One of the most popular types of photography is baby photography. Often, proud parents and family members wish to cherish the early childhood years of their little ones by having a professional come and take cute photos of their child.
As amazing as these photos can be, hiring a photographer can be quite costly and not all parents can afford it. One way to work around that is to do it yourself even if the only camera you have is the one on your phone.
Because smartphone cameras are very different and inferior to traditional cameras used by professionals, you should not expect the quality of the photos taken with your mobile phone to match those of bigger cameras.
However, following the tips in this article will help you take baby photos with your phone that actually look good.
So, how do you take baby photos like a professional with your phone? Well, first you have to…
1. Prepare
If you want to capture baby photos that look professional with your mobile phone, then preparation is key. You can’t just click away and hope for the best. You need to know what you’re doing.
The first thing you need to do is find inspiration. A quick Google search or a visit to sites like Pinterest and Instagram can be pretty useful for finding inspiration. Create a shot list or save whatever photo you like so you can use it later as a reference.
At this beginning stage, it’s also advisable to decide what type of pictures you’re going to take. For example, are you going to do a sleeping baby photoshoot or a lifestyle photoshoot, where the baby is awake and maybe playing around?
Having decided this, you can then prepare yourself ahead of time for the perfect time of day when you know the baby will be fast asleep or at their happiest.
Have toys, props, and whatever else the baby might need handy so you don’t have to run around last minute and miss those perfect moments.
Also, make sure that everything you will need is nearby and ready. If you’re going to use camera support such as a tripod, or any other accessories such as lenses, it’s best to keep them set up and ready to go ahead of time.
2. Set up the scene
The background and surroundings of your baby are very important. They can enhance the image and make the star of the photo stand out and shine in all their cuteness.
Professional baby photographers take their time to create the perfect environment to photograph a baby, and so should you.
When it comes to the background, it can be anything of your choosing. To ensure the baby remains the centre of attention in the photo, a lot of professional baby photographers use a plain backdrop as the background for their shots.
You can easily replicate this by hanging a plain sheet of material behind the baby. The material can be made of anything from fabric to canvas, or anything else you find around the house.
Just as long as the material is not too shiny or reflective that it will bounce light off it and cause bright spots on the backdrop. Unless that's the look you're trying to go for.
Another thing you can do to set the scene is to have something comfortable for the baby to sit or lie on. Some photographers use blankies, others use pillows and cushions. Find whatever works for you but make sure that the baby is comfortable.
Also, consider using toys and probs to set the scene. There’s nothing wrong with taking shots of the baby without any additional extras in the shot but sometimes having toys and props adds something extra to the shot.
3. Know your camera and use it well
The main secret to taking great photographs of little ones lies in how you use the tool at your disposal-- your smartphone camera.
You need to know and understand how your camera works because if you don’t, you won’t be able to make the most of your phone’s camera and take great photos.
The first place to start would be to check your smartphone’s camera specs. This will give you an idea of the capabilities and limitations of your camera so you know what to do and what to avoid.
For a fully detailed explanation of what the specs mean, click here.
Besides knowing the technical specs of your camera, another good thing to do is to learn the manual controls of your camera. This means that instead of the camera automatically deciding on the ideal settings to capture the image, you can be in control and set them yourself.
This allows you more creative freedom in deciding on how your photo looks. You can adjust exposure to your liking and play around with the focus to get it just the way you want. This is just one of the benefits of shooting in Manual mode.
But that’s not to say you shouldn’t shoot in Auto mode. It’s absolutely fine to do so. Sometimes moments are so quick that you’d miss them while fiddling with manual controls.
Auto works perfectly fine in such instances. But if the baby is sleeping, then you should have a bit of time to adjust some controls.
4. Get the lighting right
Lighting is very important in photography. It’s one area where you shouldn’t compromise if you want your mobile photos to look great.
Lighting comes in two forms-- natural and artificial. The sun is the best example and the brightest source of natural light. If you’re taking photos of your baby outside during the day, you shouldn’t struggle too much with lighting.
You just need to be aware of the best time of day to shoot when the lighting conditions are in your favour.
You can still use natural light even when you’re indoors. By positioning your little bundle of joy near a window, an open door, or even under a skylight, you can take advantage of the sun’s light to illuminate the baby and the scene.
This usually works best at a time when enough sunlight is coming through, so look out for that and be prepared.
Lighting becomes more challenging at night or in low light environments. This is where artificial lighting comes in handy. This can come in the form of available lighting such as house lights or lighting that you need to set up.
Whatever you do, avoid using the camera’s flash when taking photos of the little one. Although using flash is not harmful to a baby’s eyes, it produces poor quality images.
