August 17th, 2009 | 
Author: There are few things easier or more important that photographing your baby. The day you are born is such a momentous event; it deserves to be documented and celebrated. Even if you are too shy or too preoccupied to photograph your children’s actual entry into the world, take pictures of them making their place in this world and your heart. You’ll want your child to look back at the photos of days he or she will have been too young to remember, and to know how loved they were and are.
Those first days of you child’s life are perfect for getting your feet wet taking photographs of them. The little ones move very little and there are plenty of special people who want their picture taken with the baby, or who would be happy to snap a few photos of you and the new arrival. If you are indoors and you don’t want the flash to startle the baby, simply turn the flash off and raise the camera’s ISO to about 800.
Firsts
Take a look at the lighting and see if it is incandescent or fluorescent light. Lights on should be just fine, and if you are using a digital camera you can probably choose an adjustment on the camera for the type of light in the room. You can then check the photo in the LCD on the camera back and keep increasing or decreasing the ISO depending upon how light or dark the photograph is.
Check For Your Shadow
The only thing to look out for when the flash is off is where your own shadow falls. Make sure it isn’t blocking the light source from reaching the baby. Don’t forget to get pictures of those little fingers and toes because they will never be that tiny again. Snap photos of every little expression, from smiles to yawns, because they can change in a heartbeat and will never be seen again.
Get Baby Used To Being Photographed
If you start taking photographs of your child from the start your baby will become more used to the camera with every photo you take. As they grow they will then expect that cameras and photography are simply an ordinary part of their lives, allowing you to capture incredible images as they grow and mature.
Get Down To Baby’s Level
Once your little one is more mobile, you will find the best pictures are found at the child’s level. When they are swaddled and held, you just have to stand near them to find a good shot, but tummy time opens up a whole new world of poses. If your baby is on its belly, you should be too. Don’t wait for a smile; just start photographing your child in his or her environment.
Discovery
Reaching for a toy or discovering he can fit his whole hand in his mouth is a major accomplishment. Treasured memories are waiting to be found at bath time and meal time; even nap time. Children grow up so fast, without photos how much of it will you even remember past your sleep deprivation. Taking pictures of these precious times, even sporadically, will give you and your child wonderful memories to look back on for years to come.
It gets harder
After you have been photographing your child for a few weeks or months you will become aware that you will have to work a little harder for the shots that you want. This is particularly true when your child is active enough to move away from the spot where you put him. It actually becomes easier to move around your baby instead of trying to make him stay put.
That works to your advantage as well because it puts your child more at ease, and even makes her think that you are playing with her, particularly when you are down on his level crawling around with her. Don’t limit your photography to shots of your child; instead include his perspective of the world in some of the photos. Aim the camera over her shoulder and take pictures of what she is engaged in. Your photo of her fingers trying to catch an ant will make the photo of her concentrating face even more adorable by adding context.
Capture Their Attention
For getting those happy faced shots looking right into the camera, you need to capture their attention by being entertaining. It is unlikely that “smile” or “look over here” will do the trick; instead sing a song or make a funny noise. The more animated you are the more it will reflect in your child as you photograph. It is also a good trick for changing the diaper of your little escape artist.
The older your child gets the more important it is to get into the action yourself. Crawl and bounce and play with your child. The more fun you make it for both of you, the better your pictures will be and the more likely you will be to continue taking photos. Don’t forget that you can always crop the pictures later if all the play leaves them less than centered.
Take The Time
As long as you take the time to capture the precious moments in your growing child’s life you can rest easy that those memories will be there to savor and share for generations to come. Grab a camera today, whether your little one is on its way or is already here, it’s not too early to start taking photos, even if it is just belly shots. A picture is worth a thousand words, but there are no words that will sufficiently illustrate a childhood not photographed.
About The Author
Betty A. Muscott is a successful child photographer who provides valuable tips and advice for young parents on how taking photos of children can enrich their lives. In addition, she provides some ideas on submitting some of the photographs to a baby photo contest with a chance to win baby a college scholarship. Another suggestion is to print the best picture to canvas and create warmth and interest in babies room.
When you have to get a baby a gift, I have one word for you: ‘no vulgarity.’ Okay, that’s two words, but you get the gist of it. You don’t want to send the wrong message, do you? You should thing about what you would be doing to the very impressionable soul that can help it grow into a better person, and not just an expression of lust.
Yes your right, babies grow up fast and its a great idea to always take pictures of them that can NEVER be lost. Right now we are depending on google pictures to never lose them…