Now that the baby has arrived, everyone is clamoring for pictures. But when you take pictures with your flash camera, the baby just does not look like the beautiful baby you see before you. Here are some tips to take some natural photos of your newborn that can be used for an artistic birth announcement.
- You can use a film camera or a digital camera, but use the best camera available to you that is easy for you to use. If you are using a film camera, you may want to use black and white film, at least 800 ISO. If you are using a digital camera, you can turn the pictures black&white on the computer later, or at via your online printing service.
- The flash needs to be turned off! Using window light to photograph your newborn baby will result in a beautiful soft look that will truly capture your babies features. Find a window that has good strong indirect light coming through. You do not want direct sun light. Morning light has a great quality and it is often a great time for your newborn if that works for your space.
- Remove clutter from the background of your shot by putting the baby in a carrier with a solid colored blanket covering it, or on the bed with white sheets. Make sure it is a safe area for the baby so that you can have your face behind the camera and not worry that the baby will fall off the bed.
- Remove the babies clothing down to the diapers. Less clothing is better for newborn photography to really show the baby as they tend to not fit clothing well at this age, and clothing is more of a distraction. If the diapers have cartoons on them, try to cover the cartoons by folding the diaper over, or putting fabric over that area. Or take your chances and remove that diaper! Work quickly at this point if you choose this route.
- Make sure the babies face and body are turned toward the window light. Stand so that the window is at your side and you have a good view of the baby. Take pictures with your camera, trying to fill the frame with the baby and solid colored backgrounds, avoiding other background clutter.
- Do not try to get the baby to smile, just take a series of images from different angles, with some of the baby looking at the camera and some of the baby's profile, some of the top of the head etc. Keep working your way around the baby talking and singing to your baby to try to engage them. If the baby starts fussing, soothe them as needed and when they are calm, try again.
- Sleeping babies make great subjects. If the baby falls, no problem just continue shooting. Sometimes when they are sleeping it is the best time to get pictures of the feet and hands which tend to move non-stop when they are awake.
- Take lots of photographs! The more images you take, the more likely you will find something you like. Make sure to take pictures form different angles and perspectives - full body from different sides, half body, different angles of the face, fuzzy ears, wrinkly arms, scrawny legs, etc.
- After you develop the images, look at them with an artistic eye and try to find the pictures that really captures what the baby looks like to you. Find one or more that you like or love to use for a birth announcement.
- You can use a film camera or a digital camera, but use the best camera available to you that is easy for you to use. If you are using a film camera, you may want to use black and white film, at least 800 ISO. If you are using a digital camera, you can turn the pictures black&white on the computer later, or at via your online printing service.
- The flash needs to be turned off! Using window light to photograph your newborn baby will result in a beautiful soft look that will truly capture your babies features. Find a window that has good strong indirect light coming through. You do not want direct sun light. Morning light has a great quality and it is often a great time for your newborn if that works for your space.
- Remove clutter from the background of your shot by putting the baby in a carrier with a solid colored blanket covering it, or on the bed with white sheets. Make sure it is a safe area for the baby so that you can have your face behind the camera and not worry that the baby will fall off the bed.
- Remove the babies clothing down to the diapers. Less clothing is better for newborn photography to really show the baby as they tend to not fit clothing well at this age, and clothing is more of a distraction. If the diapers have cartoons on them, try to cover the cartoons by folding the diaper over, or putting fabric over that area. Or take your chances and remove that diaper! Work quickly at this point if you choose this route.
- Make sure the babies face and body are turned toward the window light. Stand so that the window is at your side and you have a good view of the baby. Take pictures with your camera, trying to fill the frame with the baby and solid colored backgrounds, avoiding other background clutter.
- Do not try to get the baby to smile, just take a series of images from different angles, with some of the baby looking at the camera and some of the baby's profile, some of the top of the head etc. Keep working your way around the baby talking and singing to your baby to try to engage them. If the baby starts fussing, soothe them as needed and when they are calm, try again.
- Sleeping babies make great subjects. If the baby falls, no problem just continue shooting. Sometimes when they are sleeping it is the best time to get pictures of the feet and hands which tend to move non-stop when they are awake.
- Take lots of photographs! The more images you take, the more likely you will find something you like. Make sure to take pictures form different angles and perspectives - full body from different sides, half body, different angles of the face, fuzzy ears, wrinkly arms, scrawny legs, etc.
- After you develop the images, look at them with an artistic eye and try to find the pictures that really captures what the baby looks like to you. Find one or more that you like or love to use for a birth announcement.
About the Author:
Anna Myers is a fine art Bay Area San Francisco Photographer who specializes in Bay Area Newborn Photography. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
