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Your Baby in Pictures: The New Parents' Guide to Photographing Your Baby's First Year
Capture the story of your baby’s first year!
The first twelve months of your child’s life are full of precious, fleeting moments, from sleepy newborn yawns to first smiles and wobbly first steps. Why entrust your memories to hastily taken snapshots—or worse yet, none at all? Let professional photographer (and mom) Me Ra Koh help you capture the moments with 40 beautiful “photo recipes” anyone can do, with any camera. Telling your baby’s story in pictures has never been easier!
The first twelve months of your child’s life are full of precious, fleeting moments, from sleepy newborn yawns to first smiles and wobbly first steps. Why entrust your memories to hastily taken snapshots—or worse yet, none at all? Let professional photographer (and mom) Me Ra Koh help you capture the moments with 40 beautiful “photo recipes” anyone can do, with any camera. Telling your baby’s story in pictures has never been easier!
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
13 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Me Ra Koh
14 books5 followersMe Ra Koh is the leading photography expert and educator to moms with cameras. She hosts the Disney Junior TV show Capture Your Story with Me Ra Koh, and also writes a weekly column for Disney’s Babble.com, A Focused Life, in which she inspires parents to not only photograph their kids but live their best life. She is the author of the national bestselling series Your Baby in Pictures and Your Child in Pictures, is the former photography expert for The Nate Berkus Show, and is proud to be one of a select group of SONY Artisans of Imagery. Her writing, photography and photo recipes have been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Lifetime Television, and Martha Stewart Living Radio, as well as in the New York Times, Parenting, Yahoo Shine, American Baby, Popular Photography, and CLICK. Her instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box won the prestigious national Gold Seal Award from National Parenting Publication Awards. Me Ra is a sought after, inspirational keynote speaker who brings empowerment, humor and tears to all her audiences. Her CONFIDENCE Photography Workshops for Women have sold out for six years. Follow her at www.merakoh.com and @merakoh.
Bio from http://www.randomhouse.com/author/113...
Bio from http://www.randomhouse.com/author/113...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 8, 2011
I’d be lying if I said reading this book didn’t inspire me on creative ways to capture my own future children. BUT, there’s no news on that front as of now (but thanks to those who’ve been asking ;) haha). Really, picking this up was a quick read for me and a good time to do so as I’m hopeful that I’ll be photographing more babies in 2012 for past clients and dear friends. While I am not a studio specializing in newborn photography, I like the idea of offering intimiate, at home sessions for friends and past clients who are transitioning from their wedding with me to starting a family.
So, on that note, there was a lot for me to love about Me Ra Koh’s “Your Baby in Pictures”. I’ve been a fan of Me Ra’s for years now, as her blog was one of the first I discovered who actually taught me something about aperture and shutter speed and ISO. That easy-to-understand knowledge resurfaces 10-fold in this book, which, admittedly, a lot of it was old news to me (each “recipe” she posts for poses comes with an explainer on achieving the look with a point-and-shoot and a DSLR) but it’d be wonderful reading for new parents who are not professional photographers.
Where I felt like I benefited most in reading was learning more about moments parents may want to have captured by their photographer, from tiny hands and yawns, to the power of a simple image like dad touching nose to nose with his new baby. While I’m tempted to give my copy away to a mom who could use the tutorials, I’m holding on to it because of the posing inspiration alone!
Me Ra also shares a lot of little tips on getting your baby to best cooperate with you for a shoot, cranking the heat up so they’re not fussy, shooting early in the day as that’s when babies tend to be more active (I never knew that!), to considering shooting in a parking lot instead of a park (“I resist shooting at the paper because sunlight reflecting off green grass can give babies a weird tint”).
If you’ve photographed your fair share of babies, you likely already know most of this, but I still feel like I learned a lot and this book would make for a great Christmas or shower gift for an expecting parent or a mama or papa whose baby is under a year old. Too many moments they shouldn’t have to miss!
So, on that note, there was a lot for me to love about Me Ra Koh’s “Your Baby in Pictures”. I’ve been a fan of Me Ra’s for years now, as her blog was one of the first I discovered who actually taught me something about aperture and shutter speed and ISO. That easy-to-understand knowledge resurfaces 10-fold in this book, which, admittedly, a lot of it was old news to me (each “recipe” she posts for poses comes with an explainer on achieving the look with a point-and-shoot and a DSLR) but it’d be wonderful reading for new parents who are not professional photographers.
Where I felt like I benefited most in reading was learning more about moments parents may want to have captured by their photographer, from tiny hands and yawns, to the power of a simple image like dad touching nose to nose with his new baby. While I’m tempted to give my copy away to a mom who could use the tutorials, I’m holding on to it because of the posing inspiration alone!
