Top hospital pictures to capture during your stay.
Plus tips and tricks on how to achieve them.
There are so many things running through a moms mind when getting ready to head to the hospital to give birth the her sweet angel. Rather it’s the first baby or the third or fourth baby, we all have the same panic moments heading into the hospital. For most of us, documenting life around us as we enter the delivery room is not top on the priority list. Expectations of getting those pictures go out the window with the first contractions.
Many of us will plan ahead to either have a birthing photographer (a photographer who comes in to document the birth of your baby), or a photographer who comes in to document your stay in the hospital after your baby has been born (Fresh 48 photographer). Either way, or even without hiring a photographer at all, there are things that you or your guest can document as a keepsake from your hospital stay. The main thing to remember is to document life as it’s happening with little to no posing. Here are a few top hospital pictures to capture during your hospital stay!
In this blog, I’m featuring Mr. Ezekiel and the gorgeous Fravel family. They welcomed Ezekiel into the world on the 3rd of December at 3:15PM! This little stinker is currently the youngest of the Fravel boys, but boy does his big brothers, Micah and Noah, love him!! Please help me welcome Ezekiel into this crazy big world and enjoy the photos of this handsome little man and his beautiful family in the mean time.
(Share the love by commenting on this blog! The Fravel Family will receive an additional 11×14 premium canvas once this post reaches 50 comments!!)
Things you’ll need: The baby ;), a well lit room (open up those blinds to bring in the nice natural light from outside!) or if that isn’t an option L&D rooms have pretty amazing birthing lights they use! Ask for assistance for using those bad boys! Try to avoid using flashes. Remember baby has been in the womb for quiet some time now. The room is already fairly bright to them, adding a flash can startle baby and can be harmful to their little eyes. (Professional photographers know how to bounce light from flashes or defuse the flash so that it is not harmful for baby)
Top Hospital Picture #1
The Babies Face, and all the fine details.
Rather or not you have a professional camera, a point and shoot camera, or the camera on your cell phone (which by the way are proven to be pretty great now a days), this is an easily achievable photo to grab! First you want to get a nice full picture of the baby and work your way in. Full body, a picture of the babies face, and don’t forget those tiny little details: ears, nose, eyelashes, mouth, dimples, and the little hair on their head. These details are super easy to get, even if the baby is nice and wrapped up. For most cell phone cameras you can tap and hold on the detail you’d like to be in focus on the back of the camera and it will lock it into place. Aim at shooting down the facial features rather than shooting up them and avoid using a flash.
Top Hospital Picture #2
Mom & Baby, Dad & Baby
Some new moms want to document everything from the timing of their first contraction, to the time they set foot out of the hospital with their brand new baby. This photo opportunity can be snagged at many different times and can represent different emotions depending on when you decided to capture it. It can range from the first time mom set eyes on baby, or the first time she’s holding baby, skin to skin photos with mom and dad are breath taking and something you will treasure for years to come! Bonus: You can grab little sentimental moments of mom or dad snuggling with baby. In those first hours when snuggling with baby, everything seems to disappear. The emotions you’ll capture when they’re in the moment are priceless!
Top Hospital Picture #3
Cleaning Up, Tiny Toes, & little bands
By now the sweet little one is getting ready for their first bath, having their feet and handprints taken, and getting tagged as brand new baby X(insert last name here). This is the best time to capture the tiny little details of babies hands, feet, cord, and any other little detail that may be bundled up after bath time. One of my favorite shots is of the baby getting their first little bath and the nurses stamping their little feet. Some babies may not have much hair while other moms endured heartburn for the last seven months and it’s paid off! After the babies bath, you’ll have the opportunity to document babies feet getting stamped, and actually most nurses will help pose their tiny little feet so you can get a great photo! Don’t forget to snag a picture of the certificate with the babies inked feet and hands on it. Don’t forget about the babies little bands. They’ll have a band on each arm and one on their foot that coordinates with mom and dads bands (which also makes a cute keepsake photo).
Top Hospital Picture #4
Meeting the family/ siblings for the first time.
One of the most documented milestones in a hospital stay is the big brother(s) or sisters(s) meeting baby for the first time. For some, this is such an exciting time! The emotions and facial expressions you’ll get are priceless! Here are a few tips for getting those awesome expressions: Make a grand entrance! Have someone help by bringing the siblings in and close the curtain in front of the door. That way everyone is prepared for the curtain to open (or the door if there is no curtain!) As the one taking the photo, you’ll want to stand on the other side of mom and the baby. Chances are, the siblings will be overly excited to see mom and meet the new baby! You’ll get those first few smiles and snuggles! After the excitement has faded a bit, they’ll be sure to want to hold their brand new baby! Of course that’s up to the desecration of mom and dad. 😉
Top Hospital Picture #5
The Surroundings
One of the first, and last, things I document when wrapping up a hospital photo session is documenting the surrounds. Photographs to grab are a photo of the hospital the baby is being delivered at, hall ways/ room door, nursery, charts, details of the doctor/ nurse on duty chart, and photographs of the room(s) mom and baby are staying in. You can get a good bit of these when mom and baby are getting ready to be discharged from their hospital stay. Don’t worry about clutter or food/ toys being all over the room, after all we live in these rooms for at least 24-48 hours. Clutter and food just means we were human beings staying in there. 🙂
For more top picks for hospital photos to grab check out this blog over here at The Baby Center! <3
The pictures are great! Such a cute addition to your beautiful family. Congrats guys!
