July 21, 2016

iphone Photo Tips!

Hello there! I am Hannah of Hannah Drews Photography and I am taking over the blog with my quick and easy photo tips to get the best monthly photos of your little one.

Lucy Darling monthly stickers are pretty much the cutest and simplest way to capture your ever-changing kiddos throughout their first year and beyond. Just Peel, Stick, and Photograph! It is that easy, but I am here to help you capture your little darlings in the best light (literally) all while using your iPhone.

SAFE AND SOUND

Find a spot that can contain your little one from their newborn sleepy stage all the way to the squirmy, crawling stage. A big comfy chair works well for the first few months but make sure you are able to have an extra set of hands around once baby become mobile and always remain within arms reach. If you plan to take the photos on your own, a safer option would be to set up on the floor where you won't be worried about baby taking a tumble off the furniture.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Lighting is everything in photography and can take a photo from ordinary to extraordinary. A common misconception is that shadows = bad , but that is not the case! You need shadows to create depth and dimension which creates interest in photographs. The important part is knowing where to place the light to create the most flattering shadows for your baby.

-Look for a large north-facing window or sliding glass door in your home. No north-facing windows? Find a time of day when the window receives indirect natural light (no direct sun rays)

-Make sure all other lights are OFF in the room, including your camera flash. You do not want your light sources to mix.

-Place baby at a 45-90 degree angle to the light and look for catchlights in baby's eyes in the 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock range.

-Snap away!

Here Max is at a 90 degree angle to the window and looking as cute as ever :-)

Examples of bad lighting:

Up-lighting

This is also called "ghoul-lighting" because it resembles the fireside look of placing a flashlight under your face when telling a scary ghost story. Not flattering for anyone, baby included.

Mixed Lighting

Overhead bedroom light and side table lamp are on in this photo. The photo is too dark with distracting florescent yellow highlights and not very much dimension in baby's face.

Correct Lighting

Edited Photo using VSCO app for iPhone (C1 preset with tweaks)

Moms and Dads, be sure you have someone take a few photos of you with your baby even if you don't feel especially glamorous wearing sweatpants and spit up. Be present in photos throughout baby's first year, and you and your children will be so thankful later on!

Hey friends, thanks for reading my post on iPhone photo tips! If you are interested in learning more about the best apps for editing photos, my editing process, or which print labs I trust, head over towww.hannahdrewsphotography.com for part II available soon! (OR "stay tuned for part II of my Lucy Darling blog takeover"). You don't want to miss it!

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