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Baby's First Year - In Pictures

Hello! This week we have the wonderful Susie from Bonnie Pictures with us. She is a mum and a professional photographer and will be sharing her tips and tricks for capturing your baby's first year. Welcome Susie!


Hi! I’m Susie, a professional photographer based in Edinburgh and a mum of three. While photography is my profession, I’m bringing this blog, Baby’s First Year – in Pictures, to you as a mum first. A mum who has taken thousands of photos, missed a few moments I

wish I hadn’t, lost moments that I hadn’t backed up and slowly learned what really

matters. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence and making sure you’re in the frame too.


First Things First: Manage the Madness

If this is your first child, prepare yourself, you are about to take more photographs than you ever have in your life. They’re adorable. Everything is new. They change daily. My biggest tip here is management. Instead of doom-scrolling in the evening with Netflix on in the background, spend five minutes going through the photos you’ve taken that day. Delete the duplicates. Delete the accidental ceiling shots. And at the very least, favourite the ones you truly love. Those little heart icons make all the difference later when you want to print, create an album or look back quickly. Future you will be grateful.


Use the Tools You Already Have

Your mobile phone is brilliant. Make the most of its features: timer functions, black and white filters, wide/zoom-out mode and short video clips. You don’t need fancy equipment. You just need intention.


The Moments You Don’t Want to Miss

You will naturally take loads of photos of your friends and family holding your baby. But these tips are for when no-one else is around. This is when we make good use of shelves or fireplaces and the timer function. Set up the phone (if it won’t lean in the most upright

way a mini tripod will work wonders here), turn your camera around to face you, make sure

you are in good light (sorry, photographer’s habit), and set the timer for 5 seconds. This

gives you enough time to step back and reposition yourself.


Baby on the Big Bed

Your baby can’t fall off the floor, but it can fall of the bed. Always consider safety first.

Whether you co-sleep and contact nap or not, placing baby in the big bed (a central

position) is a great way to measure how big they get over time. It’s also a perfect spot for

sibling pictures and peaceful nap pictures.


Tummy Time (It’s Your Tummy Time Too)

In the first few months, when you’re encouraged to do tummy time, get down on the floor too. You will be tempted to use Portrait mode, and it can be lovely, but don’t rely on it as it

struggles with movement and your baby moves fast. Sometimes snapping freely is better. A

little blur is part of real life. And instead of trying to make your baby look into the camera, get them to look at you. They love your face. Your voice. Your expression. Makes noises and draw their attention.


First Food

Their first food. You’ve got to let them get messy and enjoy all the faces they make, even

the “what is this” frown. Your baby will be in the high chair and you will be seated at the

table. Let them grab at the food and you will have your hands free to operate your camera.

They don’t need coaxed here, just be ready to shoot off a couple of snaps and maybe a little

video (for the “hmm mmm” noises), and then enjoy the moment.


Another chance to Get in The Picture

Before you stop using a sling or baby carrier or altogether, use the opportunity to get some

photos of you and baby together. When you use the front camera and face it towards you,

smiling, your baby (facing out in the carrier) will smile back. Smile together or plant a soft

kiss on the side of their head, or just breathe them in and snap away, utilising wide mode so

as to keep you fully in the frame.


Grabbing their feet

6-9 months is the best time to get a fabulous sitting picture. Again, get down to their level

and interact with them so that they are looking in your direction but not at the camera. If

you invested in that tripod, set it up and try the timer for some peep-a-boo. It may take a

few minutes to get the timing just right, but it’s a bonding activity as well as some great pics,

so enjoy it.


Reading together

A picture I really wish I had, is one of me reading stories to my children. When you do it

thousands of times, it’s crazy to think that there are no actual photos of you doing it. So, I

would recommend, in amongst the busy social schedule you made for you and baby, find a

rainy day where you take it slow and make this your project for the day. If you invested in

the wee tripod, now is the time to set up, or place your phone on a windowsill so that light

is spilling onto you both. You will need the timer for this, go for 10 seconds or more if your

phone has this and then settle back to read. Just make sure that you are both positioned so

that one of you is not covering the others face. Your baby can be nestled into your arm with

the book low, or sitting on your lap, facing out. Point at the story and enjoy. You only need

one good shot.


Breastfeeding

For some, breastfeeding is very private affair, but trust me when I say, you will miss those

close snuggles when they are gone. Take a couple of quick snaps of those sleepy moments

or adoring eyes, and if you don’t want anyone else to see them, pop them into your Hidden

folder (apple) or create a Locked folder (Android). I learned about these for my Boudoir

clients.


Movement and First Steps

For all these movement moments get on their level but move far back for crawling, as they

will come for you fast once they get moving. Sofa surfing pictures are easy done, but first

steps can be stressful. Wobbly and uncertain, but hopefully resulting in happy giggles at

their new skill. You may want to utilise the “Live” photo function here or take a video and

press the white button as they come for a still picture. You may get blur, but that’s part of

the beauty in them moving now. If it’s sunny, capture your shadows holding hands as you toddle along. A simple, powerful image of a big milestone.


And When You’d Like a Little More Help

Your phone will capture so much of your baby’s first year beautifully. But sometimes, you may want to hand the camera to someone else. To be guided. To create something intentional and something worthy of your walls. Photographs aren't digital files living in your phone. They tell children they are loved and that they belong. They need to be seen. If you need some support with capturing your baby's first year I would love to help you. I offer in-home new-born sessions, studio maternity, new-born and motherhood portraits here in Edinburgh.


Why not get in touch?

Bonnie Pictures

07762101373

 

 
 
 

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