Understanding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
March 18, 2022
Today, more and more parents are choosing to take their own baby photos rather than hiring a professional photographer to do it. Why? DIY baby photography is an excellent way to preserve precious memories, save money, and make the process fun for everyone involved! But with so many different tricks and tips out there. It can be hard to find the right information to make your pictures pop—that’s why we’ve created this list of 10 tips for DIY baby photography, perfect whether you’re new to this hobby or looking to expand your knowledge base.
When it comes to DIY baby photography, lighting is a big deal. Babies’ skin tones are delicate and different from that of adults or even older children, so it’s important to carefully consider your lighting situation. While flashes can be harsh and provide ugly shadows, soft natural light can make a beautiful picture—if you know how to work with it properly. So if you want to photograph your baby at home on your own time without breaking down your studio each time, pick a room with lots of windows or find an indoor spot near large windows during golden hour (the hour after sunrise and before sunset). A large window diffuser can help diffuse light while keeping pesky shadows at bay.
2. Choose Colors for Backgrounds
One of your biggest dilemmas as a new parent is figuring out how to capture those first few weeks, months, and years of your baby’s life. While it may seem overwhelming, there are some things you can do to make sure you have great photos throughout every stage of growth.
One of these strategies is to choose colors for backgrounds that can be reused throughout his or her life. If you know that browns are always going to be featured in their bedroom decor, then pick that color as your background color of choice when picking out maternity photography outfits. This way, once they’re born, even if their preferences change somewhat down the road—which most children do—you’ll still have options because everything will fit with each other nicely.
Many parents find that holding their babies immediately before nap time or bedtime produces some of their best baby-photo opportunities. Babies are more likely to be relaxed, sleepy, and smiley when they’re ready to sleep than at any other time of day.
But there are also times when no matter how relaxed your little one appears, she just won’t doze off. Especially if she’s on solid food or on a schedule. Before you go too crazy with your camera, try rocking her in a carrier or stroller while slowly walking around your house. The motion of being carried along will often help lull your little one into dreamland within just a few minutes. This is particularly effective during the witching hour, between 6 p.m.
Before you start snapping away, stop and consider what your newborn’s background is going to be. Does your child have a favorite stuffed animal? A rocking chair? Maybe they like looking out of windows or at family portraits or toys. Whatever it is, think about how you can use it as part of your photography process to create some compelling images.
Babies make great models when given something interesting to look at. In many cases, what you might see as plain wallpaper in someone else’s home may become a focal point in your baby photography! Just remember that babies don’t care how pretty their outfits are—they just want their parents! Dress them in something comfortable and unobtrusive so that they’re happy in front of the camera. It’s all about enjoying yourself during these early days with little ones, so feel free to snap away without worrying too much about taking professional-looking shots from every angle possible.
When you’re trying to figure out how to take better photos of your baby, there are no set rules. The key is to be creative—and learn by doing. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out Pinterest, where lots of moms are swapping ideas on photo sessions that are professional-looking but don’t cost a dime. You can also find tutorials on everything from lighting and composition to editing apps and photo frames. Once you have an idea in mind, grab your smartphone or tablet and take some test shots at home with your little one using natural light streaming through a window or bright evening sunlight streaming through a doorway.
Get informed about discounts and get a personalized newsletter sent to you every month!