I get asked all the time about my newborn photography equipment. What is in my camera bag? What is my go to lens? All the things….. I thought I would talk a little about what I use and why I use it for my newborn sessions. Cameras and equipment is a very personal thing, I think. No two people are going to shoot at the exact same angle, or edit with the same exact style. At least, I hope not. Finding your own style is what is going to set you apart from all of the other photographers in your area. And I also think that as parents, the mama who is searching for a photographer isn’t going to want the cookie cutter photographers. She is looking for someone who can tell her story the way that she envisions it in her head.

Newborn Photography Equipment | What’s in my Bag?

Okay – so first off, I am a canon girl through and through. I currently have tow bodies, a Canon MK III and a Canon Mk IV. I shoot with both. Although for my newborn sessions, I will primarily use my MK IV. I just love the vividness of the colors that canon produces and how amazing they are in low light situations. I also shoot full manual. It is important for me to be completely in control of what I am shooting and how it is going to look.

As far as lenses go, I use only prime lenses. I made this jump a little over a year ago. I was shooting everything with my trusty 24-70 but I just wasn’t in love with what I was producing as far as my images. So, I started purchasing primes. Currently, I have a Sigma Art 35, Canon 50L, Canon 85L, Canon 100mm Macro, plus a few zooms still. I am saving my pennies to purchase a 24L!!

How I Shoot Newborn Photography

For my newborn sessions I primarily use my 35mm and my 50mm. Sometimes, I will use the macro lens as well. I use my 35 for ALL of my parent shots and the majority of the sibling shots as well. I love how sharp and wide this lens is and that it doesn’t have a ton distortion. For the actual baby shots I use my 50. I love how creamy it is, how sharp it is and I just love everything about this lens. Sometimes when I am doing a prop shot I will use the 35 so that I can get more in the picture.

Then for all of those little detail shots like lips, feet, eyelashes – I use the Macro. I have a love hate relationship with this lens though because I have to manually focus it and that is hard. So hard! I usually will not use this lens unless mama has specifically requested that I capture those things, as it is pretty time consuming to get the focus just right. So there you have it – a little peak into the newborn photography equipment I use to create the images that you see in my portfolio, here in this blog, and all over social media!

I feel so fortunate that I get to call this work. Who else gets to wake up every single day and help families celebrate life & love? I love that I get to tell their story. It is incredible to be able to create a moment in amongst all of the chaos that is new parenthood, where new moms and dads can really just focus on that amazing, tiny human that they created. I am pretty lucky if you ask me!

If you are expecting or know someone who is, I would be honored to craft a completely custom portrait experience for you!

To learn more, drop me a note at hello@erinjachimiak.com or click here.