Tips for Getting Pictures of Your Baby

Baby Portrait Photography is about creativity, so don't worry about getting everything right as some of the best pictures are the imperfect ones. It has to be said that Baby Portrait Photography is great fun and if you don't want to hire a professional photographer then there is no reason why you shouldn't have a go yourself! Some of the best baby shots are the ones showing the intimacy of a baby with a parent.

Unlike Commercial Photography or Fashion Photography where everything has to be perfect, Doing it yourself means you can try and try again especially as you will more than likely be in the right place at the right time. Have a look at the following tips as they will give you a great starting point:

• Shoot more pictures than you need
  Sometimes you need to shoot 20 to 30 pictures or more to get the image you really like.
• Have someone to help
  This will ensure you don't miss that cute smile or adorable facial expression.
• Use burst mode
  If you are the one taking the pictures then a good idea is to use the burst mode on the camera settings to try and capture that one image that happens in a split of a second
• Light & Time of day
  Early morning or evening Natural light is best as babies look especially good in soft natural light.
• Get down to their level
  If your joints and muscles will allow it then try to take your pictures from the baby's eye perspective as their world is much more interesting for producing great pictures than the adult's eye view.
• Useful things for the Shoot
  Avoid anything that may frighten the baby and do not give food as encouragement where possible as you will more than likely end up with a lot of airbrushing to do on those final pictures you like - unless a dirty adorable face is just what you are trying to get.
• Be patient
  Don't try and force the shot and keep everything as natural as possible and the right shot will happen if you are patient
• Avoid distracting backgrounds
  White sheets or a duvet are always a good idea to use as they bounce light back onto the subject and can reduce any shadows
• Keep baby happy and entertained
  A good idea is to take the pictures just after the baby has been fed and changed and preferably after a nap although should the little one drift off during the shoot, then they can create great opportunities for those adorable sleeping baby pictures and close ups of toes and fingers
• Familiar surroundings
  

  very easy to create a small studio environment right in their own homes. This is great as they are familiar with the smells and sounds around and much more likely to be happy and content with the intrusion in their busy day.