You’ve captured those precious baby moments, but aren’t sure how to edit baby photos to match your vision. Maybe the skin tones are off, the colors feel flat, or the images just don’t match the beautiful vision you had in mind. Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered with editing secrets that will transform your baby photos from “meh” to magical.
For the Mom with a Camera
Learning how to edit baby photos doesn’t have to be complicated. Let’s start with the basics…
Quick Wins for Better Baby Photos
- Perfect Skin Tones: The key to natural-looking baby photos is getting the skin tones right. Start by adjusting your white balance – babies should look warm and healthy, not orange or blue. If using a phone app, look for “warmth” or “temperature” settings.
- Brighten Those Eyes: Gently increase the exposure and clarity around the eyes. They’re the windows to the soul, after all! Just be careful not to overdo it – we want sparkly, not alien.
- Smooth Without the Plastic Look: Babies have delicate skin texture. Use subtle smoothing techniques that preserve natural skin texture while reducing temporary redness or flaking.
Simple Tools to Get Started
- Free apps like Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile
- Basic adjustments: exposure, contrast, warmth
- One-click presets designed for baby photos
Are you ready to take your phone photos from “just okay” to “absolutely amazing”? Join our Newborn Photo Perfection: Smartphone editing in 15 minutes or less online course and learn how to:
- Master your phone’s camera settings
- Edit like a pro using free apps
- Create beautiful baby photos worthy of printing
- Build a stunning collection of family memories
[ENROLL IN NEWBORN PHOTO PERFECTION – $47] and learn how to take your images from the image on the left (before) to the image on the right (after) in just minutes using only your smartphone.
For the Professional Newborn Photographer
Ready to take your newborn editing to the next level? Here’s how to create images that command premium pricing:
Advanced Techniques for Polished Results
- Perfect Skin Every Time: Learn my foolproof method for achieving natural, beautiful skin tones that parents love – no complex techniques required
- Batch Editing Magic: Transform your workflow with time-saving tricks that maintain consistency across entire galleries
- Strategic Culling: Learn which images to edit and which to skip, saving hours of editing time while maximizing sales potential
- Simple Fixes for Common Challenges: Master quick solutions for jaundice, baby acne, and milk spots that look natural and beautiful
- Composite Editing: Combine the best elements from multiple shots for perfect final images, especially useful for tricky poses or unsettled babies.
Building Your Profitable Workflow
- Create a step-by-step editing process you can repeat with every session
- Learn which tools actually matter (and which ones you can ignore)
- Develop consistency that attracts luxury clients
- Set up systems that save you hours of editing time
Ready to elevate your newborn photography business? The Newborn Editing Academy is your complete roadmap to:
- Master advanced Photoshop techniques
- Create stunning skin tones that sell
- Build efficient workflows that save hours
- Develop your signature editing style
- Price your work confidently
Includes my complete professional workflow, preset and action collections, and exclusive editing tutorials.
[JOIN NEWBORN EDITING ACADEMY – $997]
Universal Tips for Everyone
When you’re learning how to edit baby photos, these tools are essential. Whether you’re a mom capturing monthly milestone photos on your phone or a professional photographer delivering gallery after gallery to clients, I’ve found these fundamentals make the biggest difference in creating images you’ll love:
The Fundamentals
- Less is More: Baby skin is naturally beautiful – focus on gentle enhancements that look timeless. Small adjustments to brightness and warmth often make a bigger impact than heavy editing.
- Consistency is Key: Develop a repeatable editing process that gives you reliable results every time. When your photos have a consistent look, they’ll tell a more beautiful story whether they’re hanging on your walls at home or being delivered to a client.
- Keep It Natural: Avoid trendy filters that may look dated in a few years. Instead, focus on edits that enhance the natural beauty of your baby photos – think soft, clean, and timeless.
- Focus on the Details: Pay special attention to eyes, skin tones, and overall brightness. These three elements can make or break a baby photo. Bright, clear eyes, natural-looking skin, and proper exposure will make your images stand out.
- Build Good Habits Early: Start with basic adjustments like exposure, contrast, and warmth. Master these fundamentals before moving on to more complex editing techniques. Even professional photographers rely on these basics for 90% of their editing. (just like in math- order of operations matters. When you fix your color and exposure first there is often much less actual retouching needed for things like skin)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-smoothing skin (bye-bye, baby texture!)
- Pushing skin tones too warm (no orange babies!)
- Inconsistent editing across a series
- Spending too much time on images that won’t be used
Taking Your Skills Further
Whether you’re just starting to learn how to edit baby photos or you’re a seasoned pro, these principles will improve your results…
For Moms:
- Start with basic adjustments in user-friendly apps (we love the free version of Adobe Lightroom!)
- Focus on consistent editing across your phone photos
- Learn to identify good lighting for easier editing
- Practice on everyday photos to build confidence
- Take our Newborn Photo Perfection course!
For Pros:
- Invest time in creating efficient editing workflows
- Develop presets that can be easily customized
- Master advanced skin retouching techniques
- Build a recognizable editing style
- Join the Newborn Editing Academy!
Ready to Level Up?
The journey of learning how to edit baby photos is ongoing, whether you’re capturing professional portraits or everyday moments… Remember, great editing starts with good capture. Here are your next steps:
- For Moms: Practice these basic edits on 3-5 photos this week. Notice how small adjustments make a big difference.
- For Pros: Time yourself editing your next session. Identify where you can streamline your workflow while maintaining quality.
- For Everyone: Start building a collection of your favorite edited photos. This will help you develop consistency and identify your personal style.
Want Personalized Guidance?
Sometimes you need more than just a course – you need a mentor who understands exactly where you are and where you want to go. Whether you’re a mom who just got your first “real” camera or a seasoned pro looking to level up your newborn photography business, I offer customized 1:1 mentorship packages to help you achieve your specific goals.
Book Your 1:1 Mentor session or head to over to Glean and Co Learn to see all the different education we offer for both new parents and professional photographers.
Remember, whether you’re capturing professional portraits or everyday moments, the goal is the same: to preserve these precious baby moments in a way that feels authentic and beautiful. Start where you are, practice consistently, and watch your editing skills grow alongside your little ones.
Want to see these techniques in action? Follow along on Instagram [@gleenandco] where I share weekly editing tips and before/afters for both pros and parents.
What editing challenge do you struggle with most? Drop a comment below, and let’s problem-solve together!
LEAVE A COMMENT
Comments