So I’m super excited to write this post today. I have been planning for weeks now to take pictures of my little one. We skipped the professional newborn pictures with her because I told myself that I wanted to take the pictures of her. I LOVE taking pictures and who can resist new baby pix 🙂
So 5 weeks later, here we are. I thought I would share with you some tips that I used to help me take the pix.
The camera I used for these photos was a Canon Power Shot SX500 IS
Update: I am now rockin the Canon EOS 6D
Here is what the setup looked like. Our office area has a lot of natural lighting, which is perfect for pictures. So I used a white comforter and draped it across a table we had. Then I used our office chair and draped it over that to give it a white backdrop. I picked up the shades and bam! We got a perfect little setup for baby pix 🙂
At first she wasn’t having it, babies are squirmy. So do what you can to calm her. I had to nurse her in between some of the pictures to calm her before I was able to get her to be still and look at the camera.
I’m sure any photographer will tell you that natural lighting is the best. So find a place in your home where you can open the windows and let the light through. Try some in direct sunlight and some with indirect sunlight and see what you like the best. Where we setup in our house didn’t have direct light coming through, so I took mine in all indirect.
Try different angles and see what works best with the type of light you have. For some I was directly next to her almost where the direct sunlight was coming in from, I tried to get directly on top of her with the camera without casting too many shadows.
I tried getting lower to the ground but for us the best natural light was coming in from the left hand side. So I positioned myself at her feet, let the indirect light come in from the left.
This proved to be the best lighting for our pictures.
By no means am I a professional, I’m learning as I go but I’ve been experimenting with different picture programs. For these I am using Adobe Elements 10 which is just a simplified version of Photoshop. But you can find just as many free programs out there that do the same things. I know that GIMP is comparable to Adobe Photoshop and it’s free!
The things I used most were- Levels, I used that to help the lighting. I also used the Brightness, Shadow and Contrast options alot as well as the Color Correction. I also used the Reduce Noise effect as the final touch.
Hope you liked the way they came out 🙂 I know I did. One thing I didn’t do, which I wish I had taken now, was pix of her tiny feet and hands 🙂 Oh well, an excuse to do another photo shoot!
Update: I figured it was time for an update to this post. 🙂 I was dabbling in photography with my point and shoot for the longest time, that I finally decided to upgrade to a DSLR camera. Shortly after upgrading I realized that I had a passion for photography. I started a Photography Blog one night and after a few upgrades and workshops later, I’m now doing what I love and sharing it with others. Come check me out at Ivy Rose Photography.
Your pictures turned out better than many professional pictures I have seen. So cute!!
Is there anything more precious than a new baby! Your photos are beautiful and so is that baby! Tanks for the great tips.
Those tips are great and you are talented! The pics are the best I have ever seen!
Your baby girl is too cute! NICE photos!
Those are precious!!!!
These are some seriously gorgeous pictures!!
Really good tips! I had no idea you could get such good photos at home until my sister set up a “studio” on her dining room table with her last newborn. What great natural light you have in that room!
The pictures turned out great. and with some editing software you could really play with the coloring and lighting in different ways too. I love to use Photoshop Actions for my pictures. Great tips and great job mom.
So awesome tips . But more , you have cutest little one 🙂
Those photos are beautiful! Thanks for sharing the tips. I think having a calm baby is the most important for sure!
Great tips and the pictures came out really good. Your daughter is beautiful! 🙂
Thanks Carin! And thanks for stopping by my blog 🙂
You did a great job with the photos and your daughter is adorable! Thanks for the tips although my baby isn’t really a baby anymore and she hates taking photos. I always have a hard time getting her to cooperate. Now I need tips for a toddler. 🙂
I have a toddler too! So that’s my next challenge, getting her to sit still for some pix 🙂 if I’m successful ill share those too. Hehe
Wow, thanks for sharing these tips! Natural light is really very important. I’m planning for a DSLR so I’ll be needing more photography tips in near future 😀
Areeba that’s great! Good luck! 🙂
Oh my, what a cutie! The pictures you took are amazing! Why paying money if homemade looks that great!
Where were you 18 months ago when I had Scarlett, heehee! Will keep all this in mind if and when we have baby #3 xxx
Her name is Scarlett? That’s my 16 mo olds name 🙂
It is fun to experiment with natural lighting and what a perfect model to use! Too cute!
Gorgeous pictures thank you so much for the tips 🙂 x
AWWW SO SWEET!! OMG.. You are a professional photographer…and thank you for sharing these wonderful tips, June is little angel..so cute!!!
Aw thanks Akhil! I spent alot of time editing 🙂 I’m hoping ill get better as I go along. Next I’m going to try some toddler pix, we will see how that goes.
toddler pics will be great 🙂
Everything you did worked out fine because those are some fabulous pictures!
Im a hobby photographer who loves learning. Your pictures came out great, and it helps that you have such a cute baby to photograph.=) I got to take pictures of my newborn nephew and it was fun!
that is one cute baby with fantastic pictures!! im always taking pictures but never get the lighting right but im going to try to take your tips on board 🙂
OMG she is the cutest!! I can’t wait for grand babies! I will keep this info so I can take gorgeous pictures of them like these!
Great pictures! The lighting is fantastic and the little one looks so great with the pink blanket. Thanks for the tips.
These are some great tips. It’s really difficult to photograph babies and to get the photos just right. These images look wonderful.
You took some wonderful pictures! You also gave some great tips!
Gosh, she is such a cutie! Nice outcome, looks like done by a professional photographer!
I love to take pictures but I am so bad at it. Thanks for all the helpful tips! Another one I have heard is that when you frame a picture through the lens just the way you want it, move in one step closer. I have tried this and it really does have an amazing effect on picture quality, especially when capturing children’s expressions.
These are great pics and great tips! Thanks for sharing! Stop by my Friday’s Five Features and link up this post (and others)! diy-vintage-chic.blogspot.com/2013/09/fridays-five-features-no-8.html
You did an awesome job! Way better than I could ever do! :)She is absolutely beautiful!!
I love this! I just had a baby 4 weeks ago. This will come in super handy!
What a beautiful baby! And great tips on photography. I tried to vote on Top Mommy Blogs but the page won’t load. I’ll try again later
Hia! These are great! I have some to add if you like.
If you have a sheer curtain for the window it would help to soften the light a little. Kind of like a filter.
A good way to keep baby happy is to keep the room very warm like too warm for you. You should be almost uncomfortable. Sounds crazy but pros always bring a space heater when they shoot newborns.
Good time to get newborn pics is before they hit two weeks old. Not that you can’t get good pics after it’s just that they are so calm and sleep a lot more. So they are easier to work with.
Your picturs did come out very well! And you seem to have a good eye for light! Koodos!
Lacey, these are great tips. A sheer curtain is such a great idea. And keeping them warm probably makes such a difference too. Thanks for the tips!
She’s an absolute doll! Great pics.
Really lovely pictures. And thanks for sharing this great ideas:)
Why did you need to reduce noise? I know we all start somewhere but the basic use of the camera is the most important thing to nail before sharing tips on photographing newbies. That and safety!
Hi Valerie, because if you READ my post you would see that this is for AMATEURS, and the photos were NOT done with a DSLR but a point and shoot, so the options to turn down ISO, Shutter speed etc to reduce noise in the camera are NOT available. Not sure what you’re talking about when it comes to safety. You can take your negative comment with you and don’t come back here 🙂
Your baby is precious! These are all great tips! It’s awesome you started your own photography blog.
What a beautiful baby! And some pretty great pics too. We skipped professional baby photos also and did a diy thing at home. The bit about natural light is key! Great post. Thanks.