Me Ra also shares a lot of little tips on getting your baby to best cooperate with you for a shoot, cranking the heat up so they’re not fussy, shooting early in the day as that’s when babies tend to be more active (I never knew that!), to considering shooting in a parking lot instead of a park (“I resist shooting at the paper because sunlight reflecting off green grass can give babies a weird tint”).
If you’ve photographed your fair share of babies, you likely already know most of this, but I still feel like I learned a lot and this book would make for a great Christmas or shower gift for an expecting parent or a mama or papa whose baby is under a year old. Too many moments they shouldn’t have to miss!
August 14, 2013
I have a great camera. It does far more than I know. And with a little one on the way whose every expression and nuance I want to capture, I was looking for something easy to help me towards that goal. This book is it. Step by step how to set the shots, set your camera settings, etc.
Definitely a great gift for new parents who want to catalog their little one's journey.
Definitely a great gift for new parents who want to catalog their little one's journey.
February 9, 2023
"Your Baby in Pictures: The New Parents' Guide to Photographing Your Baby's First Year" by Me Ra Koh is a must-read for any new parent who wants to capture the precious moments of their baby's first year in photographs. This book is a comprehensive guide to baby photography, offering practical tips and techniques for capturing the perfect shot every time.
One of the key strengths of this book is the author's approachable and conversational writing style. Koh writes in a way that is easy to understand, making even complex photography concepts accessible to those with no prior photography experience. The book is well-organized, with each chapter building on the information presented in the previous one, making it easy for readers to follow along and apply the techniques in their own photography.
Another strength of the book is the focus on the importance of capturing memories. Koh emphasizes the value of preserving memories through photography and provides practical advice for how to do so, including tips on lighting, composition, and camera settings. The book also covers the best times to take photos and provides inspiration for capturing unique and creative shots.
The book is filled with beautiful and inspiring photographs, which serve to illustrate the concepts presented in each chapter. Koh provides helpful commentary on each photo, pointing out what makes it special and what can be learned from it. This makes it easy for readers to see how the concepts they are learning can be applied in real-life situations.
Overall, "Your Baby in Pictures: The New Parents' Guide to Photographing Your Baby's First Year" by Me Ra Koh is an outstanding resource for new parents who want to capture the special moments of their baby's first year in photographs. Whether you are an experienced photographer or just starting out, this book provides practical tips and techniques that will help you take better photos of your baby. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to preserve the memories of their baby's first year and create lasting keepsakes to cherish for years to come.
One of the key strengths of this book is the author's approachable and conversational writing style. Koh writes in a way that is easy to understand, making even complex photography concepts accessible to those with no prior photography experience. The book is well-organized, with each chapter building on the information presented in the previous one, making it easy for readers to follow along and apply the techniques in their own photography.
Another strength of the book is the focus on the importance of capturing memories. Koh emphasizes the value of preserving memories through photography and provides practical advice for how to do so, including tips on lighting, composition, and camera settings. The book also covers the best times to take photos and provides inspiration for capturing unique and creative shots.
The book is filled with beautiful and inspiring photographs, which serve to illustrate the concepts presented in each chapter. Koh provides helpful commentary on each photo, pointing out what makes it special and what can be learned from it. This makes it easy for readers to see how the concepts they are learning can be applied in real-life situations.
Overall, "Your Baby in Pictures: The New Parents' Guide to Photographing Your Baby's First Year" by Me Ra Koh is an outstanding resource for new parents who want to capture the special moments of their baby's first year in photographs. Whether you are an experienced photographer or just starting out, this book provides practical tips and techniques that will help you take better photos of your baby. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to preserve the memories of their baby's first year and create lasting keepsakes to cherish for years to come.
June 1, 2014
I've read this book a few times, as I keep going back to certain poses or moments to capture. Each section is based on age (in months), so I'll be reading the 9-12 month section again to refresh my memory in a couple months (oh my gosh... how can it be possible that I'll be reading that section in just a couple months?!?!).
In short - Me Ra Koh is awesome and inspiring. I pretty much want to follow her around for a while... no, not in a stalking sort of way... just in a 'I wanna be just like her' sort of way (that's better, right?).
Did I mention we both use Sony?!?! Yeah - how awesome is that?!?!
Anyway, not only is this book fantastic and full of ideas and helpful advice, but the author is amazing too (which would make sense since she wrote the book).
