Taming The Tots: Adorable Infant Photoshoots With An Uncooperative Baby

By Bruna L

This article was originally published on withmyladies

There are many things out there made exclusively to bring us happiness. If you think about it, though, you’ll realize that absolutely nothing will make a family happier than the birth of a baby! When that first cry is heard, all the tension and worry that may have existed suddenly vanishes, wiped out by the beautiful miracle of life. Parents love their newborn babies so much some even pay to have photoshoots done so they can remember the most magical months of their lives forever. Unfortunately, despite what all the TV commercials would have us believe, newborns aren’t always well-behaved puppies who sleep all the time – they tend to cry a lot, including during photoshoots! Yes, the pictures that make it to social media are usually perfect, but there’s a whole different story going on behind the scenes. Here are 45 times babies brought some reality to their parents’ photoshoot.

Joy to the world

Some people love the idea of having a big, happy family. A big house, a loving spouse, three kids – most of us would love to have that. Besides, the bigger your family, the better your holiday cards will be! At least, in theory.

Image Courtesy of jamiliajean.com

If your kids aren’t really in the mood for a photoshoot, though, all your effort and money won’t matter. Fortunately, that’s not the case above. The second picture was so funny and ironic that the parents couldn’t help but love it.

Can I send it back?

Being a mother is no easy task, as any woman will tell you – even if you haven’t really asked. Yes, babies are cute, and everyone wants to cuddle them, but they’re also a handful and will end up using their mothers as a toilet.

Image Courtesy of Facebook/brownrdphoto

And that’s exactly what happened during this photoshoot! All was going well until the baby decided to answer nature’s call. By the looks on mom’s face, someone is regretting the choice that led to this moment being caught on camera.

A little surprise for Papa

Sometimes, when we watch videos of babies accidentally “going” on their parents, we have to wonder just how much the kid is aware of the situation. More often than not, they’re smiling away while doing their deed and ruining their mom’s and dad’s clothes and hair!

Image Courtesy of Reddit/Missbrooooke

Look at the baby above, for example. Judging by her face and her sly smile, she might not know exactly what she’s doing, but she’s loving the result. The whole situation is funny, especially when we see dad’s expression change in the pictures.

Baby in a hammock

Let’s be honest here, when it comes to photoshoots for newborns, we don’t really see many creative sets and costumes anymore. Everything has been done already and copied to exhaustion – at least that’s what we think when we look at all the photos on social media.

Image Courtesy of inspiremore.com

The baby in a hammock isn’t that common, though, if you think about it. And we think we know why. If the people taking the picture don’t know what they’re doing, you’ll end up with a fail like the one above. The baby is not resting; it got trapped in someone’s net.

Older to younger

If you’ve been keeping yourself and your spouse busy in your relationship and ended up with three or more kids, you probably have taken a family picture like the one below. A bunch of kids, organized from older to younger, is just the cutest thing.

Image Courtesy of mypinstrositylife.com

If you aren’t a professional photographer who knows all the tricks, though, you would probably end up with something similar to the “fail” shown above. It might be a mess, but at least now this mom has a funny memory to keep for all time.

The angriest Jack O’ Lantern

If you live somewhere where Halloween is a thing, then you know just how much kids and adults alike love this holiday. Going trick or treating, dressing up on all sorts of scary costumes, staying up late eating candy – it’s definitely a magical day.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/powerforever

Some people love Halloween so much they want whole photoshoots about it with their newborn baby, especially if the kid was born around that time of the year. Things can sometimes go awry if the baby is unhappy or uncomfortable. What an angry Jack o’ Lantern!

Baby in a basket

Many stories worldwide, from many different cultures and mythologies, involve babies in baskets being left on rivers that end up surviving the ordeal and growing up to become powerful. While today’s pictures aren’t as dramatic, “babies in baskets” is still a common theme.

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The baby in the “fail” picture definitely enjoys all the dramatic stories of the past. Just take a look at the expression on his face. Either that, or he is doing his best “grumpy old man” impersonation. Now get off his lawn!