5. Experiment with different shots and angles
When taking photographs with their phones, a lot of amateur photographers often make the same mistake of capturing the photos from one angle-- their eye level. Although there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s in your best interest to explore other angles.
For example, adults are taller than babies and toddlers. Constantly taking photos from an adult’s level means you’ll always end up with overhead shots or pictures where the baby is looking up at the camera.
To take better photos of your little one, sometimes it’s best to get down to their level so you can capture photos of them looking straight into the camera instead of up.
This could mean getting down on your knees or lying flat on the floor depending on how the baby is positioned.
Alternatively, you can set the baby on an elevated surface. Just make sure they’re safe.
Also, if possible, take photos from different angles and sides. Go behind the baby. Take a snap from the side. Take a shot from directly above the baby or any other angle you can think of.
You’d be surprised at some of the cool shots you can get from trying out different shots and angles.
6. Use accessories
Adding some accessories to your mobile photography arsenal can take your photos to another level. In my opinion, the number one accessory you need to invest in is a camera support system such as a tripod.
Honestly, I never thought these were important but now I can give you eight reasons why you should get one.
There are many different types of tripods that you can choose to invest in but they all essentially serve the same purpose-- to keep you mobile camera steady and free your hands.
This for me is a big win because it allows you to frame your shot, monitor what’s in the frame on the screen, and adjust what needs to be adjusted in the scene before taking the shot.
All this without having to constantly pick up your phone and put it down. This can end up saving you a lot of time which, when it comes to working with babies, is quite important.
Another accessory worth investing in is an external smartphone camera lens, specifically a macro lens. If you look around online at some professional baby photographs, you’ll notice that some have shots that are really up close of the baby’s feet, fingers, eyes, etc.
These unique shots are captured with the help of a macro lens, which is not even commonly found on smartphones with multiple cameras.
For other accessories that may come in handy, check out 6 mobile camera accessories that you absolutely should not go without.
7. Keep the baby happy
In any type of photography, the subject is very important. A good and interesting subject contributes quite a bit to how visually appealing a photo is.
In mobile baby photography, the subject is obviously the baby. So, unless you want to take pictures of a crying baby, it’s important you keep the baby happy.
Keeping the baby happy can mean different things depending on what type of photos you want to take. For example, if you want to take pictures of a sleeping baby, keeping the baby happy would mean working in a quiet environment that would not disturb the baby’s sleep.
Another way to keep the baby happy is with toys. This works well for posed photos where the baby is sitting and looking at the camera.
You can hold the baby’s favourite toy close to the camera so you can draw the little one’s attention to the camera and hopefully also get a big smile.
However you decide to pose the baby, and wherever you decide to place them, make sure that they’re comfortable. Keep them warm and well-supported at all times. And also be ready for those little accidents because they will happen.
Always remember that the safety of the baby is of utmost importance. Make sure that whatever they interact with does not pose a choking hazard or cause discomfort.
I’m sure you may have also seen some very unique and super-cute photos of small babies wrapped up snuggly in material or seemingly suspended from something. Do not attempt that!
Unless you’re a professional and know what you’re doing (which I doubt since you’re here reading this), I highly recommend you don’t try anything that will endanger the baby.
8. Edit and share
A big part of what will make your baby photos look good is what you do with them after they have been taken.
Editing is the process of taking what’s already visually pleasing and making it better by enhancing its aesthetics. This can be done by adjusting the colour, contrast, brightness, etc.
That being said, you need to be careful not to get carried away and overdo it on the edit. There’s nothing wrong with adding filters and effects but if you add too much, the image starts looking less natural and more processed. That’s a rookie mistake that professionals avoid.
However, editing is a creative process and as such is subjective in nature. I cannot tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. It’s really up to you to capture and edit your baby’s photos the way that makes you happy.
Once you’re happy with what you have, you can share the photos with friends and family. The most popular way to do this is via social media on Instagram or Facebook. But this is not an option for everyone.
For good reason, some parents are not comfortable with posting their young children’s photos online. Some people or their family members are not on social media.
For these reasons and perhaps others, I prefer to print the photos and distribute physical copies to close friends and family. It’s more personal and allows you to proudly display the photos in your home.
If you want to know how you can print your mobile photos, check out these 4 ways to print photos from your smartphone.
For more tips on how to capture great photos with your phone, check out the 15 Tips on How To Take Amazing Photos With Your Phone.
If you want to learn more about how to improve your smartphone photography, download the 5 Ways To Improve Your Smartphone Photography ebook here. There’s a lot to learn in its 22 pages of content and it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!
