3 tips for photographing babies
One of the things that I greatly enjoy about baby photography is the open-mindedness that is required when approaching each session! To put it another way, the baby calls the shots. Simple as that. Of course, there are different “tools” that one can use to achieve better results (toys, music, etc.), however, babies more often than not have a mind entirely of their own!
I always have to remind parents: it is OK if the baby isn’t comfortable in a particular pose or doesn’t smile at the “right” moment. There is no need to stress. A better approach is to discover, naturally, what makes the baby happy and build a session around that! Which brings me to my first tip.
Let Babies Be Babies!
If you are trying to get the baby to look at the camera and smile, but he/she is more interested in a leaf that fell nearby… go with it! Use it as a moment to capture some beautiful candid shots. And if the baby seems greatly interested in that leaf (or bug, or whatever), use that as a toy. If working with clients (or if you ARE the client), let the baby be held while simultaneously playing with whatever item he or she is most interested in!
Use Emotions as Your Timer
When scheduling mini sessions with babies, I always keep it at 15 minutes tops OR for as long as the baby feels content. Once I see visible cues of tiredness or frustration, I do not push the session along. I will usually end it right there, unless the parents feel that they might be able to change the baby’s mood.
When photographing young children AND ESPECIALLY BABIES, the way to get an authentically joyful photo is to work with the baby’s moods, rather than trying the change them.
Take Photos on Eye Level
I have found that the very best photos are the ones that I take when I am on eye-level with the babies, rather than above or below.
Firstly, it creates a more intimate photo. A photo taken from above a subject makes the subject look smaller. By contrast, a photo taken from below can create a feeling of power or dominance in the photo of a subject.
I don’t feel that either are appropriate for babies. In order to build a genuine connection and intimately capture a baby’s personality, get on eye-level. If the baby is placed in the grass, for instance, get down on the ground.
