How to Take Your Own Infant Photography

Decide on a location for your pictures. Consider the bedroom, crib or simply on the floor. When you decide on a location, place a small pillow on the ground and cover it with one the infant`s favorite blankets.

Pick your camera position and look at the scene. Add stuffed animals, a family pet or a sibling to add to the feel of the photo. Hang a fabric shower curtain or drapery panel for a backdrop. Take a few sample photos to check the lighting, and use a flash if necessary.

Place the infant on her stomach on top of the pillow. Ask an assistant to use toys or keys to catch the baby`s attention. Take as many pictures as possible when the baby smiles or laughs.

Ask your assistant to gently lift up the baby's head by placing two or three fingers under his chin. When his head is slightly elevated, the assistant should quickly remove her fingers and you should take the picture immediately. The baby`s head will stay up for a moment before settling back into the pillow. The picture will appear as if the infant is holding his head up on his own.

Change the focal point of the picture. While your child is playing with the toys, it is a good opportunity to get some close-up pictures of her feet, toes and even hands. Use a medium focal length lens, around 50mm, and open the aperture as wide as possible. This will create a very shallow depth of field, creating a very soft, out-of-focus background.

Convert some of the images to black and white in post production. Black and white images allow the viewers eyes to really focus on the subject, as the subject does not compete with any image color.