It’s been a while since I posted some Momarazzi tips…plus, I am sure my mother-in-law is dying for some more Will photos…so I figured it was time to lug the little Tinkler outside to brave the nippy January weather and pose for his camera-weilding mother. If you are someone with no interest in photography tips or how to better shoot your wee one (shoot as in with a DSLR…not a needle or weapon…that’s an entirely different post!), well, please enjoy this baby-eye-candy.
Just so that everyone knows…I recommend shooting in natural light…not DIRECT natural light…the shade…and not in the middle of the day. When the sun is directly overhead, you get some pretty nasty shadows (not good). These were taken about 5 pm.
First tip of the day is this: Switch up the angles.
As a mom of a tot, you are pretty used to getting low. This is the time to put it into action. Get low, get high, get left & right and everything in between. Different angles change the background, lighting, and even the subject of the photo…so don’t be afraid to switch it up.
Here’s another example of how the angle makes all the difference:
Tip #2 – Be aware of the background
Sometimes you can’t get rid of something behind your babe…it’s there to stay. But that isn’t to say that you have to draw attention to it. Take this photo for instance…Will, super cutey matootie, is doing his thang in front of a not so pretty outdoor furniture set. Let’s say for instance, this chair and table are bolted to the ground and the baby can’t be moved…what does a momarazzi do?
She moves. It’s as easy as that. You moving (with the camera!) means that you can get closer to the subject, making the background less apparent, less noticable, less let-me-slam-my-forehead-on-the-keyboard. Plus, it makes the center of attention exactly where it should be…that little ma-tootie.
This photo is a good example of something else – tip #3 remember textures for black and white conversions.
Let’s just say you wanna take a couple photos to add to your b&w gallery…dress your baby in textures and simple patterns and keep in mind the setting for added interest. Will’s knit hat and his fuzzy zip-up hoodie, his bold striped pants and even the wooden deck planks all add visual kick-up-this-photo-a-notch intrigue when it comes to a colorless version. What you are lacking in hues, you make up for in shadows, texture, and pattern.
In contrast, look at this one where there is less texture in the photo:
Not terrible in black and white, I mean, he’s still totally cute but the photo itself definitely doesn’t have the same pop as the one where he was sitting because a lot of the texture is missing.
Speaking of sitting, when you are in a set spot, you can take multiples to create a series.
This one is super easy. Basically you stay still and take a bunch of photos while the baby does their kicking, laughing, arm waving, face making, etc. Placing the photos side-by-side can create an action story-board of your baby’s personality and give viewers a glimpse into how that child really moves. Plus, it’s like triple the cuteness 🙂
You can also do this with side-by-sides…the key is to keep shooting to capture a variety of “looks”:
Now that we are talking personality – that is one thing I love (luvluvluv) about babies…they ooze it. Every age is different. Every day seems different around here…and for Momarazzi’s, that means you get more chances to document your sweetie’s grooviness. Look for opportunities when your baby is happiest to capture their individualism. Tip #5 is don’t wait for the perfect smile…shoot your little one as-is.
For example…here is a quintessential Will photo…
…cute…mouth open…big eyes…kinda boring.
But this?
This is his personality right now:
Whenever he is happy, he gets the pirate look….he smiles and gets this little wrinkle in his nose. He shoves his teeth out and squints his eyes.
sure…this is still cute…but I would hate HATE hate myself if I didn’t have the “Jack Sparrow” photo.
Last tip of the day is don’t be afraid to crop when the photo isn’t framed correctly.
According to the lords of photography, there is a law of thirds. Let’s say your photo is divided into three sections – the top, middle and bottom. Where the line separates the top from middle is a focal point and the line where the middle is divided from the bottom is another focal point. Your eye natural rests there. So if your baby is smack-dab-nab-it in the center, (first photo below) then your brain has a hard time focusing on the subject for too long. I made that up…but seriously, your eye doesn’t rest on the eyes naturally.
After a little cropping action (second photo below), Will’s eyes are on that magic line…making it easy for you to stare deeply into them, wishing that you could come over and babysit so mommy can blog 🙂
Okay…I lied, this is the last tip…
have some fun.
Seriously…your baby loves you more than oxygen…more than boobs…more than anything and everything in the whole world. You know exactly what your baby laughs at and what silly noises that make them perk up and what funny faces that gives them the giggles. Have fun with them. Even if your hand is in the shot…even if your foor is under their arm…even if the earth is on fire behind them…the number one thing is to enjoy that moment. Because when you do, when you are smiling….and climbing on furniture and jumping up in the air and kicking your legs and genuinely having a good time, you will get something better than a perfect photo…you will gain a blissful memory.
Have any more Momarazzi tips to share? I’d love to hear them…and so would other photog-wanna-be-mom’s. And I hope you mama’s carve out a little time this weekend to do a little shoot with your kids!
Gotta ask…how’d you shoot the last one, quick draw McGraw? Toss baby in air, grab camera, and shoot? Or are you a former professional skeet shooter and you’ve got skills like that? 🙂
I’m laughing here because my 9 month old (3rd child) makes the same scrunched up nose face all. the. time. right now. It started about a month ago and then starting about 2 weeks ago he *only* smiles with his nose scrunched. So ridiculously cute. Love your little guy’s smile and scrunch =)
He is such a cutie and these are great tips! I love that scrunched up pirate face…my boys used to make that one too. Now they are old enough to say Arrrrgggg Matey! 🙂
the last one is great!!! got to love natural light and a fast shutter speed so you can capture those in-the-air moments!
I love these pictures! Will is a perfect combination of you and Jeremy! Love the scrunchy face too!
these are fantastic tips! thanks 🙂
& I really liked the way you explained the “Rule of Thirds.” I’ve heard it so many times but it never really sank in until now! Can’t wait to practice this weekend.
