TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OF BABIES AND SMALL CHILDREN

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It is said that the memories you want for tomorrow must be photographed today. Photographing babies or children more than often requires less technical skills but a tremendous amount of patience. The volatility of a child’s moods means that quick reflexes and a degree of preplanning are required to capture a characteristic gesture or expression. Babies are not known for their patience or attention span. To prepare ideal scenes for beautiful pictures with your baby, you need to set a scene that is familiar to your baby, such as taking the shots while your model is playing with their toys, being fed, bathed, etc.

A plain background, such as a painted wall, will focus attention on the baby. Avoid a clutter of furniture and other items in your home, as these will be distracting elements in the pictures. Other tips include keeping baby away from the wall by about a meter, which will prevent shadows being cast, especially when using your camera’s flash. What’s more, be ready with your camera to capture a change in expression, the sudden arrival of tears or those first steps in your child’s life. Keep baby interested by making a noise with a bunch of keys or a balloon, play a music box or seat baby in front of a mirror. Grab their attention and come away with fantastic images.

It is best to photograph babies indoors using natural daylight. Mom in a chair holding baby against a neutral background is always a favourite. Otherwise, baby propped up with pillows, or in a high chair with a toy, wrapped in a blanket are great ideas for making baby pictures.

If the flash does not worry the child, use it to improve the lighting and texture quality in your picture. Think which format – either horizontal or vertical - will make the most pleasing photograph and, most importantly, get down to your baby’s level. Add composition into your picture by placing all the elements correctly. If baby is looking to the left, leave a bit of space for it to look into. Fill your frame with the important elements that show off baby at it’s best. If shooting indoors with a digital camera, check your “White Balance” settings to ensure quality colours. Place your flash, if possible, to the side where the most shadow is noted. Most cameras have “intelligent” flashes and will blend both daylight and flash exposures and will record an evenly exposed image.

Use a fast shutter speed, of 1/125th to capture baby’s movements, and the aperture setting does not have to exceed f8. With most small compact digital cameras, f4 will provide sufficient image focus. ISO 200 or 400 should be chosen as a camera setting, depending on the light conditions and often, soft delicate lighting will enhance your picture. Look for the expression, compose your picture, capture the moment and print your memories to last a lifetime.

Foto First One Hour Digital Labs have a fantastic range of services available, from making a variety of print sizes all to suit your needs. New to Foto First is My Photo book albums, which allow you to compile a digital scrapbook and have your personalised book printed in a leather coffee table style. Ask your Foto First dealer about the My Photo Book Package.

Great candid pictures of children are usually obtained in the garden while they are at play. Gentle directional sunlight is ideal, both because is allows you to work from any angle, with or against the light and because it is soft and its even quality brings out the fresh colour and smooth texture of your child’s face. A good shutter speed for candid pictures is 1/250 of a second.

Use a telephoto lens to isolate your child in the picture. Some children are naturals in front of a camera, while others are camera conscious. Be ready with your camera. To get a great shot of your child’s expressions, get someone to read a story to them while you are taking your photograph. Stand to the side where the lighting is best for photography of your child, and get some fantastic expressions. For some children, you may have to make picture taking a big game in order to get those special moments.

Check your lighting, background and camera settings and take lots of pictures to be successful. Children have a wonderful range of expressions; you just have to be ready to capture them.

DEREK PEARMAN
FOTO FIRST