Reading is fundamental

For some reason or another, not everybody enjoys reading. We’re not here to judge anyone because we all have our likes and dislikes. That’s okay! Sometimes, though, those who don’t like reading just had a bad experience with a book.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/Fuzzylogic90

Like the baby on the right. If he were given a comic book to read, something exciting and dramatic like what the baby on the left has, he wouldn’t look as bored as he did in the “fail” picture. Poor kid!

No more kisses, please

There is something about babies that makes our brains see them as the cutest things in the world. Maybe it’s an evolutionary trait to ensure we always protect them, or perhaps it is something else in our biology. It doesn’t really matter.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/Stormingstagesandstereos

The fact is, one way or another, babies are cute. Because of that, we always feel like kissing them all over. Some photoshoots were inspired by that, with varying results, as we can see above. Sloppy kisser or cheap lipstick? We’ll never know.

Failing at resting

Resting is one of those things people naturally know how to do. There’s nothing easier than sleeping, right? We are all born capable of that. Unfortunately for some people, including the baby below, getting good rest is not always that easy.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/Stormingstagesandstereos

While the first baby looks to be sleeping deeply, completely relaxed, the second one looks uncomfortable. Not only is the photo angle all wrong, but the poor child is not having fun at all. Hopefully, that was the only picture taken.

Protective bros

There is nothing like the love older brothers have for their little sisters. No one will take better care or defend the ladies like their big bros. That’s why the girls below can consider themselves so lucky. Each of them has a pack of brothers!

Image Courtesy of theodysseyonline.com

The second photo is amazing because of the expressions on the kids’ faces. Just what happened there for all of them to be so upset or distracted by the brother on the right? Was he the one who made the girl cry? We’ll never know!

Your average student

Going to school and then college may seem magical if you’re a kid whose homework is nothing but drawing and painting superheroes and cute little houses. Older folks know better, of course, and wouldn’t wish the pressure of finals week to their worst enemies.

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The baby on the right seems to know exactly what’s up. He only had to take a quick glance at the pile of books in front of him to start crying, and we all sympathize with that. At least he’s prepared for what’s coming in the future.

Please, don’t drop me!

There’s a reason why many baby photo sessions are done when they are still newborns. Think about it; most of the costumes and props and even the positioning of the baby itself would be impossible if they were a few months older!

Image Courtesy of Pinterest/robadadonne

That’s the problem here. The baby in the second picture is way too old for this kind of photoshoot and ends up looking super scared of being dropped by his parents. Of course, they never would, and at least the picture turned out super funny!

Camera shy

If you think you’re weird because you don’t like taking pictures of yourself in the age of smartphones, selfies, and social media, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Even newborn babies don’t like being photographed sometimes, as you can see in the picture below.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/Stormingstagesandstereos

The poor little thing was in the middle of an Easter photoshoot when he decided he was done for the day and started to cover his face. It didn’t turn out as they’d planned, but this picture is more of a conversation starter than the perfect one anyway.

Like mother, like daughter

Everybody knows there is no one a girl looks up to more than her mother. The way they dress, treat other people, even the way they walk is inspired by their mothers, at least in the first few years of their lives.

Image Courtesy of mypinstrositylife.com

That’s why some photoshoots will have baby girls dressed just like their mothers. Sounds pretty cute, but sometimes it reveals a side of the kid no one really expects to see at such a young, tender age: the sassy side.

This puppy isn’t potty trained yet!

Newborn babies are the cutest thing in the world, and it’s normal for first-time parents to want to capture and remember every single moment they have with their kids. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and if you’re not prepared, you could end up like the couple below.

Image Courtesy of alisasuephotography.com

The baby wasn’t wearing a diaper and used her dad as a diaper. The funniest thing, though, isn’t the parents’ reaction, but the dog’s! Just look at the disappointment on his face; he can’t understand how this new puppy isn’t properly trained yet.

Trucker baby

There is a pretty noticeable difference between parents who pay to have professional photoshoots made and those who decide to take the pictures themselves. No matter how talented you are with your camera app, nothing can compare to the work of a professional.

Image Courtesy of Facebook/UsefulDiy

The picture above is proof of that. In the first photo, the baby is quietly and comfortably sleeping, while in the other, he is very much awake and probably wondering what the heck his parents are doing. Just pay the pros, people!

