Tips for Photographing Baby

Baby photography has more than its fair share of challenges mainly because of the unpredictability of babies. Unlike adults, babies cannot be cajoled into posing, smiling and emoting for the camera for obvious reasons.

Keep Baby Happy

Indeed, of all the tips regarding taking baby photographs, the most important is to discuss with the baby’s parents about the best time of day for the shoot. In most cases, the best times are after the baby has been bathed, fed and cuddled, thus, in a happy mood. The shoot can start and end in a smooth manner while the photos will be excellent.

If the parents and/or siblings are also included in the shots, it makes sense to ensure that they are also in a good mood. Their happiness will shine through on the photos so much so that your job is to capture it with your lens.

Find the Angles

Yet another challenge to newborn photography is in finding the best angles. Although adoring parents will disagree, newborns are not exactly the cutest creatures because of their misshaped heads, deep skin folds, and sundry bumps on their bodies. Fortunately, their cute appeal shines through as they grow older.

It can then be difficult to find the best angles for photographs that will make even a casual observer say ooh and aah.
All is not lost! Apply these tips:

• Get down to their level. Use a 24-105 zoom for the best focal length while you are at it. Your shots will end up as if you have entered the baby’s world instead of just being an observer.

• Get close-ups. Just don’t get too close so as to avoid startling the baby, thus, ruining an otherwise excellent shot. Use a longer focal length instead of getting the camera up close to the baby’s face.

• Get nursing shots. Baby photography is not just about the baby; include parents, siblings and grandparents in the shot, too. Doing so also provides the opportunity to get nursing shots of the baby, thus, opening up more angles.

Experiment with Frames

  Although it is a good idea to place the baby in the center of the shot, it can become boring. Experiment with the frames:

•  Include the object being looked at by the baby even when it means the subject is off-center;
• Create space to show the baby while crawling, rolling or sitting down;
• Get multiple shots in both horizontal and vertical compositions;
• Adjust the focal points.

Keep in mind that baby photography can be exciting, too, in the sense that it shows the subject in motion within its environment. Perhaps, the baby may even be interacting with its environment, thus, making for dynamic shots.

Of course, baby photography is also similar to other types of photography:

• Take out or de-saturate the color to accentuate the baby’s cuddliness;
• Use direct and indirect lighting.
• Use macro shots, too;
• And just keep shooting pictures because gems can be found in candid shots.