Alice Miller shares seven tips on how to take pictures of your baby.
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If you are a brand-new parent trying to capture appealing pictures of your baby to share with family and friends, no doubt some of these sessions have left you exhausted and dispirited—like millions of other new parents. You may have temporarily solved the problem by bringing your baby to a local portrait studio. Fear not. Help is on the way.
I recently had the joy of viewing the delightful new DVD How to Photograph Your Baby: Getting Closer with Your Camera and Your Heart by Nick Kelsh (www.nickkelsh.com), the revered Philadelphia-based photographer, author of nine photography books—including the bestselling companion of the CD and Naked Babies—and the adoring father of three boys. As I watched this hour-long DVD, I was charmed by Kelsh’s light-hearted, entertaining approach to photography and by his mastery of the whole baby photo experience.
Here, then, are some of the down-to-earth tips Kelsh suggests for parents who want to capture the wonders of childhood through photography.
1. Come a little bit closer. Get close to your young subject and eliminate all the background clutter. “Frequently, parents taking pictures of their babies, don’t see all the background distractions that can ruin the picture, such as cars, light posts, traffic signs, and directional signs with arrows,” says Kelsh. “Try to eliminate everything that doesn’t make the baby look better. Be as conscious of the things you don’t want in the picture as those that you do want.”
“Create a Greatest Hits file for those pictures you would grab if your building were on fire.”
2. Go natural. Using flash in dark environments may be necessary, but turn off the flash when photographing your baby. “Natural light creates a softer, more attractive photograph so move your baby close to any natural light source—a sunbeam coming through a window, in shade, under a skylight, even peering out of an open door,” says Kelsh. “Flash can overexpose things that are close to the camera, where natural light gives a sense of drama and mood. These photos will become family art.”
“When stuff happens, keep pushing that shutter button, just go with the flow,” says Kelsh.
3. Keep on snapping. The more photos you take, the greater the odds that you’ll capture more truly beautiful, moving images. “Professional photographers take thousands of photos just to get the few really good ones we see in Sports Illustrated, Time, even daily newspapers,” Kelsh points out. “So don’t be afraid to keep shooting. It can only help you capture one—or more—perfect pictures.”
Says Kelsh, “The same principles that apply to good sports photography apply to photographing babies in action,” including youngest son Teddy.
4. Stay in focus. If your photos are out of focus and don't know why, your ISO may be too low. “If you shoot indoors, the ISO setting should be at least 400,” he suggests. “Experiment with different shutter speeds. You also may have to practice keeping the shutter finger very still when you shoot. Relax, take a deep breath. It will make all the difference in the world in your pictures.”
Get close to your young subject and eliminate all the background clutter.
5. Know your gear. Ever think your digital camera has too many button and settings, and you just want to take photographs? Suggests Kelsh, “Read your camera’s manual. It’s time well spent. If you can’t find yours, check online. It’s likely to be there. Read it three times: First, without the camera just to see what it can do; then, read it again with the camera in your hand—when no one is watching; by the third time you read it, you’ll be more comfortable because you’ll know what the camera can do. You’ll be amazed what it can do.”
6. Go with the flow. The biggest problem with photographing children is that as they age they don't stay still. “Good pictures of babies on the move are difficult. The same principles that apply to good sports photography apply to photographing babies in action,” says Kelsh. “To increase your luck factor, take lots of pictures. Change your angle. When stuff happens, keep pushing that shutter button. Just go with the flow. It’s worth shooting dozens of bad pictures to get one great one.”
7. Stay organized. Taking great pictures of children requires little technical background in photography but it does require a healthy respect for your computer. “Sharing photos is what digital photography is all about,” says Kelsh. “Back up your photos online or on an external hard drive kept offsite, keep the best pictures and delete the rest so you don’t become discouraged with staying organized. And create a Greatest Hits file for those pictures you would grab if your building was on fire.”
The gentle effect of this black & white portrait was created by shooting in natural light.
My favorite Kelsh tip of all: “Photography is like cooking: If you start with wonderful ingredients, you can’t go wrong.”
Alice B. Miller is the owner of Plum Communications Inc. (www.plumcomm.com), a Long Island, NY-based editorial services and marketing-communications company that supports the photo industry. Formerly editor of Studio Photography magazine, Alice has a growing clientele that includes photographers, manufacturers, publications and associations. She is the director of public relations for the International Photographic Council and an advisory board member of NyghtFalcon photography studios.