Blanket fail

It is impossible to have kids around the house without extra blankets. That’s pretty much a given, right? Pictures of babies wrapped up on their favorite blankies have existed since photography became popularized. Most of them are pretty cute too!

Image Courtesy of Reddit/Arayvenn

Unfortunately, that’s not really the case here. There are many adjectives to describe the photo above, but “cute” is not the first one we’d choose. At least, not when the baby looks as old and angry as the little fella above.

Not a drinking fountain

People say there’s nothing like holding a newborn baby in your arms, knowing you both have a bond no one can break, knowing that for many years to come, you’re the one nurturing, teaching, and showing the world to this cute little human.

Image Courtesy of theawesomedaily.com

Of course, you need to be prepared, and a great first step is to remember to put some diapers on the baby before doing anything else!. Yes, there is nothing like holding your child, but it would be a thousand times better if you weren’t being sprayed all the time!

Hungry for Christmas

If you’re a parent and your kid was born around a certain holiday or festival, there is nothing better than to book a photoshoot inspired by the holiday. Easter? Have a bunny costume, Easter eggs, a basket. Christmas? Fairy lights, ridiculous sweaters, and ornaments.

Image Courtesy of thechive.com

Unfortunately, not every kid will be thrilled with the prospect of spending hours melting under the studio lights, and we all know what tiny babies do when they get restless – they chew on things. Hopefully, these decorations tasted better than they looked.

Return to sender

Not many parents feel comfortable talking about the “birds and the bees” with their kids. Because of that, many of us were told we were brought home by storks. Others, applying a little modern twist, started telling their kids they came in the mail.

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With that in mind, photoshoots of kids inside delivery boxes became so popular. Pretty cute, but the baby above actually looks concerned her parents are sending her away. At least she’ll be protected with all those packing peanuts around her, right?

How phobias are made

The important part of having photos of your babies is keeping good memories for you and your kid when they grow up. Some people get so caught up in the moment they forget it’s supposed to be fun for everyone involved.

Image Courtesy of Instagram/emilygal

The poor baby in the “fail” picture seems upset about the balloons he’s stuck with. Hopefully, he wasn’t left to cry for much longer, and he’ll laugh about the situation in the future. We imagine the next photo in the series was a selfie with Mom after she rescued him.

Nap time

No matter how well you do your research or how accurate your set is, if you’re not a good photographer and the baby is not really feeling like taking pictures, you’ll end up with a series of photos like the one below.

Image Courtesy of lizvette.com

The parents had everything ready – Christmas ornaments, the fairy lights, and even white sheets. But none of that mattered in the end. Baby said, “nope,” and what was supposed to be a cute holiday photo became a funny memory.

The wedgie swing

Everybody loves a good DIY hack around the house, but no one loves them more than kids. Looking at the picture below, we just know it was dad’s idea to build that clever swing. Unfortunately for the son, though, he didn’t think things through.

Image Courtesy of aworkstation.com

While in the first picture, the child appears to be sitting on a swing made out of upcycled jeans. In reality, there was rebar keeping things in place. It seems pretty obvious now, but the poor kid on the left had to go through the “wedgie swing” to find that out.

Watermelon baby

We all know babies are the apples of their mother’s eye, so why not make a photoshoot inspired by fruit? It seems like a great idea, right? Especially when so many kids end up loving fruit much more than their vegetables.

Image Courtesy of mypinstrositylife.com

If you don’t want your kid to wear a costume, maybe you can even use real fruit in the shoot. A carved-out watermelon is the best option for this since it can be big enough to fit a baby in. Just make sure your kid is comfortable!

Not in the mood for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is one of those days that tends to divide the crowd. Some people love it, and some people hate it, but most have an opinion. Either way, many baby photoshoots out there are inspired by this popular holiday.

Image Courtesy of Instagram/verooo_

We can’t say the second picture is a fail because it is actually cute and quite funny, but it doesn’t look like the inspiration picture. The baby is fuming. Maybe he’s one of those people who hates Valentine’s Day. Or he’s just sleepy.

Easter baby

Despite its minimized popularity compared to other holidays, Easter is still an important day in Western countries. The Easter Bunny is just a few notches behind Santa, and the egg hunt is just slightly less popular than trick or treating during Halloween.

