For all of you mamas that are unable to have a photographer at your birth or fresh 48, here are some helpful hints for you to take great photos on your phone or with your own camera!

-Take them during the day when there is plenty of window light.

-TURN OFF the hospital lights! Use the window light only, if you can!

-Position your baby facing the light coming through the window.

-Don't shoot towards the window. Shoot with the window to your side or to your back, but be careful not to block the light coming through!

- Don't photograph aiming up the babies nose. Shoot down, from above or the side of the baby.

- Get close! Thats where the details are! Fresh skin and tiny fingers and toes are important!

-Download the Lightroom App on your phone and edit your photos there!

Saw this on another photographers page this morning and thought it was a great idea!

I wanted to also add:

Ask your nurse to swaddle the baby for you. NURSES ARE THE BEST SWADDLERS!

Edit to add some more tips for a photographer friend:

Here is a list of tips I put together so you can still take great photos of your precious new baby in the hospital with your iPhone. Honestly, iPhone (or other smart phone) cameras are great and are the perfect camera to have if you don’t want to invest in professional gear.

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· Take your photos during the day when there is good window light. Try to place baby where the light is soft and even. You don't want harsh, direct light shining on baby.

· Turn off all artificial light sources that will mix with the window light. It’s best to have one type of light to work with, making it easier to edit on your iPhone later.

· Angle baby so you aren’t taking photos aiming up baby’s nose. You want to shoot down the bridge of baby’s nose or from above. Playing around with different angles is fun!

· iPhones typically adjust the exposure pretty well on their own, but they do have a rough time when you take a photo with the subject directly in front of a window. This will create a silhouette. If you do put baby in front of a window in their clear hospital bassinet, tap on the baby to adjust the exposure and tell your phone where you want the focus to be. This will blow out the highlights coming from the window, but you will have baby properly exposed.

· Use the white hospital bedding as your background. Lay baby swaddled in their hospital swaddle or your own from home on the white bedding. This will create a nice, neutral look if your hospital room has a bunch of orange or wood tones.

· DETAILS! Take allllll the photos of your new baby’s tiny little details. They change so fast and it’s so much fun to look back at their little newborn lips, feet and nose!

· I recommend using Adobe Lightroom Mobile if you plan on editing your photos on your phone.

· If light isn't that great and you can't turn off the artificial light sources, turn your image to black and white when editing. Black and white photos emphasize the emotion in the photo... especially birth photos.

· Use portrait mode if your phone has it.

· Get creative and have fun! Don’t forget to hop in the photos with baby and same for your spouse/partner.

Congratulations, parents! You are all rockstars!