Baby photography is an art form. Many photographers choose babies as subjects for their wide appeal. Parents will always be drawn to photos of babies and children. Human interest pictures with babies in them have their special appeal. Photo galleries focusing on babies may even see better foot traffic than other subjects.

There are many styles of taking baby photos. One of this is the journalistic style of baby photography. It is most compelling. Seen through the photographer’s camera lens is a story. A shot taken provides the viewer a snapshot of what was happening at the time it was taken. It may even emotionally move viewers.

Some examples of this style may be: a sepia photo of a baby reaching out and holding on to his grandfather’s offered thumb as the old man looks loving back at him; a baby contentedly suckling his mother’s breast while the mother holds him close; or a trusting baby taking his first steps towards his delighted father.

There are many priceless moments that a photographer with a journalistic eye can catch and immortalize in photographs. It takes a lot of patience or perseverance and practice. Can it be learned? Yes it can. After all, ‘practice makes perfect.’ With constant practice comes ability.

There is but a short window to capture all those special moments you want to take of your baby: as a newborn, an infant and later a child. As parent, you will want to document your baby’s growth and development.

Face and body shots only show how the baby looks. What is most arresting, possibly later even most memorable and rewarding are the action photos or those journalistic style photos that speak in volumes. Journalistic style baby photography can produce contest winning materials. If you feel you have what it takes, develop your skills by practicing your capabilities.

Your baby is the best subject for you. As parent, he is with you every day. Seen through your eyes, create photographs that evoke feelings as what you experience while taking the shots. The photos taken may have been at a park, in a mall or just at home. Your objective every time should be to look through the lens and tell a story. This would require you to step back and take the bigger picture; to put in elements that matter. Your creations are your work of art. Make yours special every time.

Baby photography is growing more popular than ever. Some stick to the classic style and choose to shoot the little one in her most innocent and peaceful state, sleeping while naked. This highlights the infant’s features and is a must-do for all parents of newborns. However, while this is a no-fail style for beautiful and gush-worthy shots that prove to be timeless, other parents, especially those of older babies, have gone the more creative and fun route and started dressing up their little ones in fantastic costumes that are too darn cute. Here are some charming costumes and clever baby photography themes and ideas.

1. Go with the parents’ hobbies or interests. This does not necessarily mean the child has to realize her parents’ unfulfilled dreams in future, but wouldn’t it be cute to dress the baby up as a chef with huge pots and pans and lots of vibrant fruits in the background, if the mom or dad was a big cooking enthusiast? Or how about a bouncing baby boy dressed in a leather vest, boots and dark sunglasses with guitars and a drum set in the background for a dad who just loves his rock and roll? There can also be a baby dressed in loose overalls and some plaid, sitting amongst stacks of hay and farm animal toys for the child of farmers or ranchers.

2. Go with the seasons. Is the baby ready for the photo shoot and it’s October? Get an adorable pumpkin costume to kick off the Halloween festivities. If the little one is sitting upright by the time December rolls in, set up a Christmas tree shoot and place the cutie pie in the biggest gift box around, complete with a huge bow as a headdress. Is February just around the corner? Style the baby in her diapers and add some wings, lots of hearts all around and that’s an instant Valentine shoot waiting to happen. When out of ideas, let the season decide the theme instead.

3. Go with what appeals to the baby. If she likes a certain cartoon, dress her up as her favorite character. If she has a favorite toy, try to find a costume of that exact creature. If the baby is old enough to have favorites, then she is old enough to recognize that character as herself in costume. If this makes the baby happy, then expect to have a fun baby photography session and lots of happy pictures.

When Petrina contacted me again to arrange for the newborn shoot for her bundle of joy, I was quite surprised.  I did a full family photography session with her last year, and she did not show any signs of pregnancy nor was she sporting a baby bump. Coincidentally, little Joel’s birthday is just one day after me. Nice! 🙂

Below are some images to share.

Regards,

Darren (123 Photography)

Email: info@123photography.com.sg

Website: www.123photography.com.sg

Facebook: www.facebook.com/123PhotographySingapore

Baby photography has gone from the simple shoot of a sleeping, naked baby to the use of costumes and an assortment of props to create thematic shoots. While the sleeping, naked baby route is best for drawing attention to the baby’s features, her softness and tenderness, a themed shoot for older babies is perfect for bringing out some fun and unique portraits. Themes can be as varied as the upcoming season, the parents’ interests or jobs, what the baby is fond of, and anything else that would just be too darn adorable. Props to complete these themes can be sourced from specialty shops are sourced from within one’s own home. One just has to have enough imagination and the right theme in mind.

Here are two props (and theme) ideas that one can easily source from home:

1. Baskets in all shapes and sizes (as long as they are big enough to fit a baby into) are perfect for baby photography sessions. Just add a few flowers and that’s a garden theme already. Add a checked mat and some food items and it suddenly transforms into a picnic themed shoot. A huge basket that can fit the baby and some other fruits can also be a whole other shoot. All these items can be found in the house, yet can come together as a theme if one chooses the proper props combinations.

2. Another useful prop for a baby shoot that everyone has lying in the house are blankets. Blankets are actually a must-have at a baby shoot because plain blankets (especially cream ones) work best for those close up shots and those simple shoots when the baby is naked. But they are also great props as they are flexible and add a whole new dimension to the pictures. A bunch of blankets can be rolled up individually, and then placed on top of each other to form a pyramid. The baby can be positioned on top and it could be the cutest shot ever. Blankets can also be folded up nicely and put one on top of another to create a look of different colored layers from the photographer’s angle. The baby lying on top of the pile, or leaning on it from the side could make for a beautiful shot. Towels also work great in baby photography, as long as the texture is soft enough for baby’s delicate skin. The contrast of bright colors versus the tranquility of the sleeping baby can be quite artistic.

A little one’s first baby photography session is perhaps the biggest deal in a new mother and father’s activity list. From this shoot will come the baby’s first portraits and these portraits will be in family albums and wills serve as mementos for years to come. To say there is a bit of pressure for this shoot to go very well is quite an understatement.
For most things in life, baby photography shoots included, preparation is half the battle. Here are a few tips for preparing the baby for the shoot.

1. Make sure the baby is well-groomed. This simply means giving the baby a bath, so she looks extra fresh, and making sure her nails are clipped and her nostrils are clean. Do not worry too much about the hair as baby portraits tend to become cuter the more natural the whole look is. Also, the baby will be put in different positions and will need to be picked up from time to time, so fussing about the hair will only lead to unnecessary stress.

2. If it will be a naked shoot for the baby to highlight her features and fragility, make sure that she does not wear any tight clothes hours before the shoot to prevent red marks from showing up on her skin. Additionally, take extra care of baby’s buttocks with creams and powder to avoid diaper rash days before the shoot. Though photos can be easily edited in post-production, clean, clear skin at the get-go is always much favorable.

3. If there are skin peels that have not yet fully come off, leave them like that. Do not try to force it into falling off by pulling at it or cutting it. Again, the more natural the overall look of the baby is for the shoot, the better. The shoot is not about perfection or hiding flaws, but about capturing the baby’s essence in his infancy stage and celebrating every little detail about that.

4. Every baby has her own body clock. Some take one long nap during the day and are up and about the rest of the time, while others take several short naps in between meals. Whatever the baby’s natural schedule is, stick to it during the baby photography shoot. Do not force a baby to sleep when it is not in her schedule to take nap, and never wake a sleeping baby just for the sake of a good shot. This plan always backfires anyway.