I love the pirate face! Great tips Katie B
Ps: I think you meant ‘foot’ instead of ‘foor’ in the fourth to last paragraph ; )
The pirate face totally just made me crack-up- I used to do that too- I think we want to show off our new teeth! ha
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He is adorable! He seems like he has a load of personality! Thanks for the photo tips, they really helped this new beginner 🙂
Loved the tips. Although I don’t have a DSLR, I am going to use these tips with my normal digital this weekend for a photoshoot with my almost 5 month old.
Katie, you are hilarious!!! Thanks for all of your tips… I just love them since I just purchased a new DSLR and forget how to totally use it (since I haven’t used one since before they went digital..YIKES!). I love Will’s lil teeth… what a fun little man!
Does he have PADDING on the knees of his pants? So jealous. I want a pair of those – adult sized.
Oh. My. Goodness.
JUST when I thought to myself “No, there is no possible way this baby can get any cuter,” he goes ahead and gets a dimple. Too much cutiemania. Can’t handle.
Thanks for these tips! Looking at your photos, it’s easy to see which one is a better shot – especially the side by side photos. But it’s so helpful when you put those natural instincts into words. And Will is an adorable subject!
I have the same question as Patti… did you do a quick throw in the air, then grab your camera, focus and shoot? HAH! That’s TALENT Katie!
Quite possibly the most adorable child on the planet.
Quite possibly the most adorable child on the planet.
I am working with some co-workers who want tips on using their cameras. I just sent them a link to this. Great job!
***and for the first time, I think Will looks like you. I typically see so much of J.
Great tips Mrs. Bower! Maybe I’ll feign sickness from work so I can run home and start shooting away with my wee one (oops hope the boss doesn’t read this!). I always think one of the best tips is to not be afraid to take a million photos and practice practice practice. We are in the digital age people, so man up and click away! 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
Actually he was on the trampoline…
heehee 🙂
xo – kb
Thanks for the tips! I am not a mommy, yet, but any camera tips are good tips for me! I do have one question, though. I don’t have a DSLR, but I do have a camera with which I have the ability to change the aperture and such. I usually keep it set on Aperture Priority with an aperture of 2.8 (the lowest I can go). I had learned that the lower the aperture, the better chance of having the blurred background. I don’t ever seem to have a blurry background unless I am in macro mode. Do you have any tips on how I could maybe accomplish the blurred background without a DSLR? Thanks in advance!
Oh, and Will is such a cutey-patootie!
Cute little bugger you have there.
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These photos are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. I know this post was not at all about post-processing, but can I go there for a second? What do you do to get your little guy’s skin so flawless? I’d love to know your Photoshop workflow (I just have Elements). Thanks for your time and please keep the photography posts coming!
What kind/brand of camera do you use? I’m looking into getting a new one. 🙂 Thanks!
You can ignore the comment above. I know nothing about cameras and had to google DSLR. haha Your pictures are awesome! He’s such a little cutie.
I love these posts, KB. Great tips!
honestly Renee, Will is really blessed with good skin. Thank goodness because his mama is not. If you are looking for something you can use in photoshop, maybe you could google ‘photoshop elements baby actions’…it might lead you in the right direction.
xo – kb
Ok…..how do you find the time?????? Time for blogging, home renovation, decorating, etc.?? I have a daughter a few weeks younger than your little pirate and I am always at peoples blogs. If you are ever running out of blog ideas, I would love to hear about a day in the life of the bower clan 🙂 maybe you have already written about it though 🙂
Meant to say I am amazed at peoples blogs 🙂
Love the pictures. You have one cute kiddo! I’m not a mom, but I am an aunt to the cutest little nephew. I had fun giving him a little plus giraffe toy, not that he could do much with them at a few months old, but it’s fun to see them engage in something other than the lens. One of the cutest baby pictures I’ve seen was a closeup of a nekkie baby on sheepskin. Almost looked like she was floating on a puffy cloud.
Have a great weekend!
Love the pirate look! He is just about the cutest little fella I have ever seen!
Thanks for the reply, Katie. I truly didn’t mean to imply that Will didn’t have sweet and smooth baby skin. He obviously does! I’m just envious of your editing all around. Many thanks again!
The easiest skin retouching tutorial I’ve found is at MCP actions – it’s the one called “A Fun Photoshop Skin Retouching Trick.” Here’s a link to her tutorials:
http://www.mcpactions.com/ps-video-tutorials
Hope this helps!
Oh…he has definitely suffered from his fair share of other skin issues…probably why you don’t get more bum photos on here 🙂
And sometimes I’ve found that sharpening the other parts of his face (like eyes and mouth and jawline) makes his skin look a little more flawless. Hope this helps!
xo – kb
Well Kristel, I have the time to blog because I don’t do the wash, my house is dirty and all my friends are swamped with their own tots so I stay at home and edit photos when I should be cleaning or sleeping. You guys get to see the sparkling-freshly-cleaned photos…not the everyday-heres-our-house-under-attack-by-chaos photos 🙂 Don’t worry…you are perfectly normal…and so am I 😉
xo – kb
These pictures make me want to have a baby immeds! Good tips, all 🙂
Thanks for all the photography advice especially the bit about different textures in b&w photos. I also love your new word “momarazzi”–that is one that should be submitted to Webster’s for word of the year. 🙂
I love the photos of your bambino. He is perfect and those eyes are gorgeous! Do you have any suggestions for taking great pictures when you don’t have a lot of natural light to work with and you don’t want to use the flash?
Beautiful pictures of that sweet boy. I love the pirate face, precious!
He’s pirate look is so cute!
this entire post makes me wanna go grab, my hubby’s DLSRs and go crazy!! Thank you!