50 Cute and Creative Baby Photo Shoot Ideas

By Hemapriya Natesan @MyLittleMoppet

August 16, 2019 Leave a Comment

Capture all the precious moments with your little one with these Cute and Creative Baby Photo Shoot Ideas! Includes ideas for all occasions and events!

Nowadays, you don’t need to have years of experience to become a celebrity online – you can be one even if you’re just a baby! Don’t believe me? Just ask Leon Mackie and Lilly Lang, Sioin Queenie Liao or Zoey and Jasper. You’ll soon find out why!

All the babies featured in the links above have become mini celebrities, thanks to their parents’ creative photography skills. I mean, just how adorable are those movie scenes recreated with cardboard? Now even if you don’t share their level of creativity, don’t worry – you can still create Instagram-worthy photographs that your little one will enjoy looking at years later. Here are some cute and creative baby photo shoot ideas for every occasion. Some of them are super easy, while some require a little bit of effort – but it’s all worth it in the end!

To get the best pictures with your little munchkin, we’d recommend checking out our post on Tips to Photograph Babies and Toddlers.

50 Cute and Creative Baby Photo Shoot Ideas

Newborn Photo Ideas

Your baby’s very first photo shoot has to be special! One good thing about this part is that newborns sleep a lot, making it easy for you to get everything ready exactly the way you want. However, newborns can only be in a few positions, so you have to plan a shoot considering that.

1. The Plaque – This is a super easy photo shoot – all you need is a name plaque. You can either use a chalkboard one or print one out with baby’s name on it. Make sure the colors match with the background and it’ll be perfect!

2. The Stat Sheet – It’s common for people to ask when the baby was born, what the birth weight was etc. Now you can answer all those questions with a single photo! Check out Mummy Mag, where the baby’s details have been displayed using some creative props!

3. The Frog – This is one of the most popular and classic baby photos, especially for newborns. There are many, many ways you can be creative with this pose – just check out Fix the Photo for ideas.

4. The Yawn – Newborn babies look adorable when they yawn, and this is the perfect time to click and capture a memory! You’ll get many opportunities during the first few weeks, so make the most of them!

5. The Newspaper – This is a fun way to document the day of your baby’s birth, as shown by Abbey Saxton Photography. Use that particular day’s newspaper, spread out the front page, lay down a soft layer and lay baby on top of it. Make sure the date is visible on the paper!

6. The Nature BabeBy Rosenhoff has an adorable baby birth announcement photo using natural elements like leaves and twigs. The name, date and time of the birth can be easily shown, and is a great idea if you don’t want to give out any more information.

7. The Sidewalk – We’re not suggesting you put your newborn baby on the sidewalk, but a clean, new black board will do. Write down baby’s name in large letters and place the little one strategically in the middle. This smart idea of baby Jack is from Kelle Hampton Photography.

8. The Scrabble Tile – Black and white photos have a charm of their own, and we love this idea we found here. The baby here is in the background, with the focus on baby’s name put together with Scrabble tiles.

9. The Jailbird – A plain sheet, a striped body suit and a mustache pacifier – that’s all you need to make this hilarious jailbird birth announcement! You can either write on the details on the sheet with markers or photoshop them in later.

10. The Special Delivery – Your baby is a very special delivery from God, and you can let the world know that through this cute photo idea from Mashable! Styrofoam peanuts aren’t exactly eco-friendly, so you can also place pillows underneath and cotton wool or large pom poms on top – just make sure it doesn’t pose a choking or inhalation hazard.

Milestone Baby Photo Ideas

This is a trend that’s so popular these days, and it’s a nice way to look back at how quickly babies grow. For milestone photos, you have to commit to taking a picture every month, at least for the first 12 months, ending with the first birthday photo.

11. The Alphabet – We love this idea from Famille Summer Belle. It’s so simple but effective! All you need are felt or fabric letters which you can lay out around baby. That’s it!

12. The Adventure – When Hyrum’s Mom wanted to make milestone photos, she didn’t want them to be too basic. Instead, she turned each month’s photo into a different adventure! From fire fighting to playing baseball to destroying a city, there’s nothing Hyrum hasn’t done!

13. The Flowers – Lauren Bowyer has a milestone photo shoot that’s just gorgeous – it’s made of flowers! This is a lovely way to show your baby’s age too, although you can use any flower you like. Bonus points for using whatever is in season that month!

