Besides all the obvious reasons, I couldn’t wait for Annabel to be born because I was so excited to take pictures of her. I read tons of tutorials about photographing babies, but when it came to actually snapping the photos, I quickly realized what the most important tips are.
The basics – make sure the baby has a full tummy. Full babies are sleepy, so they don’t have as many spazzy arm and leg movements. Figure out any outfit changes and props in advance, and prioritize importance. Find a warm room to take pictures in, because babies aren’t great at regulating their body temperature. And, if that room has access to lots of natural light, even better.
The MOST important thing to do is take lots of pictures from lots of different angles. You’re guaranteed to get lots of wonderful shots full of amazing little details. Don’t be afraid to get down on the ground on the same level as the baby, and get right in there to capture every little wrinkle and freckle.
Next, don’t be afraid to pose or “mold” your baby. My favorite shots are when babies are all folded and tucked.
Finally, don’t forget to be in the photos with your baby! Even if you feel tired, or you haven’t showered, you (and your baby) won’t regret those photographs together.
Do you have favorite shots of babies to share? Upload them to the TSAM Photo Fun Flickr group so we can compliment and learn from each other (If you don’t have a flickr account, just link to your photos in the comments).
Want more tips on baby photography? You can find them here thanks to HP, my awesome photo partners.
Next week, taking pictures of your pets! It’s Rigby’s time to shine.
(special thanks to my other beautiful baby model, Molly)
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Gah – I love all those pictures and tips.
I can only hope to take such good pictures someday.
Do you have any tips on how to pick out a good camera? What features to look for?
Consider the following things:
Price
What you want to use it for
If you want to take good pictures of your kids, but don’t care about switching out lenses or anything like that, I would suggest a compact system. There is a great compare/contrast on the Best Buy website: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Digital-Cameras/null/pcmcat214000050005.c?id=pcmcat214000050005 Check it out!
LOVE the photos!
Could you tell us how old was Annabel in those photos?
noe´s last [type] ..NO HAY SUENIO NO HAY
in the first tip, she is not even 24 hours old. In the ones of her posed, she’s about 10 days. The picture with me is five weeks. The pictures of Molly were taken when she was 9 days old.
THE CUTENESS!!
That last tip is the BEST. I have hardly any pictures of myself with my newborns, because I didn’t feel at ALL like being in pictures, and I regret it so much.
Vera´s last [type] ..Just an Old Sheet from Goodwill
Very cute! Hope you are not tired! Enjoy them before they grow!
familyigloo´s last [type] ..5 Tips for the Sex Talk
Oh they are soooo cute! I really wish that I’d taken more photos when my Chick was a baby!
I love the foot shot – the unfocused background…seems like she’s smiling
I want to have another baby just so I can take newborn photos with a good camera! LOL With all of mine, I’ve had just the point-and-shoot cameras.
How cool!!
Here are some I took of a friend’s baby. Unfortunately I didn’t have a professional camera when *my* twins were born. I’ve got a ton of good photos of them as 2-3-4-5 year olds but not so many as a newborns…
http://smilepleasephotography.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-post_14.html
http://smilepleasephotography.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-post_4476.html
http://smilepleasephotography.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-post_27.html
http://smilepleasephotography.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-post_11.html
http://smilepleasephotography.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post.html
(and no, I am not a trained photographer, I haven’t taken any classes or anything…)
Tina´s last [type] ..Monkey Business
cuuuuute!
We’d fold and tuck our kids when they were infants and they’d resist. Kick out their leg, flair out their arm………..stubborn little twerps.
Rebecca´s last [type] ..Full of Fun
You are such an impressive photographer (and Annie is super cute). Thanks for sharing your tips. I too wish I had more pictures of my newborns. Take care.
amourningmom´s last [type] ..Telling the Twins
what lens do you use most often? i always grab my 50mm because i was taught using it. i love hearing what other people cling to as their favorite.
I love the photos!! One question – what kind of lens did you use to capture the close up of her clutching your finger, etc? Did you use Aperture priority setting with a 50mm set lens…or how?
I love your tutorials!
Great shots! You’ve shown that photography is a fine art that requires a unique and creative eye. Thanks for the post!!
Photographer Detroit