One of my biggest weaknesses as a new mom was saving money!
With all the ADORABLE clothes, shoes, accessories you can buy for little girls, who really needs a savings account? Unfortunately, me. So, I had to figure out where to cut costs and what things were actual needs instead of really, really strong wants! One of the big ticket items you’ll spend too much on is pictures! Between maternity pictures, family pictures, first birthday pictures, newborn pictures, and pictures for every milestone, your wallet will hate you. Unless…you figure out how to do it yourself!
I had a teensy bit of an advantage, because right around the time my daughter was born, my husband went out and bought a fancy pants camera that is almost exclusively used to take the cutest pictures of my daughter! The truth is though, you don’t need one! A camera, I mean, not a daughter! You can use what you have around the house to get an amazing shot!
Here’s a list of some things around the house you can use to get studio-level pictures without the studio price:
1. A Huge (Clean) Blanket
Whenever I take my pictures, I have several cute blankets of hers to hang behind her as a makeshift backdrop. Having a uniform background to your pictures is a quick way to make your photos look professional!
2. Props
You know all those toys you have laying around your living room? Well grab a couple of ’em, place them artfully around your baby, and get to snapping quick! They help with great action shots, and they keep your baby distracted enough to actually photograph.
3. A Pillow Or Bean Bag Chair To Prop Your Baby Up On
If your baby is a little more on the new side, then one is a must! The picture of my daughter at the top of this article is her laying on a bunch of old pillows believe it or not! It keeps them comfortable and in position, also with a little luck they may fall asleep! Cutest pics ever!
4. Your Phone
For some reason people always count out their phones as a great photography tool! If you know how to finagle it you can get some bomb pictures as long as you have low movement and good lighting, which brings me to…
5. The Sun!
Natural light is your friend! Studio lights can sometimes suck the color out of a photo, and if you don’t know how to edit it back in, then you’re in a pickle! Natural light brings out the warmth in a picture and makes you look like your glowing. It also makes for a beautiful photo!
At the end of the day memories are memories, and you’ll regret not having photos of all those moments if you don’t have them! Regardless of the tool, get to snapping those photos mama!