Image Courtesy of Pinterest/goodhousemag

That’s why Easter photoshoots are still big. A bunny costume, a carrot, and some colorful eggs are enough to get the point across. Unfortunately, not every baby is coordinated enough for the carrot prop, but it will still be cute, albeit funny!

The cutest cup of coffee ever

Anything can make a good photo session theme, from simple ideas and props to elaborate optical illusions and expensive costumes. You just have to be creative and have good photography skills! This photoshoot here certainly is one of those super creative ones!

Image Courtesy of mypinstrositylife.com

To pull it off, though, you at least need a happy baby. It helps to have great photography skills, especially good knowledge of angles and how to use them to create the perfect illusion. Well, the mom in the second picture tried her best.

Not so glamorous after all

Some people think being a model is a prestigious job, but that isn’t always the case. As we all have experienced, getting the “perfect” photo is far from easy. Sometimes we have to take dozens to get our new profile pic.

Image Courtesy of Blogspot/madaleinehome

And if you think only adults have this kind of problem, think again! Both pictures are the same baby, but while the first one is the final product and social media-worthy, the second one reveals what’s really going on behind the scenes.

All I want for Christmas…

Christmas is a time for family, good food, and gifts! People look forward to this particular holiday all year long! So why not get in the spirit with a super cute photoshoot of your newborn baby? It could even become your Christmas card this year.

Image Courtesy of mypinstrositylife.com

Just make sure you know what you’re doing first. The baby needs to be sleeping comfortably if they’re tiny and new to this photo thing. Also, kids aren’t really photographed inside props like the stocking above. It’s usually an optical illusion or even photo manipulation!

Bullseye!

There is something beautiful about a couple celebrating the birth of a new child. Be it with a party or even a simple photoshoot, these things certainly make great memories, especially when it comes to marking such important occasions.

Image Courtesy of abbierogers.com

Of course, since children are involved, perfection is not guaranteed. Sometimes, they simply wreak havoc no matter what the parents want and end up turning a pretty cute photo into a comedy show. The baby has pretty good aim, though.

Leave it to the pros

With the power of modern technology literally in the palm of our hands, it’s understandable why some people would prefer to take pictures of their newborn babies themselves. After all, it doesn’t cost anything to snap a cute pic with your phone.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/powerforever

Unfortunately, not everyone knows what they’re doing when it comes to photography, and as such, things hardly ever go as planned. So, remember, if you want great pictures of your baby, you’re probably better off paying a professional photographer unless you want something funny rather than cute.

Brotherly love

If you have siblings, you know how strong the bond between brothers and sisters can be. Nothing can stop siblings from defending one another. No task is too big when you do it together, and every adventure becomes better and more exciting!

Image Courtesy of theschoolofphotography.com

Of course, if you’re the older brother or sister, you probably also know how hard it can be having a baby around. There’s nothing funny about not being able to retaliate because “they’re little.” But even though these two had a mishap during their photoshoot, we bet the love is strong.

Tired baby

You don’t really have a whole lot of things to worry about when you’re a baby. You have no bills to pay, no house to clean, no pets to walk, and no other humans to take care of. If you’re fed and clean, that’s enough.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/powerforever

Some babies, though, look like mini-adults in some pictures, and we can’t help but laugh. This baby here, for example, looks just like any adult after a long week working some boring full-time job! Mondays are just the worst, right, kiddo?

Funny big sister

Sometimes, older kids simply can’t stand the idea of having a sibling on the way. They know they’ll soon have to share all the parent’s attention, gifts, and love, and some of them can’t help but feel jealous just by thinking that. Hey, kids are human too!

Image Courtesy of Imgur/powerforever

Fortunately for this family, that doesn’t really seem to be the case. Big sister is so excited about the whole idea of having a brother or sister she can’t even sit straight for a few seconds for a photo. What a cutie!

The cutest little bunny

If you think about it, you will realize bunnies and babies have more things in common than you might expect. Both are small, beyond adorable, and bring smiles to people’s faces. Babies are usually much less furry than bunnies, though.

