Tips on Making the Most of Your Newborn's First Pictures

So you had the baby shower, the nursery is decorated and you finally got that really cute designer diaper bag you begged your significant other for. Looks like you thought of everything, right? One thing you may not have thought of, is those very first pictures' you or your family will be taking of your new addition. Those memories are among some of the most important ones you will ever photograph, yet seldom are they given any thought. In this article I will give you some good pointers to make most of your baby's first photographs.

The very first bit of advice I can give you is to prepare. Make sure you or someone in your family is prepared to take these pictures. Make sure whoever is photographing this special occasion is comfortable with the camera they will be working with. If you are using a digital camera consider investing in an additional card for your digital camera. A 1GB card should be sufficed. In the heat of the moment you really don't want to worry if you are taking too many pictures. If you are using a disposable or film camera OVER BUY! The film will eventually be used. You don't want to run out of film at such and important time in your life. Moms, do yourselves a favor and keep your nails nice around the time you are to give birth. Your hands WILL make it into pictures and in great detail. The last thing you want is chipped finger nail polish or unkept nails!

Secondly plan ahead. Plan out what kind of shots you want to take. Make a list of people you want pictured with your new baby and who is to be in each picture. Generation pictures are great if baby still has great grandparents around. Remember that babies will lose a few ounces in the first few days of their lives so having pictures done as close to the time of birth is best for retaining what they first looked like. Some shots that you may not think about are pictures of baby's extremities. Feet and hands will grow and change very quickly. It's a good idea to document these little details. Some ideas for shots are, your baby's feet in the palm of your hands, baby holding on to one of your fingers, Mom and Dad cupping baby's foot. Be creative!

Use what you have around you. Most hospital rooms have curtains. Although most of these have a horrible design or an out dated floral pattern, they make great solid backgrounds. If you are moved to another room with no curtains, a solid wall will work just well! When taking photos be aware of what is in the background. Hospital equipment, other people or anything in the background not pertaining to the picture will just draw your eye away from whom you are photographing.

Some things that baby must have. The baby must have an outfit or two to be pictured in. Babies less than 10 pounds at birth should probably be placed in Premmie sized clothes. Don't be surprised if your baby swims in the 0-3 month clothes at birth. If your baby is over 10lbs 0-3 month clothes will still be big but not too little. Did Grandma make the baby a blanket? Bring it along! She will appreciate receiving a picture with your little one swaddled in it. Brush, lotion and hair accessories. These are great items to tame new babies' hair! Hats! While hats are great, make sure you get a few shots without the hat. You want to be able to remember what his or her hair (if any) looked like. Hands out! Babies will try to scratch their faces and keeping the hands covered is a great way to stop that, however you still want to see those hands in baby's picture. You can put the hands back in the mittens after the picture is taken.

Now for some tricks to make those moments right. To get baby to open his or her eyes close all the blinds, shut off all the lights. Make the room as dark as possible. Newborns are more likely to open their eyes in the dark. Make sure you picture baby right BEFORE feeding time. If baby has been fed more than likely they will fall asleep. And regardless of how dark it is you won't see their cute little peepers! If you have a fussy baby and need to take a picture have a pacifier ready. If you don't have a pacifier Mom or Dad's finger will work just fine. Pull the pacifier or the finger out of babies mouth just before you snap the picture.

Pointers for taking the most optimal picture are to make sure your subjects are centered. Most new digital cameras come with a special centering feature. Check the background. Are there any weird objects that may take away from the photograph? If so, find a way to eliminate them. Focus! Don't take the picture until you are properly focused on your subjects. You don't want a bunch of wasted fuzzy pictures. Be patient. Babies were in complete darkness for nine months and all of a sudden bright lights are being snapped in their faces. Wait for the right time and take your picture. If your baby is alert and okay with light using natural light is always better than artificial. Open the blinds if you think the baby will keep their eyes open.

So let us recap. Prepare, know your camera and have enough film for the event. Plan, know whom you are going to want photographed with your baby. Know what shots you are going to want taken. Use what you have around you. Be creative and pay attention to the background. Don't forget baby should have an outfit to be pictured in. Use the "tricks" I have given you to make your photographs just that much better! Check the background, consider whether or not your shot is centered and be patient when picturing baby. Good Luck! And remember, thinking out some of these small details can really make this memorable time in your life special for years to come!