Sandi Ford Captures the Smiles of Sleepy Newborns

When Sandi Ford began photographing newborn babies she noticed that they would occasionally let out a huge grin. Having learned to recognize the little signs that an “infectious and heart melting” is on its way, she now knows when to be ready with the camera to capture the prized moment.

Sandi says some babies are more smiley than others, and while some people pass these grins off as “just a bit of wind”, she can tell that’s not always the case.

I won’t say this wonderful series will make you want to run out and get a baby (though it might), but it will definitely make you miss the days when you could just lay back, relax and not worry about a thing other than passing wind.

“There is no way to get a newborn to smile! A lot of it is luck, but I can often tell when one is coming and sometimes a tickle on the lips or nose will encourage it. Unfortunately though, newborns are extremely unpredictable and some are more smiley than others. I wish I could guarantee it though! Babies this young don’t really react to music or toys”.

While there’s no guaranteed method of getting a newborn to smile, there are several steps that will prevent it from crying. Sandi says she keeps the room heated very warm, handles the babies firmly but gently (which gives them some comfort) and plays white noise (womb sounds) in the background. “Also, a very full tummy helps a lot!”, she adds.

I’m no expert when it comes to photographing babies, but Sandi is a mother of 3 boys and photographs over 100 babies a year, so I’m pretty confident she knows what she’s talking about.

On the technical side, Sandi operates out of a small home studio, uses a softbox to light the little ones, and a Canon 5D Mk III and a 50mm 1.2 prime lens to capture the crazy amounts of cuteness.

“I once read that there are two types of people in this world – those that see a newborn smile as wind, and those that don’t – I see it as a rare treat that I am lucky enough to capture”.

You can see more of Sandi’s work on her website or Facebook page.

If you’re thinking of trying a bit of baby photography yourself, have a look at these posing tips for newborn portraiture.