More and more families like to take professional vacation photos. You can hire a private photographer (make sure you find one who specializes in working with children) or go to a major department store, where you’ll usually find coupons for a free photo shoot and deals on photo prints or a whole photo CD. of each image in the session. Then follow these steps for a successful vacation photo shoot.
1. Book early to get the best time. – Schedule the photo session after nap time, but not too soon. (You want your little star to rest well, but you don’t want blanket or sheet marks on baby’s face.) Since department stores and the best private photographers book fast, call as soon as possible to make an appointment.
2. Plan your outfits – Photographers often recommend solid colors or large blocks of color over paintings or other busy designs.
Do not plan more than one or two changes of clothes for a baby, since babies do not like to be dressed and undressed endlessly. This baby Christmas outfit set includes everything you need for a great Christmas photo shoot, including a cute matching hat and rattle.
If you want to take pictures of your baby in diapers or even bare feet (What’s cuter than baby toes for Christmas?) take your socks off before the photo shoot and make sure the outfits don’t have elastics that can leave marks.
3. Consider accessories – A favorite stuffed animal. A Christmas rattle. A beautiful blanket. Any of these things can help the baby to be more comfortable during the photo session and create great photos.
4. Take an active role – When we took our daughter for her first photo shoot at six months, the photographer was impressed with how my husband knew the correct sounds for our daughter to look at the camera. No one knows her baby better than you do, so if she thinks a certain pose will upset your little one, bring it up. While a crying baby can also make a cute photo, that may not be what she wants in her holiday cards.
Likewise, if there’s a specific photo you’d really like to have, speak up and make the suggestion. Of course, if you micromanage the shoot, you’ll lose out on the creativity you’re paying the photographer for, so you should let the professional do their job. But it’s okay to make some suggestions about what you’d like to see.
5. Relax – If you are tense, even a very young baby will notice and start to fidget. A vacation photo shoot is a fun time. Relax and play with your baby to create a fun environment that will bring out the best in your precious bundle of holiday joy.
