Photographing Babies

Photographing babies is fun, and challenging.  Babies are unpredictable and you need to anticipate when and where they will be.  Sometimes giving them something to look at or concentrate on while being photographed works well, sometimes not so well.

Below are a few tips for making sure that you are prepared for your session.

1.  Make sure to have the kids ready when you get to the studio.  This includes clothing, hair, and any props you might want to bring.  (If your child is teething it may be a good idea to dress them right before pictures.  I'm not saying we have to start right away, sometimes we don't depending upon the child.  I am saying that it the child is ready when you get to the studio don't wait.  Small children have very short attention spans and we want to take advantage of a child being in a good mood and cooperating if they arrive that way.

2.  Outfits need to be simple.  Make sure your child is dressed in a simple outfit for the portrait.  Dress them at home and sit them down and take a look at the outfit. Do the overalls ride up on the child?  Are any zippers or snaps prominent?  Do any suspenders creep up?  Is the outfit clean and without stains and loose threads?  Check these things before the session. 

3  For clothing choices patterns and lines or words on the outfit may look cute in real life however a simple solid color frequently works the best.  Unclothed babies are super cute as long as it is done tastefully.  A diaper (CLOTH) can work really well for white backgrounds.

4.  Your help during the session is welcome but sometimes counter-productive.  Please be quite and follow the directions from your photographer.  I know parents want to be involved but what you really want are great portraits.  It's about the children, not about you.  Kurt will play with the kids and ask for help if need be.  Part of a successful portrait is having the eyes speaking to you.  Eye direction is very important and Kurt is a master at getting good eye direction.

Follow these tips.  It will really pay off in the end.