Milk Bath Photography: handy tips & photoshoot ideas

Milk bath photography turns your most dreamy vision into reality. Whether the style you're going for is glamour, conceptual art, maternity photo, or portrait, this photography genre is definitely worth exploring. This blog will guide you through milk bath photography and give you handy tips and some aesthetic ideas for your pictures.

How to make a milk bath for your photoshoot ideas

Milk bath photography looks fancy, but it surely is not a pocket-friendly and easy to organize!

Here are the basic things you need:

Step 1
Choose the bathtub depending on the style of your milk bath photoshoot. If you're going to focus on the face and body, then the shape of the bathtub won't matter. But, if you want your pictures to include a nice background, you can go with a vintage bathtub or a metal one for a retro look.

Step 2
Fill the tub, add warm water as much as you need. So, if you want to capture your model's body, add less water. If you're going to focus on their face, add more. Make sure you have access to warm water during your photoshoot to make your model feel comfortable.

Step 3
Next, you should add milk. You can use liquid or powdered milk. Add it gradually to get the opacity that you're looking for. Use more if you want the mixture to look opaque, and less if you want it to look transparent.

You will also need a bath mat to make sure your model doesn't slip and a towel to dry your model's face while shooting.

Prop ideas for milk bath photography

You need props to define the aesthetic of your photoshoot. You can work with real flowers, petals, plants, and leaves. If you’re working with kids, add sliced fruits (like oranges) and fruit loops to the mixture. Pastel colors work best with the white background; keep that in mind while crafting your color scheme.

If your model is allergic to pollen or certain types of flowers, use silk flowers. And if they are vegan, use any plant-based milk. It’s essential to keep your model comfortable.

What type of outfit do you need?

If you’re shooting only the face of the model, you won’t have to worry about the outfit. But, if you want the outfit to be part of the shoot, then it’s better to work with sheer fabric, lace dresses, or lingerie, which create a dreamy, feminine, and glamorous look. Remember that the outfit’s color needs to match the color scheme.

To wear makeup or not to wear makeup?

The colors of the props, outfits, and makeup should be complementary. So, your model should be either not wearing makeup or wearing light makeup. Nude colors work best in milk bath photography because they don’t have a dramatic effect.

But then again, it depends on the style you’re going for. If you’re adding flowers in the tub, it will make sense to wear light makeup. But if you’re using a more exciting prop like glitter, a funky makeup look would look just right.

Removing distractions is essential

If you can’t avoid distractions when organizing a photoshoot, then you can easily edit your photos by using object removal tools, crop or clone stamp.

Natural light is key

Achieve better results by using natural light. To do that, place the bathtub near a large window and shoot during the day.

Add bubbles

Your photo shoot can be lively, especially if you're working with babies and kids. Blow bubbles on the children and capture candid moments of them playing and smiling.

Use a camera strap and a ladder

Use a strap because you don't want your camera to fall in the tub. Also, make sure to use a stool or a ladder to take overhead shots!