Baby Photography Tips

Baby photography tips are usually aimed at making your baby look as cute as possible but a different way of making pictures is to make photos of them just as they are, not cute, not crying, not sleeping, just being little people.

Photo © 2010 Vincent van der Pas | more info (via: Wylio)

Also be sure to focus on the child's eye as the photographer has done in this shot. The depth-of-field is shallow - everything except the eye is nicely blurred which forces us to look very directly in to this young child's soul.

photo © 2009 Jim Champion | more info (via: Wylio)

Try to find unusual angles. Also, if you use a longer focal length you can get more intimate shots without intimidating the baby.

photo © 2007 Dino Olivieri | more info (via: Wylio)

The tiny size of babies' hands and feet are a great subject for photographs. One good way to show how tiny they are is by including an adult's hand or foot for comparison.

Photo © 2006 Doreen Dotto, www.doreendotto.com
Nikon D70s, 1/60 sec, f/8, focal length 50 mm

Another approach to photographing baby's feet. Here the photographer has wrapped the bedding around the feet to isolate them. Gosh they are so cute, and such lovely detail on the feet it makes you want to reach out and touch them!

photo © 2009 Alyssa L. Miller | more info (via: Wylio)

Photographing baby and Dad together can produce a really lovely image like this one here. Not technically perfect, in fact I don't think there is any one part of the photo that is totally in focus, but the softness works well with the child's beautiful expression and the gentle kiss from Dad.

photo © 2008 Karen Sheets | more info (via: Wylio)

Here's another image of Dad and baby together, curled up asleep together with Dad's arms protectively wrapped around the child. Black and white is worth considering especially for shots like this as it has a unifying effecte and also tends to soften the whole scene.

photo © 2005 Andrew Morrell | more info (via: Wylio)

Simple is best when photographing babies and I really like this shot for the way all extraneous clothing and background has been avoided. Pensive moments like this are not hard to find even though baby is usually sleeping or eating at this stage - you just have to have your camera ready at all times - and be quick!

photo © 2009 Jon Ovington | more info (via: Wylio)

Photo © Tarotastic (Flickr)
Nikon D200, 1/160 sec, f/4, ISO 400, lens focal length 30 mm

Isolating the child on a pure white background with him/her lying on their belly is a nice way to get a great shot - again, no clutter, and a very simple composition works best.

More Baby Photography Tips for Beginners

If you are fairly new to photography and want results that look like the stylish photos in hip magazines and ads then Baby Photography NOW! is a great place to start. Filled with practical photographic advice and attractive, inspiring images, Baby Photography NOW! helps parents master the skills they need to get the most natural-looking shots of their baby. Learn about the essential equipment, lighting techniques, poses that work especially well, and the best ways to capture precious moments during naptime, bathtime, playtime, and special occasions. There are plenty of expert tips on post-production, polishing the image with Photoshop, designing an album, and creating gift mementoes, too!

More Advanced Baby Photography Tips

If you have a point-and-shoot and want to buy something that will work now AND pave the way to using a digital SLR, then Your Baby in Pictures is a better buy. It covers the first twelve months of your child's life and guides you through photographing those precious, fleeting moments, from sleepy newborn yawns to first smiles and wobbly first steps. Why entrust your memories to hastily taken snapshots - or worse yet, none at all? Let professional photographer (and mom) Me Ra Koh help you capture the moments with 40 beautiful "photo recipes" anyone can do, with any camera. Telling your baby's story in pictures has never been easier!

Advanced Baby Photography Tips

If you are a professional or semi-professional photographer who is hoping to set up a a studio or home-based photography business photographing babies and young children, then check out Studio Portrait Photography of Children and Babies (left). The author, Marilyn Sholin, "delves into the unique psychological perspectives that a photographer needs to know to get great photographs of infants, babies, toddlers, and preschool-age children", and is a great resource for photographers.

Thorough sections on dealing with infants and working with toddlers and preschoolers include month-by-month and year-by-year developmental guides that ensure comfort and cooperation to help create unique, personalized images. An overview of equipment and a discussion of the essential tools for a shoot pairs with advice on presenting portraits, working with difficult parents, and securing referrals to make this an all-in-one resource for portrait photographers.