Photographs
Photographs are a terrific way to capture fleeting moments. You can take photos at home yourselves, or you may choose to use a professional photographer.
Pregnancy Photos
Pregnancy photographs have become more popular in recent years. Whereas in earlier years women sought to cover it up, showing off a pregnant belly has become a style statement. If you take photos at home, you may wish to use a digital camera, which allows you to see the photos before printing them. Natural lighting is important for home photos. To help your belly show up in the photos, turn sideways and wear clothing that contrasts with the background color, or leave your belly uncovered. Some women document their pregnancies by taking one photo each month to show the changes that are happening with their bodies. This can provide an interesting retrospective. You may wish to take photos with your partner touching your belly, or with your other children in the photos. One striking photo pose is just of the mother's naked belly with the hands of loved ones on it. If you take photos at home with a digital camera, you may feel more comfortable exposing more of your body, since there is no one else around to see.
If you purchase a new camera, practice using it, downloading the photos, using the editing program, and printing photos during your pregnancy. You don't want to be in the delivery room with a brand-new camera and no experience. It is also unlikely you will have time once the baby comes to spend time learning how to crop, adjust color, and so on.
Professional pregnancy portraits can provide interesting effects. Instead of worrying about whether the photos are turning out and if you have the right kind of light, as you might when you take photos on your own at home, you can instead relax and let the photographer worry while you relax and concentrate on living the moment. Many professional pregnancy portraits are taken in a way that gives them a dreamy quality. The photographer may also use fans to cause your garments to blow or billow around you as you pose. You and your partner can both be in the photos without having to use a timer or ask anyone else to operate the camera. The photographer will most likely have backdrops and props that will enhance the photos.
You will be able to see the digital images or look at proofs before purchasing the photos. You can ask for photos in color or black and white. Look for a photographer who has taken pregnancy photos before and can show you some you like and who offers a package you consider to be affordable. For best results, schedule a photo shoot after your thirty-sixth week. Expect to pay several hundred dollars on up, depending on the length of your shoot, types of photos, and number of prints you purchase.
Baby Photos
You'll probably never use your camera as much as you do during your baby's first few weeks of life. Starting in the delivery room, you will probably begin taking hundreds of photos. Getting good baby pictures can be challenging. Natural lighting is important because flash lighting may cause shadows, or even worse, wake up the baby! Try to zoom in so that the baby takes up most of the frame. Getting down at the same level as the baby will help you take more balanced and natural-looking photos. Make sure you take photos of the baby with you, your partner, the grandparents, other children, and the special people in your lives.
Babies change so quickly that you will want to continue to take lots of photos. Snap photos of cute things she does, but also of the quiet moments, such as when she is sleeping or nursing. Make sure that you label and date all of your photos and store them in albums so that they are organized. Six months from now, you simply aren't going to remember when or where a photo was taken.
Having professional portraits taken of your baby can be a great idea. A popular shower gift is a gift certificate for a once-a-month professional photo shoot to document how the baby grows and changes that first year. When choosing a photographer, find one who works with children often. Schedule it for a time when your baby is generally calm and alert if possible, but be prepared for the worst. Make sure that you are nearby if your baby is propped up for the photo; if he starts to fall, you want to be within arm's length. Bring several outfits with you in case the baby soils one (or more).
Births to mothers over 35 are on the rise, and the trend is also continuing for women at the very edge of their childbearing years. In 2003, 323 births were recorded in the U.S. to mothers who were between the age of 50 and 54, a number that is up 23 percent.
Another popular option is to take your baby to a photographer at a department or discount store, such as Wal-Mart or Sears, where you can get a lot of prints for a low price. Make an appointment if possible, and try to go during the day on a weekday. Parents of school-age children are likely to fill appointments on weekends and after school. Appointments are hard to come by in the months of November and December, when many parents are getting yearly portraits taken for use as holiday gifts.
