Tips for a great photo shoot

1. Find a photographer that takes infant photos. Look atips for a great photo shoot their portfolio so you can get an idea of their skills and creative ideas. Be sure they know how to place babies and have the patience to work with infants that may cry.
2. Choose a time of day good for the baby. You want to schedule the photo shoot during the time of day when your baby is happiest, whether it is in the morning or afternoon. Usually right after a nap time is best.
3. Be realistic on the photos. The baby may cry the entire time, but if you;re lucky, you’ll get some great shots. Our infants were not old enough to smail yet so my expectation was to capture pictures of themNOT crying and being sweet babies.
4. Communicate with the photographer. Let the photographer know what type of shots you want, the skill level of the baby, backgound colors and props, and send snapshots of your baby and any proposed clothing. If the package allows for three outfits, then plan for three but have a fourth ready just in case.
5. Start the baby dressed in the most clothes and work down to less clothes. Shoot with the baby wearing the most clothes, working down to the diaper shots. If the parents will be in any photos, start with the family shots first. Then Mom and Dad can focus on the babies afterwards rather than trying to look composed and not stressed.
6. Try the clothes on the baby at least a week before the photo shoot. You want to see how the baby looks in the outfit. This gives you time to shop for another outfit if needed. Also, if you try it on too early, the baby may outgrow the outfit before the shoot!
7. Put mittens on their hands two days prior to the shoot. Inevitably, the baby may scratch his/her face. I made my twins wear gloves for two days and nights so they wouldn’t scratch their faces and leave red marks. But don’t worry too much if this does happen. The photographer should be able to erase these marks from the pictures.
8. Wait until the last minute to dress the baby. You don’t want to dress the baby in the morning with the first outfit for the shoot. The baby may throw up, drool, or have a diaper accident on the clothes. If you’re traveling to the studio and this isn’t an option, then put a bib or cover the baby in any way to avoid accidents.
9. Bring any favorite toys or music to keep the baby happy. Bring whatever toys and gadgets you have to ensure the baby is happy. Bring food and diapers. If you need to take 5 minutes to feed the baby unexpectedly during the shoot, the photogrpaher should appreciate this rather than working with a crying baby.
10. Enjoy the moment and photos! Remember that everything won’t go perfectly. They are babies. But take joy in that the photos represent your baby as he/she is.