When we become a parent, it usually dawns on us that we now also a photographer. We start bothering ourselves with how to take perfect pictures of this precious gift from God. We begin to think about the ways to make the pictures great; with what equipment should we take them, in what condition, and from which angle. All these are normal. We all want to keep a nice photo album of our baby as they grow into a teen.
Below are 15 tips that can come handy to help you take perfect and beautiful baby pictures even if you are not a professional photographer.
No need to be complicated with a baby. The place of a successful portrait is above all a place where the child feels good and relaxed. The living room, the parents’ room or, if the weather is nice, the garden, the neighbourhood park – everything is good as long as the environment was chosen is familiar and well cleared.
The light will be softer in the early morning or late afternoon, but parents have every interest in following the rhythm of their child first. In other words, everyone can choose the ideal niche based on the mood of their baby. In general, after meals, the child is more relaxed. The early evening, it is often more complicated for the little ones.
It is better to avoid the presence of other children or adults (except the other parent for example). Another common sense, parents should not put pressure by insisting if the child does not want to be photographed at such a time or in this room of the house.
Phrases like “make me smile beautifully!” often result in intense photos. Rather than forcing babies to smile, it is recommended that parents smile and laugh in order to make their baby want to do the same. Remember, up to two to three years, children work by mimicry.
Sophisticated or very covering outfits (in winter), accessories, complicated staging are to be avoided to get natural shots and relaxed faces. These could also make the safety of the baby to suffer. Clichés circulating on the Internet (babies in flowerpots, with kittens, etc.) are often made with Photoshop. In short, it is better not to subject your child to what you would not want to suffer from.
Cuddling, pampering, tickling, singing, laughing, clowning or games are all ways to relax the atmosphere and ensure happy and spontaneous images.
Babies who do not sit still will be more comfortable on their backs, lying directly on a play mat or a large bed lined with cushions. When babies can move their arms and legs, they are more free to move and, therefore, more expressive.
If the parents hold at all costs to their “concept photo” (cute pose with a plush beside, for example), it is recommended you wait until the baby is well asleep. You can then position the object in the arms of the baby or near his face, arrange the decor and the posture of the child. All discreetly, and without forgetting to defeat the staging for the end of the nap.
She will always be softer and more flattering than artificial light. The ideal? Inside, stand near a window barely mitigated by a sheer curtain. Outside, it is better to place the baby in the shade, under a tree with the sun behind you.
I prefer the frank angle, face to face, eyes in the eyes because it reassures the child and establishes better communication. For that, it is necessary to be placed at the height of the baby. Crouch or lie down according to his position, stand over him if he is lying on a bed. for example.
Let’s get straight to the point, do not use the flash for your shoot with your infant. The flash would be much too aggressive. If we adults find that the flash is very unpleasant and disrupts our vision. Imagine the effect on your baby?
If you want the child in the centre, then you really have to aim for the centre. If we shift the subject to include a lot of surrounding field, I advise going frankly. The in-between will not give a nice result.
The goal is to show the baby, so it’s better to choose a plain, neutral, light or dark background. Avoid having matter, frills or details that parasitize the image. If you can’t avoid this during the shoot, you can get a background remover to do the job after the shots.
For the baby to be comfortable, who is also the main object of the photo, choose simple clothes without too many accessories. If possible, let the clothes be of a single colour (or with a single printed key).
Digital devices perform very well in automatic mode. But you can also switch to manual mode. This is particularly useful for gaining brightness or manage the photo of a moving baby and avoid blurry images.
They make very good pictures, especially outdoors. Their biggest advantage is that they are always at your fingertips. They are, therefore, valuable tools to capture important and nice moments.
Parents should sort photos at least once a week to avoid being overwhelmed. There is software to help classify photos which makes it easy to make to–throw, to–keep or to–print folders. Children and parents will be delighted to look at the photos in an album. It is always easier and more pleasant than on the screen.
As you have seen, taking a beautiful picture of your baby is especially about capturing a unique moment of your child. Simple and easy!
The birth of a child is a wonderful moment, but above all, it is also the birth of a family that forever marks parents and grandparents.
