We are so blown away by some of the creative birth announcement photo ideas we’ve seen on Pinterest and beyond lately. Is it a new trend or just something that’s now in the hands of more regular photographers than the pros? Either way…impressive!
Here, are 15 of the most creative birth announcement photo ideas we’ve seen, that we think most people could pull off with varying degrees of skill. None require much more than minimal props and a little bit of help from parents and siblings, or sometimes you just need a little forethought and planning throughout the pregnancy. That’s it. In other words, no tulle-wrapped baby in a giant egg next to a delivery ticket from heaven and a plastic stork standing guard.
Hopefully, these ideas help you get your perfect picture if you’re going for a birth announcement idea that’s a little off the beaten path.
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Related: The best baby shower gifts under $30 in 2024
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1. With services like Pic Monkey or Canva, which let you easily create high-res edits and imagery, start with a full picture you like and create a text overlay like the announcement from Sappy Apple (at top). Of course, great typography is key and if you don’t know your Bodoni from your Baskerville, you might ask a friend with a great eye to help out.
Fun Shortcut: Not so sure of your design skills? Check out these Baby Milestone Blankets, which not only let you photograph a newborn for a creative birth announcement photo, but you can create a record of their growth month by month. Also see the variety of baby growth blankets from Luka&Lily, which are affordable and very very cute!
2. Everyone wants to know the important details about the new baby (web archive link) and we’re impressed by this idea fromidea from Alphabet Monkey, using items you already have at home to share that vital info.
What You Need:
– These custom name blocks on Etsy are nearly identical to the ones above!
– A vintage folding carpenter’s ruler can be found affordably on Etsy too; or try a new wooden carpenter’s ruler with a vintage design.
– A printable calendar page with the birth month and year is easy to find.
BONUS: We found this exact black-and-white cross baby blanket and it’s so soft and cuddly!
3. Plan ahead — as in, the moment you find out you’re pregnant — and recreate this lovely series of pregnancy photos by photographer Bron Bates from Baby Space (site no longer active but visit her Instagram) for your baby’s birth announcement. It’s so simple if you think about it and guaranteed to nail the awww factor. (Just keep in mind your relatives may actually want to see the baby’s face. But that’s entirely up to you.)
What You Need: Cute maternity tops that convert to nursing tops and a great blowout.
Related: A comparison of our 9 favorite custom photo book services, for one of our all-time favorite gifts
4. If you can take some pictures of your baby lying down against a white background, doodles can change the mood entirely. We find ourselves inspired by this amazing series of baby images by Adele Enerson. So, so great!
What You need: A soft, logo-free baby footie one-piece, and we found one! (It’s harder than you might think.)
5. How funny is this two-sided Awww-Waaaa birth announcement we found from our friend and designer Alma Loveland who also runs the wonderful Caravan Shoppe. Enough with all the perfect happy photos; sometimes the less-than-happy outtakes make the most memorable moments.
What you need: The perfect white swaddle blanket. We love this one from Copper Pearl.
6. If you have a great picture of your baby but don’t love the background, this custom hand-lettered baby announcement at Joe Kayse’s Etsy shop (sadly, they are no longer) is a creative way to accentuate the positive.
What You Need: If you can’t find someone to hand-letter an announcement for you in this style, try a custom photo birth announcement like this one from Minted, which sets your baby at the center, and recreates the
7. In terms of simple ideas, we are so taken with this one: A Hello: My Name Is name tag stuck onto a baby’s swaddle blanket, as seen here in this birth announcement photo idea by photographer Heather Golde. We even love that the nametag is in focus, with the baby set a bit back in the background, giving priority to a name that was probably kept secret until the big reveal.
What You Need: Heather’s exquisite photography, the swaddle blanket from the hospital, and a hello my name is… name tag like this one.
8. Yes, it’s over-the-top, and requires serious propping. But we’re laughing at this hilarious air pump baby announcement. This took significant planning over the course of 40 weeks and yeah, professional art direction and uh, a photo shoot with Patrice La Roche. But what a fun-loving family for this lucky baby has been born into.
What You Need: Patrice, a bunch of trips to a local gas station with an air pump, and a sense of humor.
9. In a similar vintage film-strip style, check out theatrical The Magic Show creative birth announcement photos snapped by pro Dan Culberson. It’s not for everyone, but for this couple, it’s perfect. Plus they seem like people we want to hang out with, even after the baby. That’s always a plus for announcements.
What You Need: Sexy maternity lingerie from Cake, an adult magician’s outfit, and a booking with Dan.
10. It’s so sweet to get older siblings involved, and this one incorporates a chalkboard, which we all know by now is the hottest prop to hit photo cards this decade — besides letter boards, of course. It was assembled by a (paid) editing tool called Compositor which makes storyboard-style layouts, and we spotted it on Momtog but would love to track down the super clever parents who took part in this one.
What You Need: An attractive hand-held chalkboard, and a cute toddler after naptime.
Related: 6 celeb-worthy, creative birth announcement ideas for twins + multiples.
11. Second only to blackboards: Writing baby’s name in chalk on the sidewalk. A great example of how that can work hails from photographer and lifestyle icon Kelle Hampton, resulting in a simple, memorable birth announcement photo idea. Of course this might be best for moms of two or more, who have gotten over their fear of laying a baby down on a sidewalk for a few minutes. (Ha.)
What You Need: Brightly colored chalk
12. This version of the iconic LOVE graphic is so simple, but looks so impressive (like many of the best ideas, right?). We found it at How to Nest for Less, but again, we wish we could find the original source for creative birth announcement ideas like this one. Notice how the sheets aren’t perfectly pressed and the baby’s arms aren’t perfectly in focused? That’s okay.
What You Need:
– A solid sheet in a pretty color
– a bold heart onesie or personalized heart onesie with a name inside
– large, colorful poster board
13. How great is this custom birth announcement onesie we found right on Zazzle, designed by Cute Factory with all of your baby’s important birth stats? We’ve seen quite a few of these, but the strong colors will make the photo much easier to take than the ones with pale script on a cream background. Just set your baby down on a neutral but interesting background (a bedspread works fine) and…easy. Plus, you don’t need to take up the front of the card with all the stats since it’s built right into the photo.
14. I love incorporating older siblings’ authentic reactions to the new baby in a birth announcement, and there are some great tips on how to get a good shot of a big sibling with the new baby at I Heart Faces photography. One or two perfect ones is all you need.
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