Baby portraits are the best way of preserving memories of a little one in her softest, gentlest, most innocent state. They make for wonderful keepsakes and well as great gift ideas for family members who love the little one just as much as her parents do. While the idea of having those cute pictures is fantastic and images of everyone gushing about the portraits are already in one’s mind, actual baby photography is not as simple to execute. There are different styles to choose from and each one has its pros and cons, depending mostly on the baby and her needs.
1. Environmental style in baby photography is when the shoot happens in the baby’s home or nursery, where she is most comfortable and familiar. The parents and/or the baby’s siblings usually join in the shoot to capture some moments of interaction, as well as different expressions. This is ideal of babies who are able to interact with others, and who do not get cranky right away. The portraits that come out of these shoots usually include a laughing child which is always priceless.
2. The classic style is when a baby is shot at her most serene state; usually naked, or sleeping, or both. This style of photography accentuates a baby’s fragility and vulnerability. The portraits come out very pure and delicate. This is the perfect style to use for babies who are much younger (as young as one week old), when babies do not interact a lot yet, and sleep most of the time. During sleep, most babies are very easy to position around. The key to this type of shoot is to keep the babies comfortable so their sleep (and the shoot) is uninterrupted.
3. The props style is ideal for babies who are already able to sit upright. Props can come in the form of pails, pots, baskets and other large animated objects that babies will easily fit into. Other props can be used to complete the theme of the shoot. Popular themes include gardens (where the baby sits in a flower pot and wears a flower headgear) or kitchen (where the baby wears a chef’s hat and sits inside a large stock pot).
Whatever kind of portraits one wants to achieve, the most important in baby photography is to make the shoot as comfortable and fun as possible for the baby. When a baby is comfortable and happy, awesome pictures will come from the shoot, regardless of the style used.
