Ever wonder how those adorable pictures in the BabyGap ads or all those Parenting covers are taken? The man behind the camera — Jock McDonald — knows, and this famous San Francisco-based photographer was happy to share his tips for picture-taking success. Whether you're getting ready to shoot the annual holiday photo or just recording daily life with your child, read on. Soon you'll be a master baby photographer, too!
• Know what to look for in a camera.
McDonald is the first to admit that you don't need hundreds of dollars worth of fancy equipment to take decent baby pictures. But even the most basic of point-and-shoot cameras should have these features if you want those snapshots to come out right:
• A good lens (glass is preferable to plastic, for instance).
• A built-in flash with the fill-flash option.
A fill-flash is handy for getting rid of shadows under eyebrows and noses in strong, overhead sunlight.
• A 12-inch minimum focus (meaning you can focus on something when you're only a foot away from it)
Which will allow you to get in close and fill the frame with your baby's face. One of the most critical things any would-be photographers — parents or otherwise — should know is how to use their cameras' focusing features, McDonald says. He likes the "center-dot justified" kind — meaning that the circle in the middle of the viewfinder should be aimed dead-on at what you want your picture to focus on. Unsure how your camera focuses? Check the instruction manual — it may surprise you!
• Think about lighting.
Although a fill-flash can help make up for inadequate lighting, it's still important to consider light when you're going to take pictures. One of McDonald's favorite lighting situations is what he calls "open shade" — underneath a big tree on a sunny day, for instance. The shade makes the light soft and indirect, which, in turn, makes for great pictures.
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