Minnesota Baby Photographer

Naturally, your new baby is the most beautiful baby you have ever seen and thus you will want to share this beauty with everyone you know. So, how do you capture your baby's charm in the photos that you take? Here are some tips from Minnesota baby photographer Bob Dale that will help you to get fabulous results:

1. Use a soft-looking background, such as a comforter that is puffy and light colored to create a continuous background behind the baby. Herein you will want to avoid lines that are formed by the edge of a blanket or the change from a couch to the wall. Remember that babies are happiest whenever they are being held, so a draped parent can serve as the perfect background.
2. A single-focus camera simply cannot capture a baby's details like a close-up shot can. Therefore, 1 of your best investments will be a camera that has a zoom lens with an auto-focus and auto-flash. This will yield wonderful results.
3. Fill the room with light by opening blinds, drapes and curtains. Use room lights to shine into any dark areas. If you are using a flash, then step back and zoom in before you take the photograph.
4. You will need to wait for a newborn to be in the world for a few days to a week, when the temporary imperfections from the birth have disappeared, in order to get the best pictures.
5. Take the time to set up your photo area while your baby is sleeping. Then, once your baby is awake, warm, fed and dry, position her and start snapping pictures. It is also a good idea to reduce stimulations such as noise from the radio and television. If you do this for several days in a row, you will be able to capture different expressions.
6. If you have seen a pose that you like, then copy it. You should also try using mom or dad as a prop and shooting photographs at eye level. When photographing twins or triplets get the babies as close together as possible. You can also photograph an older child with your baby but do not have them hold the baby or else you will find that the older child will dominate the photograph, stealing attention away from the newborn.
7. Make sure that your photograph focuses upon your baby, not their clothes. Dress your baby in simple clothing and then let their face and expression be the focal point. Do not swaddle the baby so that you can see more than just their head. You will also want to avoid car seats, straps, brightly patterned materials, toys and pacifiers.
8. Babies do not smile much, but you can still capture many priceless expressions. A serenely, relaxed or peacefully, sleeping baby also makes a beautiful picture. If you cannot get your baby's attention, then have another family member attempt to elicit a response. This will also allow you to take shots of a variety of emotions but when the tears start, put the camera away and try again later.
9. Either film or digital cameras are fine. If you are using film, then you will need to take lots and lots of photos in order to ensure that you end up with at least one good one. You will find that 400-speed film is not necessarily better, in fact it often makes a gritty picture. Instead, you should use 100 or 200-speed film and plenty of natural light in order to get clean, clear photos. When using a digital camera, make sure that you set it for high-resolution and use the close-up setting for facial shots.