There are probably more photos taken of babies than of A-List celebrities! And no photos are viewed less critically: it seems that parents, adoring grandparents, aunts and uncles will happily accept just about anything if it looks vaguely like their special bub. Sadly too many are just vaguely like their subject, and many that do look like little Susie are pretty awful. Baby are special; babies are not like older children or adults and they need a different photographic approach.
This Intel concentrates on babies up to the toddler stage. Older children will be dealt with in their own Intel.
The main reason for the typically poor standard of baby photos is pretty obvious - People are so taken with the subject - their little sunshine - that they fail to make a picture. No composition, no attention to the background, no concern for the action, or for distracting elements. folks get so taken up with their own emotional connection with baby that they do not realise that no-one else feels it. Is that always true? Of course not. But too often, only a mother really knows why the picture was ever taken.
Baby photography is photography! A good photograph presents the viewer with a clear subject: you know what the photo is about even if you are not familiar with the individuals depicted in it. In the case of a baby (or babies) it may be the baby, the baby interacting with parents or others, or perhaps it is the baby exploring the world. Before you press the shutter release, you should know which of these it is and make sure that your photograph makes it clear.
How do we do that? First,compose the picture so that the viewer's eye is drawn to the subject.
* Make use of differential focus - keep the subject sharp, and the non-essentials out of focus
* Simplify the composition by using a viewpoint the excludes anything that might draw the eye away from the subject
* Keep the background simple
Secondly, we treat the picture as a story - Stories have beginning, middles and ends, and they can all be encompassed in a single frame, but we need to coax the viewer to fill in the details. The objects around baby have to be in context. The clothes, toys and colours you choose to include say “sleepy head ready for bed” or “let’s play” or maybe, “puppy wants a hug”. Your viewpoint should relate those elements to each other in a way that makes viewer feels they know what is going to happen next...or perhaps, makes them curious to know.
You can make a good picture of an upset baby, but somehow it isn’t exactly a baby picture. “Good” baby pictures are made when babies feel safe, secure and comfortable, which usually also means they are not tired. They really only feel secure when they can see mummy or daddy, so have the parents on hand while you work. Tired, grisly or wet babies are no more going to tolerate you and your camera than tired, irritable adults would.
You're not going to get a good picture if bub is scared of you. A longer lens will let you get far enough away to be out of the child’s awareness, and a tripod with a remote control is a great idea, because you can stand well away from it, and interact with the baby without looking like some Dr. Who monster, yet still go on taking photos.
All babies progress through developmental stages in predictable ways; they may not reach each goal like clockwork, but learning what you can expect from babies at different ages, and taking their current stage of development into consideration will mean you will not be trying to get baby to do what they simply are not capable of.
As a photographer you can divide a babies first couple of years into a four part storyboard:
1. Delivery room to three months: Baby is a passive subject who sleeps and feeds. Some of your images will be about the wonder of new life: the impossible fragility of a tiny hand, the luminous perfection of baby’s skin; but your best stories will probably be about change and relationship as the family comes to terms with their new member - bathing, feeding, nursing; big sister watching in wonder as baby sleeps; little one nestled on daddy’s chest. Be sure to get pictures of dad and mum together with baby; too often pictures will lack one or the other since the ‘missing’ person is taking the photo.
2. Three months to nine months: Baby has discovered hands and feet! They are becoming interested in objects around them, but haven’t yet realised they are separate from themselves. This is the stage where they start to roll over, sit up, and perform all sorts of simple antics that are a joy to photograph.
You should continue to concentrate on relationships, but now baby is a character in the stories, not just a prop! They're aware of you and the camera, without being self-conscious like older children may be, so you can get wonderful pictures of baby with mum or dad, sibling or pets.
Relationships can be portrayed by having your subjects “talk” to each other, play tickles, look at each other, or look in the same direction. Don’t worry if baby won’t look at the camera. A squeaky toy or shaker is enough to grab their attention while you press the cable release or remote. Have the parents look at the same object or at baby while you do so.
3. Ten to fifteen months: Baby is on the move... crawling, up on his feet and into a walker; baby steps follow soon after, and by the end of the stage, baby is tottering around with growing confidence and exploring everything!
You will do well to explore the world with baby, from baby’s point of view. Get down to baby-eye level, use a wide angle lens to show the world-of-giants which they have discovered. Be prepared for whatever you are not prepared for (if you know what I mean). This is baby’s most active phase of learning, so it is your busiest story-sharing time.
4, Sixteen months to twenty-four months. No more restrictions now; baby wants to go everywhere and investigate everything and can. If you are ready, so many never-to-be-repeated moments will come your way. The expression “once in a lifetime” is no cliche at this stage, but if you do not concentrate on good composition and storytelling you can easily turn them into cliches!
General Guidelines - At any stage, keep flash use to a minimum. Assume that it may hurt baby’s delicate eyes and avoid it if possible. If you must use flash, bounce it off the ceiling or use a diffuser (or both) and never use it for closeups.
If you’re shooting outdoors, avoid direct sunlight - it is too harsh for baby pictures and probably not good for baby’s delicate eyes and skin. Open shade, on the other hand, is excellent. The shaded light under a big tree or awning, a beach umbrella, or yje grass on the shaded side of a house is great. In fact any area where the light is from the sky rather than from the sun makes lovely photogenic light. You get wonderful outdoor light on cloudy or overcast days.
Baby’s huge eyes are wonderful in themselves. Make sure they are sharp and well placed in your pictures.
A fast shutter speed is a good idea once babies start to toddle they may not be fast, but their movements are both quick and unpredictable.
Remember to avoid messy backgrounds cluttered with chairs, colourful baby toys, or other children running through the view. Zoom in or get close.
Wide angle lenses can distort, adding great emphasis to baby proportions; but use the effect sparingly.
Patterned or strongly coloured bedding and clothes can distract from the baby’s face and eyes and add a colour caste to their skin. The younger the child, the simpler the clothes and accessories should be.
Some possibilities for more interesting baby photos include:
Go abstract - You don’t always have to show the whole baby; how about that delightful ear or the wicked little eye? Let the viewer complete the image in their mind, while the focus on something they might never have really seen before.
Shoot Context - Photograph baby’s world; the colourful toys and rugs, the cot poppy made, a detail of grandma’s needlework, the pretty wallpaper that welcomed baby home that first day. Show it from the perspective of the baby.
Capture the Incongruous - Baby showing an adult expression or parents adopting a baby posture, maybe mirroring bub, perhaps unconsciously. Baby in a pose or dressed to duplicate granddad’s baby picture.
Be Reflective - Play with mirrors. Once baby is able to start to respond to things in the world, a mirror can provide fascinating insights. Be careful - a mirror is glass, and to a baby, heavy.
Use Props - Ordinary objects can provide extrordinay opportunities. Baby with daddy’s big shoes, with big sunglasses. Anne Geddes has made an industry of this type of photo.
Move Around - You don’t have to shoot full frontal. Try photographing from different angles.
Share Baby’s Moods - Babes are not always happy. Capture their huge distress, giggly fits, grouchy moods and mischievous natures.
And finally, take lots of pictures, but make sure you throw lots away. The last thing you want is to add to the incredible tally of second rate baby photos. And if you followed these tips so well that even your second rate pictures are better than most people’s best, throw them out anyway, because the ones you do keep will be really special.