As a nature photographer, I've always told people "I DON'T do people photos!", and that was the truth. Then, I found myself pregnant with what I knew would be my one and only child, and I knew I better change my tune, and I better get some idea of what the heck I was doing when it came to photographing a little person rather than a butterfly, raccoon, or flower.
I found Me Ra Koh's blog and subsequently put her book on my baby registry. I was thrilled when my co-workers got it for me, and I was thrilled the entire time I read (several times) this book.
In other words - I highly recommend this book (and her blog).
In short - Me Ra Koh is awesome and inspiring. I pretty much want to follow her around for a while... no, not in a stalking sort of way... just in a 'I wanna be just like her' sort of way (that's better, right?).
Did I mention we both use Sony?!?! Yeah - how awesome is that?!?!
Anyway, not only is this book fantastic and full of ideas and helpful advice, but the author is amazing too (which would make sense since she wrote the book).
As a nature photographer, I've always told people "I DON'T do people photos!", and that was the truth. Then, I found myself pregnant with what I knew would be my one and only child, and I knew I better change my tune, and I better get some idea of what the heck I was doing when it came to photographing a little person rather than a butterfly, raccoon, or flower.
I found Me Ra Koh's blog and subsequently put her book on my baby registry. I was thrilled when my co-workers got it for me, and I was thrilled the entire time I read (several times) this book.
In other words - I highly recommend this book (and her blog).
November 19, 2012
I picked up this book for two reasons:
to inspire me to capture Laura and her first year in most creative way possible,
to educate me which moments parents want to have captured by their newborn photographer since I’ve been photographing more babies lately (both from past clients and dear friends) and I’m not specialized in this particular photography niche.
Regarding technical aspect of the book it was quick read for me but it was interesting to study her “recipe” below every photo (she explains how to achieve both the pose and the camera settings itself). Most interesting/useful part was learning about special moments and details you don’t wanna miss (like the disappearing bald spot Laura has right now) divided into age-groups (zero to three months, three to six months, six to nine months, and nine to twelve months). She also gives many useful tips for gaining a child’s cooperation (like turning up the heat up so the baby won’t be fussy during the shoot).
I would recommend this book to future parents or photographs like myself who are trying to learn more about that photography branch.
to inspire me to capture Laura and her first year in most creative way possible,
to educate me which moments parents want to have captured by their newborn photographer since I’ve been photographing more babies lately (both from past clients and dear friends) and I’m not specialized in this particular photography niche.
Regarding technical aspect of the book it was quick read for me but it was interesting to study her “recipe” below every photo (she explains how to achieve both the pose and the camera settings itself). Most interesting/useful part was learning about special moments and details you don’t wanna miss (like the disappearing bald spot Laura has right now) divided into age-groups (zero to three months, three to six months, six to nine months, and nine to twelve months). She also gives many useful tips for gaining a child’s cooperation (like turning up the heat up so the baby won’t be fussy during the shoot).
I would recommend this book to future parents or photographs like myself who are trying to learn more about that photography branch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2015
This is a great reference for setting up classic shots with your baby, from birth to 12 months. It has just the right amount of technical information in case you're getting started with a DSLR, but the suggestions in it work great if you're using a point and shoot, too (in fact, she gives separate, very detailed instructions for both). I love the ideas in it, and even though I'm documenting my nephew's first year and not my own child's, I would love to have this on my shelf (borrowed it from the library).
May 19, 2013
Good tips for getting started with moving off auto mode for DSLR, but doesn't go too far into full manual mode. Also has info for how to get similar shots with a point and shoot camera. I didn't care for all of her shots, but that's where differing photographic styles comes in and is subject to taste. Easy to read. Some tips repetitive, but that can be good when just learning.
June 22, 2011
Cute photography book that gave me some tips for how to take better photos of children. Loved the line that said, "Motherhood is made up of celebrations & griefs. You celebrate every bit of growth & development your baby makes, and you grieve the sweetness of the stages they’ve now outgrown."
October 10, 2013
Fun easy explanations of how to take cute photos of your kid. Divided by age groups, Me Ra Koh offers recipes for each photo example in the book. Helpful tips for the photographer, helper and family being photographed.
March 18, 2011
Awesome book for any level of photography!
July 30, 2011
This book was okay. It had more info about staging photos than actual photography technique.
September 7, 2011
beautiful pictures of babies and great instructions on how to get each shot.
January 16, 2015
I love this book! I keep re-reading for inspiration when I take my baby's pictures!
October 7, 2016
I like her technique, she understands the details that are important for a mom.
April 24, 2017
So many ideas (but the "switch off the flash" and "turn up the ISO" advice is a bit patronising but understandable).
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews