Turn Off Your Flash
Have your blinds open giving a lot of extra light to the area that your baby plays in the most. Have your baby set up close to a window that the light shines on your baby at approximately a 45 degree angle. Keep in mind that the time of day will determine the amount of sunlight coming in the window. Experiment at different times of the day to find the right light with your view finder, and to determine how much extra light you will need to leave on in your house.

Get Close-up Shots
Use a telephoto lens or stand directly in front of the baby’s hands, face or feet to get an extreme close-up. Don’t always try to get full body shots, shoot for that precious close up shot that will get the twinkle in your baby’s eye. Get down on the babies level and you will be able to catch some of the most precious facial moments that you won’t get from up above your baby. It is definitely possible to capture your baby’s personality on film so take advantage of it. Get pictures of all the different facial expressions, including when your baby is crying or mad.

Variety
Most people tend to take most of our photos horizontally. Try some vertical or angled shots as well. This can help fill in those empty spots in your scrapbook and will give a whole different look to your picture.

Remove Distractions
Keep your backgrounds simple and free of distractions. If you use a blanket to add texture, be sure that it is a simple color and that it doesn’t take away from your babies face. Don’t use a heavily patterned background that will take the attention away from your baby.

Black & White
Experiment with black and white pictures to give your baby a different look. Even sepia shots can give a great, old timey look to a special photo. Take pictures with toys in different formats.

Review Your Photos
When you look at your photos you will see what needs to be improved and you can work on those areas on future pictures. You will see what techniques worked out great, and what techniques didn’t deliver the picture that you were looking for.

These techniques are good for both digital and regular cameras. Remember that everyday your baby is going to be doing things that you will want to get a picture of so be prepared! In twenty years, you will be glad you were.