The ideal period for newborn photography is within the first five to 14 days after birth, when a baby’s bones are still soft enough for gentle posing.
Infants change rapidly, and while parents frequently use their smartphones to capture as many moments as possible during this swift transformation, many also seek high-quality, professionally captured images to preserve these memories.
This has led to the increasing popularity of professional photography sessions, often incorporating props like a baby blissfully sleeping on a pair of hands or resting on a stack of books, emphasizing their tiny stature and creating picturesque scenes.
This trend inspired photographer Maisha Samiha to open her studio, Studio Picturerific, five years ago, which specializes in newborn photography. Her studio’s charming, Pinterest-worthy sessions have become a hit on social media over the years.
Photography has been Maisha’s passion since her teenage years, and she now serves as the lead photographer at her studio. “I received my first DSLR in 2010, a gift from my uncle who greatly inspired me. I believe I inherited my passion for photography from him,” shared Maisha, a graduate of Brac University.
Post-graduation in 2017, Maisha considered turning her passion into her profession. She explored various niches within photography, finding infant photography to be a fresh and challenging field.
“While wedding and pre-wedding photography are quite popular, newborn photography is still relatively unexplored here,” she explained.
In 2018, Maisha left her full-time telecommunications job to dedicate herself to Studio Picturerific, located in Gulshan 1. That same year, she enhanced her skills through a workshop in Malaysia, learning about portraits, product photography, and studio lighting.
She prides herself on being the only internationally certified newborn photographer in the country.
Maisha emphasizes that the best time for newborn shoots is within the first two weeks of life, before babies become more active and their sleep decreases, making it harder to capture perfect still shots.
Many of her clients are returning customers who previously did maternity shoots with her. Maisha encourages maintaining contact to ensure timely newborn sessions. Her team at Studio Picturerific includes two female photographers and a male cinematographer, and they have conducted shoots for about 300 babies so far.
Studio Picturerific offers various packages for newborn shoots, with prices ranging from Tk17,000 to Tk50,000, depending on the customization needed.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the studio averaged a profit of Tk2.5 lac per month, but they are currently recovering, with profits around Tk1.5 lac monthly.
Newborn photography is particularly challenging due to the delicate nature of its subjects. “You must be adept at handling children to excel in this field, regardless of your photography skills,” Maisha noted, emphasizing the importance of staying calm, especially with crying babies.
Props are crucial in newborn photography for adding narrative and composition to the shots. “Without props, there’s no story in the photos,” Maisha explained. All props used, from swaddles to newborn furniture backdrops, are imported from China and are meticulously washed and sanitized before each use.
