, taking pictures in sunlight and open spaces might be hazardous for them. Hence, a studio lighting setup is ideal in this situation as it gives perfect portraits in a secure environment.

3) Easy to capture photos:

Studio lighting can be very convenient for beginners because all they have to do is build a newborn studio setup and capture a perfect picture without any delay or problem.

The variance between Studio lighting and Natural lighting:

It does matters a lot whether a photographer uses natural light or studio light or a combination of both for newborn photography. Studio light always has the upper hand due to its ease of use and hustle free handling.

Photography in natural light is only possible in the day time, but studio light will provide an excellent portrait both day and night. Studio lighting for newborn photography only needs the skill to capture the best photograph without any additional hustle.

Types of lighting for Newborn Photography

Lighting is one of the most crucial factors for a newborn photography studio as it can make or break your perfect portrait. And to have a command of newborn photography, beginners must know different lighting types used for newborn photography. Generally, there are three standard types of lighting that you must know.

A) Continuous light:

In a newborn photography studio, you need to have a proper lighting system known as a continuous light system. This light system is one of the best options for beginners because its constant emission of light allows you to control baby photography lighting more efficiently. After all, you can adjust the intensity according to your preference.

B) Strobe light or flash:

In comparison with continuous light, the strobe light setup works more like a flashlight. When you press the shutter, it turns on for a short period. This provides enough light to the camera for a perfect newborn photograph.

However, the strobe light is not recommended in newborn photography setup for beginners. If you do not focus the light in the right place, it might cause damage to the newborn’s eyes, so you might consider avoiding this risk and opt for a secure option.

C) Natural light:

Natural light is an easy source for newborn photo shoot setup using natural resources of light. Natural light is an in-expensive and go-to source of light for newborn photography lighting. While taking a photograph in natural light, you must wait for the perfect type of light for newborn shots.

Natural light works as continuous light, but the life span of this light is concise. As a beginner, photographing in sunlight can give you some aesthetic and organic photos without much effort.

Light Modifiers

Lights play a crucial role in newborn photography because you can never capture a seamless portrait without perfect newborn lighting. Light modifiers help you elevate the lighting quality, so as a beginner, you must know the importance of light modifiers. There are several light modifiers; some are for continuous light systems; however, some are for strobe light systems.   

Furthermore, using light modifiers, a beginner newborn photographer can easily focus on objects and provide softness to the subject. Light modifiers’ general mechanism is to give even light to every portion of a scene, and they also reflect the light efficiently. Some light modifiers are:

Umbrellas:

In the newborn photography studio, the primary goal is to provide softness in newborn photographs, which can be possible only when the light is striking the whole scene evenly, and an umbrella can offer you even distribution of light resulting in a perfectly captured portrait. Umbrella can be used with the strobe as well as continuous lighting.

Recommended Umbrellas:

B) Reflectors:

These modifiers are used to reflect light, and they are a vital tool for beginners for their newborn photography setup. Reflectors bounce off the light to the focused object for an ideal and well-lit shot.

Reflectors also deal with the intensity and color of light in newborn photography. You can dim or brighten up the light to a certain extent using Reflectors. This useful tool is not very expensive, and you can easily afford it.

Recommended Reflectors:

C) Softbox:

Another useful modifier for newborns photography is a softbox. The softbox’s purpose is the same as umbrellas as it softens the light and improves its overall quality. This also protects a newborn’s eyes from the sudden and intense light, and you can consider it an upgraded version of the umbrella, perfect for beginners and new photographers.

Setting up a softbox is slightly tricky, but its performance in image softness is outstanding. You should consider using a softbox for newborn photography because this will provide excellent results in the photograph within no time. However, the softbox for newborn photography is costly compared to other light modifiers due to its unique functions.  

It is best to Buy a Lighting Kit as a Whole rather than one at a time. Here are our recommended Soft boxes for Newborn Photography Lighting

Recommended Soft Boxes with or without Lighting stand:

D) Light absorbers:

Intense light might seem harsh in photographs of an infant, so you should consider using ambient light. The reason behind this is that ambient light provides smoothness and a comfortable look to the infant. Therefore, you need to use light absorbers to reduce the intense light to a certain extent.

You can Use any Black Cloth Combined with a C Stand but if you want to look professional and cant rely on the DIY stuff You can use the following 5 in 1 Reflector or Professional Black Solid Box.

Recommended Light Absorbers:

Light stands

Light stands are crucial for a baby photography studio, and there are certain things you need to keep in mind before buying them. First of all, your light stands must carry the weight of light and modifiers easily; otherwise, it is of no use.

Usually, light stands that are used for photography are lightweight and cannot bear light and modifier’s weight. It means that they need strong and heavy support on the lower portion. To overcome this difficulty, you can use sand pillows or heavy things not to damage your light stand and provide support.

The stand must be durable because, in newborn photography, the subject under observation is very close to the ground. So, adjusting the direction of light close to the ground may break the stand during photography.  

There are many stands available in the market which are designed for beginners, and you can direct these stands in any direction you want without the worries of breaking. Also, put a heavy piece like sandbags to anchor the stand. This will ensure the safety of the newborn during photography.

Recommended Light Stands:

Popular Newborn Lighting Techniques

Following Video Explains it Very Well So Do Watch it

FAQs

1. What lighting is best for newborn photography?

The best lighting for newborn photography uses Ambient light for the baby shoot. The reason is that because the Ambient light is very soft and looks more like natural light. It seems that the newborn is placed near the window if shots are taken in Ambient light.

Moreover, a beginner can also use white studio lights for newborn photography. White studio lights protect the picture of a newborn from redness and warm effects and are effective for beginners due to their effective results.

Other than that, a beginner must use a continuous light system like a softbox for newborn photography as it helps you to learn the perfect light angle for an excellent photograph.

 Do you use flash for newborn photography?

As a beginner newborn photographer, safe lighting must be your consideration. So, do not use direct flashes as they can be hazardous for the eyes of a newborn. So, do not use flash and instead, try to use a softbox, umbrella, and light absorbers for an elite newborn studio lighting.

3. Is bright light bad for newborns?

Bright light is terrible for newborns’ health due to their sensitive eyes and skin. You must not direct the flash to the eyes of a baby because it might be possible that such lights would severely affect their eyes.

Conclusion:

Newborn photography is not as difficult as it looks—you have to take care of the baby’s health and comfort during photography. With concentration and courage, you can easily capture the first moments of their lives efficiently.

A newborn photography studio lighting is essential for aesthetic baby photographs, and it assists you capture those Instagram-worthy newborn photos.

You should also consider using light modifiers for elevated pictures and perfect light quality in your newborn photos. These modifiers can be very helpful if you are a beginner. These simple tools and tricks can help you a lot in the long run.

You have to keep in mind that choosing a light is crucial, so choose it wisely. Lastly, best of luck for your newborn studio setup. Keep learning and improving your newborn photography skills, and we hope that we helped you in your journey to learn this amazing art.