So you're thinking about taking some birthday pictures for your little one to mark this special occasion? Here are a few tips and tricks I have learned along the way. Each time we embark on this adventure I learn something new!
This year I started with the outfit, this way I could use the colors for inspiration. I usually find the cutest outfits for the best price at TJMAXX. I found these adorable fake snakeskin boots at Old Navy.
Once the outfit is ready to go I then move on to the background details.
TIP: Wait until everything is set up, distractions are within arms reach and camera is ready to click, to put on the outfit. This avoids anything spilling on or messing up the outfit.
Setting the scene...
After choosing the outfit, I now have an idea of colors and themes I want to go with. My first stop for the background decor was Hobby Lobby. As I wandered the isles I kept an eye out for pinks and raw woods.
TIP: They always have great deals and 40% off on certain items. Typically if something is not on sale you can wait about a week and it may rotate to the sale price. I always make sure to use my 40% coupon I pull up on my phone at the check out as well.
TIP: Lighting is one of the most important part of my photos. I found this lighting system on Amazon that has made a huge difference in the look of my photos, especially for my Etsy product photos. Click here for the link. (It does come with two lights/I only pictured one.)
TIP: These distraction tools were VERY helpful in keeping my little one happy and ready to smile for pictures. For starters, I waited to dress her until everything was set up and I was ready to click the pictures. We also did it earlier in the morning so it wasn't too close to nap time or bed time.
- In the background I was playing her favorite songs. Currently "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman is our go to sing-a-long.
- We used our favorite stuffed animal to talk and tell silly jokes to attempt to get a smile!
- Bribery!! I am so not above using bribery to get a smile and add some fun to this photo session. More specifically I used marsh mellow because they are not very messy and blend into the scenery.
Once everything is in place, just keep clicking, you are sure to get a good one!
Here is our final result!
I also turned on the video camera and asked her a few birthday questions. I feel like this will be fun to look back on and watch when she is older. Hope these tips were helpful, it's all about branching out and learning new things. I love doing this each year, I feel like I learn new things each time!
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