Customer Reviews

How to Photograph Your Baby

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've been a [semi-]professional photographer for about 15 years, but I've mostly done forensic photography, insurance work, accident scenes, etc. Not a whole lot there to help a soon-to-be dad take a decent picture of a kid. Nick Kelsh gives us three big secrets (one of which will improve all your photos immediately, even if you do nothing else), and a bunch of littler tips which combine into a solid introduction to taking really good photos. Some of these are so simple you will be amazed you never thought of them yourself!

I've liked the work of Nick Kelsh in "Naked Babies" and "Siblings," and I was very excited to see that he's sharing some of his vast experience with us. In addition to being a great "how to" book, the photos themselves are also very nice in and of themselves.

Kelsh does all this while not overwhelming the reader with technical terminology, and in a format that busy (and tired!) parents can read in one sitting -- yet go back to over and over to improve technique.

If you have a kid and you have a camera, you really should have this book!

I'm a person who buys a lot of books but doesn't always get around to reading them. It is impossible NOT to read this book. The length and especially the format make it irresistable to read it straight through (in less than an hour). And I had a NEWBORN at the time! The ideas are simple but very helpful and the illustrations completely get the point across. Some of the photos are beautiful enough to justify buying the book and there are plenty of shots which you could replicate before you get in the swing of thinking up your own ideas. Even with the first roll of film, I positively amazed myself with the quality of the photos I took of my new daughter and as I really got the hang of it, I was surprised I could be so creative. I emailed some photos to a friend and her coworkers thought they must have been taken by a professional (or one person thought I must have used a "bluescreen!"). People are asking me to photograph their kids! This is a very basic book written in plain (and sometimes funny) language and the ideas are completely EASY for anyone to follow. There is also an advanced section (which is also easy to read) for when you really get into it -- which is easy with this book. In addition, there are some great suggestions for ways to display your photos. I bought a few other books about photographing children and portrait photography at the same time and while I picked up a few brief ideas, the other books are mostly still lying around, largely unread. This is the only book which I have ever bothered to review (when I went online to buy it for a friend who is pregnant). Whatever the age of your child (or even just to improve your photographs of anyone or anything if you are an amateur) -- I HIGHLY recommend that you buy this book.

This book has inspired me to take beautiful photos of my baby when I never thought that I was capable of anything this artistic. I highly reccommend this book- it is fun and easy (and quick) to read, and has many practical applications. Don't miss this opportunity to remember your baby for the rest of your life!

This book has a few simple concepts that are sure to revolutionize the way you take pictures (as well as the way you look at people). What could be simpler than the tips found in this book? We can all get closer, turn off the flash, and take a lot of pictures (a few rolls at a time). And yet, with just these basic tips, Nick Kelsh assures us that we will begin to take photos that will be treasured as instant classics.

Kelsh's tone is encouraging, conversational, and assuring. He is part-professional, part-everyphotographer. He is equally comfortable with portrait photography and snapshots. He avoids technical jargon and sticks with phrases we all like to imagine in connection with our own photos: "the envy of all your friends," "compliments on your photos," "people will ask you to photograph their children," and so on. Oh, and the principles within this book extend to photos taken of anyone, not just baby. (In fact, I read Kelsh's book about taking pictures of family, and I prefer this book).

The book is a quick read, and has stunning photos by professionals and amateurs alike. You'll love your first reading of it, and I bet it will become a favorite over time. I'm tempted to buy several copies to give to friends. So don't wait -- get it, read it, and start taking pictures of your loved ones!

My mother-in-law bought me this book. Now, I have to buy it for everyone I own, just so that I can get my own copy back!

I read it in half an hour and I reread it frequently. My pictures have never been better.

I now use 800 film, natural light, no flash and I take a whole roll. Some of my photos are tear jerkers!

This book is a must own for anyone who owns a camera. You don't even need a baby - borrow one.

I bought this book as a gift for a friend for his newborn, and was rewarded 2 weeks later with some beautiful pictures he showed me. The book gives simple, easy to follow advise, with good before-and-after example pictures. All completely free from technical language. Beautifull layout; this is a great gift idea!

This book describes a few simple tips for taking better pictures of your baby--with a REGULAR camera--nothing fancy. He explains a technique and then shows a couple of pictures to illustrate the point (dramatically). I always thought I was bad at taking photographs, but the very first roll I shot after reading this book (which takes just an hour or two) was really really great!! Buy this book before your baby grows up anymore!

Do you love your children? Do you wish to have good pictures of them, without hiring a professional photographer? Without learning about f-stops and ASA?

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.

It's easy to read, and fast - no technical words inside - written for sleep deprived fathers and mothers. The book shows how you can shoot the best pictures of your baby without buying anything: simply stated, put the baby next to a window (find the right light), get closer to the subject, and switch the flash off. Inexpensive, isnt'it? Well, there's another hint: shoot more films! (Yes, this is a little bit more expensive, but it's nothing, compared to the price of hiring a professional photographer.)

Where's the magic? These simple hints help avoiding all the common mistakes amateurs do.

You can find in the book also funny, brilliant ideas, tips and tricks to take pictures that will definitely constitute your family photo-treasure.

The author is quite honest saying that most of the pictures in the book were really shot using a professional lighting system; I think there is no hope to get the same superb results at home, but this is not the point. If you need perfect, professional photo of your baby,

go to a professional photographer.

But if you want get the best picture of the teeny-tiny with your existing equipment, this is the book for you. More over, you are the only person that knows every breath of your baby and you are always next to him/her. A professional photographer owns a expensive equipment and has a lot of technical knowledge, but cannot be next to you everytime and surely nobody loves your baby more than you!

What a breeze to read and follow! You can read and practice the techniques in this book in a short time. Great for mothers and fathers who don't have alot a time. I have made some great photos of my son using this book. Friends and family think that a pro took the photos but it was just me.

The results are really instantaneous. Even after three years of photography classes in college I always forget some of the basic concepts that this book illustrates, namely, getting closer to your subject, not centering everything, using natural light effectively and turning off the flash. When reading through my college photography books I have found that I get so overwhelmed by the terminology and understanding advanced techniques that I forget how to take a good photograph. I end up creating a box full of amateur "snapshots" that are meaningless, full of unimportant backgrounds, poorly composed and poorly lit.

What I like about this book:
-the author does not use photography terminology (no f-stop or shutter speed stuff)
-the book is written simply, to be read by sleep deprived parents who need to dash to the book for a quick reference before they rush back to photograph their baby.
-the reader does not need an expensive camera, a simple point-and-shoot will work
-the concepts in this book can be applied to all types of photography, not just photographing infants.
-the author includes a section in the back for more advanced techniques.
-there are CLEAR examples of amateur vs. professional photos, which takes the mystery out of the professional photographers ability to take great photos.
-there is a section in the book dedicated to displaying your photographic art (I plan on trying all of the projects mentioned).
-there is a section that includes great photos taken by amateur photographers using the concepts presented in this book.

What I need more of:
- This book was printed in 1999 when digital cameras were not common in the general public, so what I am about to request is for a future edition. The only thing I would like is a comparison of film vs. digital photography. How do mega-pixels compare with film size, what is the equivalent of film speed in a digital camera and have any new photography tricks developed with digital cameras? However, these are things that anyone can quickly look up on web, like here: http://www.dlcphotography.net/Digital%20vs%20Film.htm

The book has been absolutely wonderful to read and has boosted my confidence in photography. Despite its age this book is great for anyone with a digital or film camera just for the basic concepts on producing great images.