Baby Mugshots

January 10, 2023

Baby Mugshots are the funny way of capturing your tiny baby’s big personality with a series of expressions in black and white images.

There are nine baby mugshots taken in the saint John studio of a baby who shows a different expression each time.

When a Newborn Arrives Awake

When a newborn arrives awake for their session, I would worry in the past, but now I create Baby Mugshots. I simply will wrap the baby and let them squirm and look around. They can stay awake and we are able to capture their little personality. This often tires them out and soon they are getting heavy eyelids and wanting a little nap or snack.

It Is Not Always Simple or Easy

This looks like it is easy capturing the pictures but if you understand newborns than you understand how very hard the session can be. They have little head control and keep flinging their head and body around. Their little eyes are still immature and they cannot hold a gaze very well. Their eyes wander, they cannot typically track, which means to follow an object or focus on anything with intention for long. Sometimes their eyes are a little jaundiced and look yellow and many will have broken blood vessels. I would venture to guess 80% of newborns also go crosseyed majority of the time. While one cross eyes picture gives us a giggle, 9 are not as funny.

A 9 square collage of baby mugshots that show a baby looking at the camera, sticking out their tongue and yawning.

Patience is the Key to Capturing All the Sweet Expressions

Taking baby mugshots requires a very awake baby, if they arrive sleepy it may not work out. They are constantly moving around, their eyes are immature and not looking at the camera 95% of the time. Sometimes they are not happy being set down and want to be cuddled. Awake babies are often not content to be left alone. Often over 100+ pictures are taken to capture nine they are perfect for the collage.

The Funny Name of Baby Mugshots

The best part is the name of these sweet pictures. ‘Baby Mugshot’ is a bit of an oxymoron. You know that mugshots are for bad guys who broke the law and got caught but a sweet innocent baby? Nope! it makes a good joke and people are instantly intrigued.

Can I use this for my Baby’s Passport?

No. There are certain requirements for passport photographs and you should reach out to Service Canada to find out the requirements. I do not do Passport Photos but Shoppers Drug Mart on Crown Street or Staples on Rothesay Avenue in Saint John. I am not focused on capturing their perfect technical requirements for a passport but rather art for your home.

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