14. The Blanket – An easy way to take monthly milestone photos is by getting yourself just one prop – a milestone blanket. Just put a frame or something around the relevant numbers and your photo is ready!

15. The Cards – Just like the milestone blanket, you can easily get milestone cards, which can be used in a variety of ways. Turn them into a banner, or stand them up on easels. You can also get them transferred onto baby onesies!

16. The Felt Board – A felt board makes a great option for just little text. Check out Macy Coot‘s idea that’s so simple but so adorable!

17. The Blackboard – This is a photo idea that offers lots of customization opportunities. All you need is a big black board which you can place next to a chair. Place baby on it and you’re ready to click! Check out Mommy’s Little Sunshine for ideas.

18. The Balloons – Check out these balloons milestone photos from A Crafted Passion – an easy way to show baby’s age! Just increase the number of balloons till you reach 12. Mix and match the colors as you like. You can stick to a color palette throughout or switch it up according to the season.

19. The Blocks – Now here’s an idea that’ll work well as photo props as well as baby’s toys – milestone blocks! These are available in many colors and styles and your little one can have fun with them once the shoot is over!

20. The Pizza – You must have seen the viral photo of Pizza Baby, the baby whose milestones were documented with – pizza slices! You can do this too, and it’s quite easy as long as you keep the background neutral with the focus on the pizza alone. You can also do the same with watermelon slices

Classic Baby Photo Ideas

Some things never go out of style, and for good reason – they’re evergreen hits! These are ideas that can be done with little effort and basic photography skills.

21. The Basket – Among these is the classic basket photo. Fill the basket with pillows or cushions till it reaches the top. Line the basket with lots of fur or faux sheepskin – as long as it’s not irritating to delicate baby skin. Then place the sleeping baby in it in a comfortable position. Click either from the front or from the top.

22. The Tub – Babies love playing in the water, which means you have some great photo ops there! Dani Adams Photography has some ideas for this. Avoid cheap plastic tubs which won’t offer the required aesthetic. Use baby bubble bath for those bubbles floating around and make sure you click in time!

23. The MirrorBabies and mirrors are a treat to watch, and make for some great photo ops. Set up your area and place a large mirror in a stable position. Place baby in front of it just before clicking the photo to get the most candid snaps.

24. The Teddy Bear – Teddy bears or other stuffed animals look cute in baby photographs, although they are not recommended to be put in the crib. There are many poses with teddy bears, but this kind is the most popular, with the back view of the baby and his friends. Check out more ideas here.

25. The Chef – This is an easy one to try – all you may need to get specifically for the baby chef photo shoot may be a chef’s hat. If you can make it on your own, great! Gather around some child-safe utensils and some produce and let it roll!

26. The Hammock – This is another of those baby photos that’s an evergreen classic. Getting this right requires a bit of skill, as Christina Hunter shows in her behind the scenes photos of this pose.

Festive Baby Photo Ideas

Whether it’s baby’s first Diwali or Christmas, go ahead and make it an occasion to remember with a specialized festive photo shoot – complete with matching props!

27. The Kiss – A bundle of cuteness will be covered with kisses – it’s inevitable!! Check out this Valentine’s Day idea from Kim Ponsky Photography which doesn’t need much in terms of prep work- except lots of kissing, of course!

28. The Bunny – This cute little Easter bunny costume needs little more than an plain white onesie and a bunny ears headband! This shot works well for babies who can sit up, as shown in Pixel Kids.

29. The Baby Krishna – Even your newborn can be dressed up as Krishna for Janmashtami! Capture this priceless moment as shown in Life in Clicks Photography, by using very few props – a tiny pot will suffice. However, older may break the pot and get hurt, so you may have to get an unbreakable option for them.

30. The Pumpkin – As Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving set in, pumpkins become  a regular feature. Babies actually photograph well with fruits and vegetables, so it’s a good idea to stick to a color theme for the photo to look good.

31. The Trick o’Treat – Your baby may be too young to go out trick o’treating, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to be candy-less on Halloween! Check out Batz Kids‘ idea of this simple photo idea with a few Halloween themed props and lots of candy.

32. The Diya – Diwali is not called the festival of lights for nothing, and now you can make use of this by using colorful diyas in your baby’s photo! Check out this Diwali photo idea from Lashkaraa.