Thank you so much!
Did i do this right sam? Love these!!!
Very adorable guys congratulations!
Thank you 🙂
Such a great idea to take pictures of the hospital from the outside! Beautiful pictures!
Beautiful pictures of a beautiful family!
Love the pictures! Glad you got to have this special occasion photographed for you!
What can I say…..The Fravel’s are just a picture perfect family! They certainly are growing and I could not be more happier for them as they have gained yet another precious little boy! They are more than blessed, that’s for sure. Love you guys bunches!
Beautiful family pictures!!!
Absolutely beautiful.
Such a beautiful family. Love them all
Gorgeous pictures, congratulations on your sweet boy!
I love all of these!!!!!
So sweet, I love that you photograph the hospital, too!
I love these!
Beautiful shots! <3
Such sweet loving memories! I’m so happy you got to capture those beautiful moments in forever pictures =)
Beautiful pictures!
Congratulations you two! So beautiful♡
Beautiful pictures, Sam….I love them all!!
What a great looking group of guys…and mom is as beautiful as always
Beautiful pictures!
Beautiful photos! Such a special event!!!!
Beautiful pictures of a beautiful family!!
You will cherish these pics for a lifetime! So precious.
Sweet pics capturing a precious time in your family!!
Awesome photos!! Sweet boys!
Precious family photos.
I had the pleasure of watching the 2 older brthers grow up a little bit in the church nursery of 1st Baptist Church in Florida…so look forward to seeing this new little brother grow up through pictures…these pictures of his arrival are precious…tbey will chetish them forever
Thank you so much y’all! We are so honored to be featured on Whitney’s blog. She is amazing 😉
Precious pictures of a beautiful family. Very well done. I am sure the memories captured in these pics will be treasured for many years to come!
Awwwww!!! So beautiful!!!
Thank you for taking such beautiful photos of Zeke as he enters this world you did a fantastic job
Your are so very welcome! 🙂 You guys have a beautiful little family!!
These are awesome! Love you
As a birth professional this is one of my favorite blog posts of all time. Those moments are so fleeting and the parents minds are so preoccupied that those hospital pictures that you suggest will become invaluable. I love how a Central Louisiana newborn photographer has taken the time t make such a thoughtful post for all of the world to benefit from. <3 <3
These pictures are amazing you capture the glow and happiness in the moment of each person. I would lo see more pictures like these.
Beautiful pictures of a beautiful family taken by a very talented person.
These hospital pictures are fantastic. Central Louisiana is blessed to have you.
So cute love your pictures!
Such precious pictures of such a sweet family! These pictures tell a beautiful story 🙂
Such a precious little boy! You have a beautiful family Samantha! Great pictures!
What beautiful pictures of all my babies!! Im so very proud!!
Such a beautiful baby and beautiful pictures!
Such sweet pictures! Congratulations!
Love these! Beautiful photos of a beautiful family 🙂
These are perfect. Something I wish in could’ve captured with my babies. Congratulations Fravels!
😍😍😍 you have some adorable boys on your hands. Love the pictures!
Beautiful!!
The pictures are precious congratulations !
I totally think that everyone should have fresh 48 pictures done in the hospital at least with one of their newborn children! They are just so awesome and document everything. Hiring a newborn photographer like you is such a great idea. I’m sure you only stick to central Louisiana though right?
Thank you, Beth! Currently servicing Central Louisiana and portions of Alabama! 🙂
Lovee these sam!!!!
Absolutely beautiful! Congratulations on your little one, you’ll have some great photo memories. I love them all.
Beautiful family pictures!
These are such beautiful hospital pictures!! You’re an amazing photographer! So much emotion captured and such a beautiful newborn!
Such a beautiful family and a wonderful blog!
love these pictures! Especially the one of the big brothers near the end of the blog.
I just adore how you captured this newborn in central Louisiana! I’m sure they were glad that they hired such an awesome photographer!
So many wonderful points you’ve made for newborn and hospital photography. My family lives in Central LA and I will definitely be giving them your information for all of their newborn and hospital photography needs!!! So much talent
Your work is beautiful! Seriously! I am moving to Central Louisiana next month from Texas! When I am blessed to get pregnant one day I will call you! I’d love to have you as my newborn photographer!!
What a helpful blog for newborn photographers. These Hospital Pictures are a definite must have for any family <3 great jod, Love these precious images