The newborn froggy pose is one of the best and most popular newborn photography poses. The leap or frog is often the most requested newborn pose by parents because it usually highlights their newborn’s sweet, sleepy look, innocence, and charm.
If you are a maternity or newborn photographer, mastering the newborn froggy pose is crucial for maintaining your competitiveness. That’s why we’ve created this article – to guide you through the steps and help you stay competitive. But…
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Before We Begin: Safety First
Newborns are very fragile and must be handled with utmost care during the course of their newborn photoshoots. Therefore, before you attempt this pose, ensure that:
1. The newborn you want to photograph is not older than 14 days or 2 weeks. Babies younger than 2 weeks old are usually sleepier, less interactive, more flexible, and less active. These characteristics make them the ideal candidates for the newborn froggy pose.
Yes, I know that every newborn is unique, but do not attempt this pose on a child older than the recommended age. If you are a parent, I recommend you explore other newborn poses if your baby is more than two weeks old.
2. You are a trained and experienced newborn photographer. If you are not a photographer, please ensure you understand the nuances of posing newborns before you attempt this newborn pose. For safety reasons, I’d highly recommend hiring a professional for this easy but delicate task.
3. The room or shooting space is comfortably warm. According to medical experts at WebMD, the best room temperature for babies is between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 22 degrees Celsius.
Therefore, ensure your home or studio is at the recommended temperature during the photoshoot. This will help keep the baby cozy throughout the photo session. You may use a space heater or heating pad, if necessary, but avoid direct heat on the newborn.
4. All materials and props to be used are properly sanitized. A baby’s immune system is not fully developed at this stage, making them more vulnerable to diseases. Therefore, ensure all props, blankets, and surfaces that the newborn will be placed on for the froggy pose are clean and properly sanitized.
5. You are not alone. If you are a photographer, ensure that the newborn’s parents are present throughout the entire shoot, and don’t forget to bring along your assistant.
Steps to Achieve the Perfect Newborn Froggy Pose
Follow these steps to achieve the perfect ‘froggy pose newborn’:
Step one – setting up the environment
- Create a calming atmosphere in the studio. I usually achieve this with white noise.
- Have all the blankets and props to be used correctly in place.
- Set up your studio lights.
- Don’t forget to check the room’s temperature.
Quick tip: Ensure the baby is well-fed, has a clean diaper, and is fast asleep during the session.
Step two – posing the newborn
Once the environment has been properly set up,
- Gently place the baby on its stomach on a soft, padded surface, such as a bean bag or cushion.
- Gently position one hand under the baby’s chin while supporting its head with your other hand.
- Slowly bring the baby’s knees up towards its chest while keeping its hands tucked under its chin.
- Work on the details- ensure that the baby’s legs are comfortably tucked under its chest, and its hands and fingers are correctly positioned under its chin.
Step three – photographing the baby in the froggy position
- Gently exchange hands with the newborn’s mom, dad, or your assistant. Do not allow the baby to support itself. Not even for a few seconds.
- For the first shot, tell your assistant to gently remove his/her/their hand from the baby’s head and quickly take the shot.
- For the second shot, tell your assistant to gently remove his/her/their hand from the baby’s chin and quickly take the picture.
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Step four – composite editing
Assuming that you have captured the perfect shots, export them to Adobe PS or any standard photo editing software and blend the images together to remove your assistant’s fingers from the final ‘froggy pose newborn’ photograph. By merging the photographs, you will create the illusion that the baby is holding its head up on its own.
Key things to note:
- The ideal time to capture the newborn froggy pose is within the first two weeks of birth when babies are still flexible and sleepy.
- If the baby resists the pose or shows any signs of discomfort, abandon the froggy pose and try other unique poses – you can even embrace candid poses.
- Your top priority should be the safety of the baby, not the outcome of the photo.
I hope you found this write-up and infographic (attached above ) on ‘how to do newborn frog pose’ helpful. You can let us know your thoughts via the comment box below.