BABY SHOWER PHOTO IDEAS

Planning a baby shower needs to include making sure you take lots of photos since it is one of the last times the Mommy-To-Be will officially will be photographed at a party with her cute tummy.

We have included some great ideas to make the baby shower recorded in photographs as a memorable time that the baby-to-be can experience through pictures when they are old enough to understand. Below are our ideas and tips that may help in planning out what to photograph at the baby shower:

General Tips

Prior to the party starting, take pictures of everything - baby shower decorations, food, signs, gifts and room so the Mommy-To-Be can see how cute everything was before the party started.

Remember that the Mommy-To-Be may be focused on the people and not realize how nice everything was until she looks at the pictures.

For film cameras - Make sure you have plenty of film and extra batteries for your camera. If your camera has a timer or remote you can use it while posing for the picture. If not, see if one of your guests or neighbors will snap the picture for you.

For digital cameras - Make sure you have and extra batteries and a spare flash card or two. Take as many pictures as you can, so you have a better chance of getting a good one.

• When taking a group picture, have everyone move in as close together as possible before taking the picture. The closer you can get to your subjects the better. So, either move closer to your subject or use the zoom.
• Try to take pictures of people at eye level.
• Use of a tripod helps a lot, and keeps the camera steady.
• Position your subjects so they are illuminated by the best light source in front of them, not behind them.
• Be sure to select the best white balance setting for your camera based on the light source.
• Back-lit people don't come out very well and are difficult to see pictures.
• If you do use the flash make sure you are within its effective range, typically between six to twelve feet, depending on your camera.

People & Group Photos

Make sure you take many pictures of the Mommy-To-Be when from the moment she enters the party till being the last one there.

Make sure the primary person who is taking the pictures is there before the Mommy-To-Be gets to the baby shower. Some of our favorite ideas of taking pictures of the Mommy-To-Be are:

• Take a photo of her at the door entering the baby shower - A great beginning shot.
• Every game the Mommy-To-Be is playing is a great time for a photo.
• Take a picture with her family members alone and in a group.
• Get a group picture with everyone present at the baby shower.
• Get some action photos of the Mommy-To-Be eating and holding her tummy.
• Always be ready to get a few of her laughing...You may have to be fast about this.
• Make sure to get a picture of the Mommy-To-Be opening up all her wonderful gifts. There are always a few gag gifts that are funny to catch with a picture.
• If her husband or partner shows up, it is great to get them in a few together. A great one is for the partner to be listening to her stomach with their ear to her tummy.
• A cute picture is to have her at the end of the day take her shoes off and sit in a chair with her feet up fanning herself like she is ready to have the baby!
• These make a great addition to the baby shower photo album or scrap-book which the Mommy-To-Be and her family will enjoy.

As for taking pictures of the baby shower guests, here are a few helpful tips below:

• As I stated above, make sure to get people close together so everyone fits in group photos.
• Make sure you have a photo taken of everyone present that is there. It is fun later for the Mommy-To-Be to see who was present at her baby shower a few months or years later when she goes through her album.
• As the photographer. Be in as many pictures as you can since you may forget and take all the pictures with you in none of them which would be sad.
• Remember, pets are part of the family too. So, if the Mommy-To-Be has pets, be sure to take some pictures of them. It is fun for the child to see later that her Pet or his/her parent's pet was there for the festivities.

Baby Shower Scenes

Since most of your pictures will be shot at night, its important to remember a few basic rules. When taking pictures of decorations, be sure to hold the camera very steady or use a tripod to avoid any movement.
 

• For most pictures that are indoors or at evening baby shower events, you will want to turn on the flash on your camera.
• For events during the day that are outside, you will want to turn off the flash as they only light things up a short distance from the camera, usually five to ten feet.
• Use a high speed film such as ASA 400 or if using a digital camera, set the ISO to 200 or 400.
• Try to experiment before the Baby Shower to figure out the best setting for your particular camera.

Mommy-To-Be's Current Children
If the Mommy-To-Be has current children, it is a great idea to take pictures with her children at the baby shower. Get some cute ones of her child or children around her opening gifts, with her child(ren) listening to her tummy or with their hands on her tummy. Another cute picture is them talking to the tummy. These are great and memorable pictures that her child(ren) will love as they get older and look through the baby shower photo book.

Watch The Tummy Grow
When you, your family member or friend find out you are pregnant, find a blank wall that you can stand in front of at your place. Even when not showing as of yet, stand in front of the wall and have someone take your picture, preferably in the same clothes (start out a little baggy). Elastic waists or drawstrings are helpful. Do this each and every week, even when you feel tired and think there has been no change. You will be surprised when you see the difference over time. If you take them on a digital camera, make sure you turn on the date. If it is on a throw away camera or a 35mm, you can number the corner of the photos after developing. When it is time for your shower, take the pictures and tape to a piece of poster board with the words "Watch Us Grow". Thanks to Theresa for this great idea.

Baby Shower Photo Opportunities
At every table, place two disposable cameras, along with a note inviting any and everyone to take photos. At the end of the shower, place a basket near the exit, and everyone should drop off the used cameras. Have a baby shower planner develop the film and put the photos together in an album for the mommy-to-be. It is very interesting to see the baby shower from so many different perspectives and it captures many moments that would have been missed had I only appointed one person to take photos! Thanks to one of our baby shower guests for this great idea!

Scrapbook of Family
Place together a scrapbook containing photos of the mother and father to be's parents' pregnancy, sonogram, relatives from mom's and dad's side, as well as writings of what they remembered right before and after pregnancy. One of our visitors (Sandra) wrote to her daughter in the scrapbook, along with her daughter's baby pictures, "My visits to the emergency room where I was sick most of the time..." as well as other factors of food cravings, anxiety/happiness, tiredness, etc. It is also fun to leave the scrapbook in the baby shower party room for other baby shower visitors to write their own messages of advice.

Baby Shower Pictures and Camera Gift
This is a great idea for a young couple just starting out with a small budget and don't have these things on there shopping list as necessities. A great gift idea for the mommy-to-be is a new digital camera with extra memory cards. If you know they aren't digital savvy go with a 35mm with extra rolls of film, and a gift card from the a local Wal-Mart or drug store to cover the cost of developing baby's first pictures. This is a great baby shower gift if you want to do something different. Thank you to Maria for this great baby shower gift idea!

I hope these baby shower photo tips are helpful. We would love to hear from you with other tips and ideas as well as if you want to send in your favorite baby shower photo that we may use on the site. Have a great baby shower!

Please send us your own baby shower photography tips and we will place them on our site at mommy@babyshower101.com