Photos-Portraits
Aside from celebrities trying to escape from the prying cameras of paparazzi's, babies are perhaps the most elusive subjects in photos/portraits. It's not that babies are camera shy, but many parents know how restless they can be. You'd be lucky to capture that sweet smile or mischievous grin, or that funny pose while he's crawling. These special moments will be cherished forever and capturing them in photos/portraits is a lifetime treasure.
To help you on that, here are tips that help ensure better photographs you would be proud to add in your baby photo album.
To start with, ensure that your camera has fresh batteries, or if using digital see if the CF card is all set; otherwise, you'll need "fresh: film for regular cameras. You'll have to make sure the films have not been lying dormant for years and expect spectacular results – these, too, have expiry dates. You can keep disposable cameras in baby's diaper bag for that instant photo session while your baby is up and about, in which funny, unexpected moments are bound to occur.
When taking baby photos/portraits, remember that your baby is your subject and not the cute multicolored backdrop. Hence, use soft colors, soft light, and soft textures for the background as these provide more focus on the child, not on distracting, colorful backgrounds. Have your baby wear soft-colored clothing such as little cotton overalls, which are a favorite in studios since they conform to the little bodies and display those tiny little hands and feet. If you've browsed for baby pictures online, you might find pictures that show only the feet or hands – the most compelling distinction of infants so make sure they are prominent in baby photos.
A photo of baby footprint is one that you need to take as soon as the newborn and mother gets home from the hospital, or if the situation allows it, you can take it immediately after your baby is born. Simply ask the permission of the attending doctor or nurses of your request.
For baby photos on the carrier, simply drape the carrier with a plain pastel cloth or white blanket – the plain backdrop will draw the attention to your little tot and not on the fabric of the carrier or anything else in the background.
When taking pictures, find a soft source of light that will illuminate your picture and not cause baby to squint, unlike bright or glaring lights. You can take pictures of baby by a large window, the patio shade, or trees outdoors. The early morning light and late afternoon light are both excellent times to take baby photos/portraits.
A major consideration in taking photographs for the baby photo contests you want to join is preplanning. Take the pictures during a schedule when baby is more alert, rested, fed, and clean. For babies six months to 2 years, this means early morning, late morning towards noon, or late afternoon. Prepare all the props you need in the photo session, and simply place baby in a comfortable position, yet, don't expect him to be still. You know how volatile baby's patience can be.
As soon as you've used up all the negatives, have the film processed in a laboratory with a policy for turning in unwanted photos, which will save you money. Pick the best photos (about five of them), and reorder them to give to family and friends, or baby photo contests.
Some cameras indicate the date that will display on the picture for you to label. Make sure to label those special moments when your baby first smiled, walked, or waved bye-bye and store them in a baby photo album. These will be remembered for many years to come.