33. The Gift Box – What’s a more special gift than a cute little girl with a cuter smile? Laura Simon Photography gives us a simple yet beautiful idea for a photo for baby’s first Christmas – all you need is a gift wrapped box in front of the tree.

34. The Ornament – We can’t stop gushing over how simple yet elegant this photo from Lisa Holloway is! The ornament is perfect to hold baby’s attention while you click the picture. Makes great holiday cards too!

Baby Photo Ideas with Family

35. The Matching Pet – Pets and babies make the cutest combination ever! If you have a pet whose comfortable with the baby and vice versa, you’re in luck – you can make use of some great photo ideas. Make them wear matching clothes and accessories, like Zoey and Jasper here.

36. The Cuddle – Nothing can beat this classic photo of a little baby nestled close to a parent’s heart. You need no props or anything for this idea; just a clear background and lots of natural light. Stick to neutral clothes for a lovely effect.

37. The Triple Kiss – This is a cute photo idea for parents with just one child. The ascending kiss looks fun and sweet at the same time and is easy enough to recreate.

38. The Sale – This photo from Jay Malone Photography is soo cute! A frustrated big sister putting up her little brother for sale, who has no qualms about chewing the sign board. Yes, sisters love their brothers to bits, but they do have their moments!

39. The Toy Heart – Got a train lover or two boys? Then this idea from Jennifer Jayne is perfect for you! Wooden tracks would have a better aesthetic compared to plastic, although they’ll work just as well.

40. The Contrast– Putting your hands or feet with your baby’s  makes theirs look so small! Bring out this cute contrast with black and white photos of Mom, Dad and baby.

41. The Gift Basket – This photo idea from Leilani Photography is too cute for words! The sibling opens the door to find a gift basket with the most precious gift inside – what a lovely idea! Perfect for newborns.

42. The Wedding Rings – Your baby is one of the biggest examples of your love for each other, so it’s only apt to have a photo with your wedding rings on those tiny feet! This works better for newborns since older babies may take the rings and put them in their mouths.

Quirky Baby Photo Ideas

43. The Beach Babe – It’s amazing what you can do with sheets and blankets! With a light blue and brown blanket, you can easily recreate a beach scene for your little one to laze around and sun bathe!

44. The Chalkboard – This one needs a little bit of artistic talent, but the possibilities are just endless! Cute Moments Photography has many ideas for this, although some may feel a tad too professional. But there’s loads of inspiration to try yourself.

45. The Dad Pics – Dads somehow have an uncanny ability to make things funnier than they are, and kids love this. Make the most of this by including Dad in a photo with baby – check out Dave Engledow’s Flickr feed for some hilarious ideas.

46. The Dream World – Who would’ve thought that a sleeping baby could travel to all kinds of dream lands in her sleep? Well that’s what Wengenn’s Mom has done, in her website Wengenn in Wonderland. It’s actually quite doable, particularly if your baby is the kind who sleeps through most noises and disturbances.

47. The Clothesline – This photo idea has become very popular, and it’s still trending! It’s quite easy to do – all you need is some string and baby’s clothes! Abigail Ayala has some inspiration to check out. Be careful about the string and the pegs around baby.

48. The Beauty Queen – That’s one gorgeous little lady! Paulina Martinez Photography goes to great lengths to turn a sleeping baby into a beauty queen who’s having her regular hair day at the salon!

49. The CupKoKo Kids features a funny and cute photo idea that can be done with kids of all ages. Just grab a quirky mug and place it strategically to get the right perspective. Now all you have to do is click! You can also try this with a Nutella Jar.

50. The Disney Princess – One of the good things about little babies is that you can dress them up anyway you like without them complaining – at least for now! You can set up a photo shoot in any of your favorite themes, like this Mom did with a Disney princess theme that’s mind blowing!

Once you’ve decided what kind of shoot you’d like, make sure to inform the photographer in advance, if you’re hiring one. Share the pictures so they know if they need to bring any extra props. If you’re doing it yourself, practice the angles you want without the props, so you’ll know exactly how to click when you’re actually doing the shoot. Don’t miss out any of those special moments – they’ll make lasting memories!

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Filed Under: Baby, Parenting Tagged With: baby photo ideas, parenting, parenting hacks, parenting tips, photo ideas, photo shoot ideas, photography