Image Courtesy of creativeosmany.com

It’s no surprise, then, to see people having photoshoots of their babies dressed up as bunnies, especially if they were born around Easter. Unfortunately for the baby in the bottom photo, it looks like his parents woke him up from a nap to snap this hilarious picture.

Cake smashing gone wrong

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, then you probably have never heard of “smash the cake” photoshoots! The whole thing first appeared in the US, but it has spread like wildfire because of social media.

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The idea is to let the birthday boy or girl play with their cake while someone takes pictures of the mess being made. It’s supposed to be fun, but unfortunately, not every child is into that sort of celebration, as we can clearly see above.

Angles matter

Sometimes, having the right idea and inspo pictures are not enough to make a good baby photoshoot. Remember, finding the right angle matters more than you think, and depending on the pose, the execution has to be perfect as well. Otherwise, you’ll end up with the picture on the right.

Image Courtesy of mypinstrositylife.com

They had all the elements for the perfect picture – the expecting mother, the older child, the dad. But the photographer dropped the ball on this one. What makes things even funnier is the horse in the background. He clearly wants to be involved.

Too cool for snow angels

If you think about it, snow is one of those things that look amazing on TV, but in real life, it’s more of a hassle than anything else. It is slippery, wet, and you need to shovel your driveway frequently if you want to go anywhere during winter.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/Stormingstagesandstereos

Still, some people see the magic in it and like to capture the moment with a nice picture, maybe even a winter photoshoot. The kids above weren’t very fond of lying around on the cold ground. Maybe next year, Mom and Dad!

Unfortunate son

If you’re from the United States, then you know just how much the flag is important and present in your everyday life. Hanging from windows all around the neighborhood, raised at schools, plazas, and sports arenas, the star-spangled banner is everywhere!

Image Courtesy of Instagram/littleweggs

So why not make a photoshoot of your kid, delighting all of your patriotism, and use the flag as a prop? Just make sure he is comfortable with the whole thing. Otherwise, your beautiful love letter to the country will turn into a family joke.

Feathery failure

It’s a known fact that kids love animals! Some of them so much they often like pretending to be one. Dog ears, cat paws, unicorn horns, you can find all sorts of animal props and costumes for your kid to wear.

Image Courtesy of mypinstrositylife.com

The mom saw a photo of a girl wearing a peacock tutu and immediately wanted to do a similar photoshoot with her daughter. Unfortunately for her, her child wasn’t really in the mood for pictures, and even the feathery tutu couldn’t change her mind.

Little sailor

Dressing kids up in military costumes is nothing new – you can find pictures of babies dressed like sailors ever since photography was invented. This theme is super popular for babies who come from military families. It really can be adorable.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/729lalaland

In the second picture, his little photoshoot was done way before the internet was a thing, and he ended up looking more like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man than anything else. At least that’s a good photo for the family album, right?

Sleepy bunny

There’s something about bunnies that make them an irresistible theme for photoshoots of new babies. Maybe it is how cute both of them are. It doesn’t matter what the reason or season might be; baby bunnies are here to stay!

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Some parents, though, wait too long to book the photoshoot, and by then, the baby is a few months older and harder to work with. Also, if you want good pictures, make sure the baby is comfortable and happy; otherwise, they’ll get cranky fast!

Baby-flavored gumball

Everybody loves gumballs, especially if you get them from those beautiful, bright-red machines. It’s almost magical when you are a kid. So, nothing better to celebrate your deliciously cute baby than to have a candy photoshoot with a bubble gum theme.

Image Courtesy of Imgur/Stormingstagesandstereos

There are many options out there, but a seemingly popular one is the baby sitting inside a bow of gumballs. Just make sure the whole thing is organized by professionals, or your baby might end up feeling and looking stressed out.

No kissing allowed

When it comes to babies, no one can resist their chubby everything! From their cheeks to their toes, every little piece of them seems to be kissable, huggable, and squeezable. It’s no surprise, then, that parents love to shower their babies with love through kisses and hugs.

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Unfortunately, no matter how much parents love hugging and kissing their newborn, sometimes the baby simply is not feeling it at that moment. No kissing allowed, Mom and Dad – the baby said so! he could use a break from all the picture taking.