Using Props to Photograph Babies
Generally speaking, when it comes to photographing babies, the word easy doesn’t come to mind. Unless it is a newborn that doesn’t move, our timing as photographers is limited. A photographer never knows, what mood their littlest subjects will be in when they arrive for their session. Props are a great addition to the photos, they add a certain flair to the pictures, not to mention can be a great distraction for the little one you are photographing.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to props. Items such as flowers, teddy bears, dolls, hats, balls are quite popular, and portable if you are shooting the baby on-site. If you are fortunate enough to have your own studio, the variety of props is greater.
When you have a young child who is mobile, ideas for props that keep them from moving yet can be made to look good are things such as baby baths, storage crates or even cooking pans. Of course you would have to pad the items, pretty them up with sheepskin blankets, or tulle netting to make them look luxurious or cute. Other props for older babies/toddlers are rocking horses, skateboards, bikes, bats and balls. However, I find an ornamental baby bath an excellent prop, it not only looks good but it stops the young child moving too far! These props are very effective in keeping the baby in place, and look great in the photos.
Looking for a last minute prop? Something as simple as a baseball cap, or sunglasses can turn what would otherwise be an ordinary shot into a memorable and amusing shot that the parents will treasure for years, just by the quick addition of a baseball cap or a pair of over-sized sunglasses!
Props come in all shapes and sizes, you can use a prop bigger than the subject! You may imagine this would look awkward, however it can show the loving side of a young child cuddling their giant teddy bear. Asking the parents to bring in the child’s favorite toy or stuffed animal is a great idea, you’ll be sure to get some tender images of the child playing with their favorite toy.
Remember photography is about emotions, it is about sparking that emotion in parents through the creativeness in your images and these props will evoke emotion.
Ideally if you are posing groups of people along with the baby, you would want to use posing stools of varying heights. For example if you want to shoot mum dad and baby it may be that dad is very tall and mom very small. You can get round this by sitting dad on a smaller posing stool.
When it comes to the addition of props into your photography, the possibilities are really endless and limited only by your imagination. What better way to show off your work and your ability to work with these props than to create custom photo books of your subjects with the props. It will showcase your work beautifully.
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