My top tips for photographing your baby

While I can’t say I’m a total pro, I’ve learned along the way while photographing Ellie. She’s a little mover and a shaker, so sometimes it can be tricky to get her in focus! 😉 You can apply these tips whether you’re using an iphone, point and shoot, or dslr camera. Are you ready?! Here we go!

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Don’t be afraid to snap away. If you’re not shooting film, then for heavens sake, click away! Sometimes you think you have the shot and then your little one starts crawling away (this happens all the time at our house!) With little wiggly worms, it’s hard to get the shot right off the bat. It often takes me a few tries to get that golden shot.

See what I mean? Those are all the shots I took until I actually got her to look at me. It was worth it!

 

Keep Camera Handy My camera goes wherever I go (most of the time). It’s also easier for me to keep my camera in a common spot in our house since I can’t say to Ellie “stay right there and don’t move” while I run to get my camera! If it’s easily accessible, I can quickly capture messy faces, giggles, and cheesy grins.

         

 

Shoot at different angles. Most of the time I prefer to be down on Ellie’s level, but sometimes I like to mix it up by standing above her, to the side, etc. Once you’ve found your spot, try out a few varying angles. Different angles will add character and make your photos unique!

      

 

Turn off the flash and find good light! There are certain circumstances when you’ll need a flash and flashes in studios are fantastic, but for taking photos at home, just turn it off. Instead, look for good, natural light! It took me a little while to figure out the good light in our house. The back room in the morning was too harsh and didn’t have enough in the evening. The front room and our bedroom were my best bet. They had plenty of windows and the sun wasn’t too direct.

I also love shady spots. No worrying about harsh shadows there! Need a little more sunshine? Shooting outside in the early morning or late evening also casts perfect light and the shadows will be less harsh. Your baby doesn’t have to smiling in every photo either. Get them exploring, throwing a fit, or intently watching their daddy.

 

 

Capture the details. Some of my favorite photos are of Ellie’s crossed ankles (she did that in my belly too), the rolls on her legs, painted toenails, and her fuzzy hair. Take time to photograph your child’s favorite toys, mannerisms, quirks, and personality. You’ll be so happy looking back at those moments in time.

        

 

Whew! Did you make it to the end? I tried to narrow down my photo choices as much as possible, turns out I have thousands and thousands of pictures of this little miss. 😉 She has grown so dang fast, so I am happy I have all these moments locked in time.