Sibling poses are always important to the parents who work with me for newborn photos of their younger children. It’s important to keep an open mind and understand that certain factors can make this part of the session look a little different for each family. I will always do my best to capture these shots though. I know how dear these portraits are as a mother of three.
Age as a Factor in Sibling Poses
Much of our success in capturing sibling poses at your newborn session has to do with age and maturity. Children who are four or more years in age tend to be a little more excited and cooperative when holding or posing with their newborn sibling. Toddlers who are one or two-years-old may have a little bit tougher time processing the transition from baby to big brother or sister. It’s important for us to meet them where they are. This is a big change for your family, and kids need us to understand that. We will usually start with siblings laying on their back, and baby wrapped like a little football for easy, safe handling. However, we will follow their lead and adapt posing to meet the needs of your children.
Head Swap Sibling Poses
The most common challenge we run into when photographing newborn sibling poses, is getting everyone to look at the camera at the same time. Little kids are wiggly and their attention can be all over the place. Sometimes we can just catch a sweet smooch or in-the-moment shot, and we don’t really need everyone gazing at the camera. But most of the time, because I photograph these shots in a simple and consistent manner, we can just make a head swap in Photoshop to achieve the perfect sibling pose. The little boys below were a lot of fun to photograph, but exactly as busy as you’d expect little boys under the age of five to be. They were excited to be there and happy to participate, but flashed those fantastic smiles in opposite shots. No big deal. This was an easy head swap, and mom LOVED the final image!
Posing Toddler Siblings Separate from Newborn
Sometimes, we have to get a little more creative with sibling poses. Toddlers that are one or two-years-old may not want to be near their baby brother or sister for a while. Remember, it is a big change for the baby of the family to become … not the baby. I had taken maternity photos for the family below, so I already knew that they had a younger toddler. I had my usual set up prepared, but I also had a bucket set up and toy cars handy in case we needed a plan B. Guess what? We really needed that plan B. This poor little guy wanted nothing to do with having a baby brother yet, and I love his parents for being so understanding during our session. We all just offered him lots of love. We took breaks. And we tried again with a different approach. In the end, the bucket magic is what won us a sibling pose. We posed baby brother in a bucket while bub took a break. Then I let his brothers play with toy cars and sit next to the empty bucket. Baby was safe, and mom got that sweet sibling photo!
Newborn Photography by Sarah Beth Chamberlain | Alaska Newborn Photographer
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Are you looking for an Alaska Newborn Photographer? There are so many styles and experiences to be found, but finding a photographer who is right for you and will take great care of you through the process can be a challenge. I have put together a guide to help you select a great newborn photographer. If you ask these questions, you’re sure to find a safe, artistic, and reliable newborn photographer for this important time in your life. Remember, you only have one chance to capture amazing newborn portraits.
