Your Baby in Pictures: The New Parents' Guide to Photographing Your Baby's First Year [Paperback]

Me Ra Koh (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 15, 2011

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! 

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Babies don’t take direction very well (if they did we should start by getting them to shush on airplanes), but Me Ra Koh has made a specialty of coaxing warm, memorable photos from infants, newborns and children.”
—The New York Times
 
“Tell your baby’s story in photos—wonderful, beautifully-shot photos. Professional photographer and mom, Me Ra Koh, shows you how to photograph your baby like a pro.”
—Disney Baby
 
“Aside from the gorgeous photos, you'll appreciate Me Ra Koh’s simple, smart advice that gives you everything from how to pose your wee ones to the best time of day and light for both a SLR camera as well as a point and shoot, all based on the age of your kids. . . . I really can't think of a more helpful shower gift for new parents, whether it’s their first or fourth baby.”
—Coolmompicks.com
 
“Provides great step-by-step photo ideas and suggestions to help you document all the developmental milestones of your baby's first year.”
—Mom365.com
 
“This book is perfect for novice and intermediate photographers looking for expert advice and inspiration. . . . Beautiful photography, easy-to-follow language and no-fail photo how-tos make Your Baby in Pictures a must for new parents, grandparents and others looking to capture that precious first year of life like a pro.”
—Inside Edge magazine
 

About the Author

Me Ra Koh loves cameras, kids, and parents, and spends her life bringing them together.  Her work and photo recipes have been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Lifetime Television, VH1, and she is a regular guest contributor to The Nate Berkus Show on NBC.  She is proud to be one of Sony’s Artisans of Imagery, as well as host her annual SOAR! Scholarship for aspiring women photographers.  You can find her at www.merakoh.com.  
 

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books (March 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817400036
• ISBN-13: 978-0817400033
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 0.4 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Children
  • #20 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Portraits
  • #30 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Equipment, Techniques & Reference > Reference

More About the Author

I didn't find photography.

Photography found me.

And then it healed me.

I started as a writer.

For 10 years I worked on one book, Beauty Restored: Finding Life and Hope After Date Rape. The heart of this book was to be a message of hope to women and their husbands/boyfriends, parents and friends. I wanted them to know they were not alone in their pain. It is based on my own painful experience of being date raped in college.

Almost ten years later, on March 20th, 2001, the first day of spring, I birthed two babies; my beautiful, firstborn, Pascaline and Beauty Restored. When Pascaline was three months old we hit the road and for the next 18 months did over 50 National TV Shows and Radio Interviews. While my little one slept in the backs of churches and colleges, I was up front sharing my story and hoping one woman would feel hope again.

After two amazing years on the road, Brian and I were pregnant with our second. His name was Aidan, our little fire. While in TN for a week long speaking tour I started experiencing abdominal pains and three weeks later our baby Aidan's heartbeat stopped.

After losing Aidan, I couldn't speak or write and sought refuge in Brian and Pascaline's love. During those times of grief, I picked up a camera. Pascaline's innocence was precious from every view point. I found myself working to capture her story: the times she couldn't stop giggling, the times she curled into the safety of daddy's arms, the asleep time, the fussy and frustrated times, the first time she played with a yellow balloon...

Friends and family started noticing the photos and asked me to photograph their kids. Soon brides were contacting me for their weddings. I had gone from speaking to 800 women and sharing my story, to finding healing behind a camera. Life had taken this unexpected turn and now I was given the privilege to artistically capture another woman's story on her wedding day. Photography had found me.

A new chapter of life unfolded, a chapter of writing other people's stories through images. Stories of new beginnings, moments of choosing to trust. Every time we shoot a wedding I'd see these moments; a grandmother reaches to squeeze the bride's hand, a groom whispers in his bride's ear, and then her giggle afterwards, a father's tears while he dances with his daughter. What could be more worthy of capturing than these moments?

Photography is not just an art, trade or skill. It's a tool of healing for myself and those I have the honor of capturing. When we approach the camera as a healing tool, the world opens it's heart to us.

Throughout this amazing journey, we've had the honor of having our work featured on VH1's Fabulous Weddings, The Oprah Winfrey Show and Lifetime Television. Grace Ormonde's premier Wedding Style magazine named us one their Masters of Craft photography teams. And I am also proud to be a Sony Artisan of Imagery and count our partnership with Sony to be an incredible gift of reaching women through dreams like the SOAR! Scholarship.

Our images of weddings and children have been published worldwide, as well as won international awards. Alongside our joy for photography, Brian and I have rekindled our love for speaking. Together, we travel nationwide, teaching our CONFIDENCE Workshops to women, speaking at photography expos and conferences--with a heart to empower and inspire not only the professional photographer but the parent, enthusiast and scrapbooker too.


Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box are two instructional DVDs that we scripted and produced. Our vision was to help empower moms in learning to use their cameras. This project exploded, was licensed by Sony to create "Kids in Focus", and continues to bring joy to thousands!

I've also found a new platform for combining my love of writing and photography: blogging. Each day I share a bit of my heart, our work and Photo-Recipes and exercises for the pro or enthusiast. In a short time, this outlet has gained an audience of over 15K unique visitors a month.

Just as the SOAR! Scholarship empowers women to DREAM BIG, I challenged myself to go big for my own dreams of reaching more women through TV. Little did we know the Nate Berkus Show would be knocking on our door! Every time I appear on Nate's show, and get the opportunity to teach and inspire over 2 million viewers with their photos, I want to pinch myself, jump up and down, cry and just laugh. And yet, I have a feeling that the journey has just begun.

But the most wonderful gift of all...the gift that anchors me every day...our beautiful children: Pascaline and Blaze. Capturing their lives is the greatest honor of all.

How does a woman start at such a place of deep pain and find herself standing in front of wide, open skies...I'm speechless. If I can do this, I know with full confidence you can reach your impossible dreams too.

Each day I find that my pain is still with me over my losses, but the joy is just as deep if not deeper.

Thank you for joining this beautiful community of women. May we all take flight together!

Much Love,

Me Ra

*For details on our DVDs and upcoming photography workshops, visit www.merakoh.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My new favorite baby shower gift! March 15, 2011

By TeacherAmy

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I discovered Me Ra Koh a few years ago when I ordered her DVDs "Refuse to Say Cheese" and "Beyond the Green Box". I found that I loved her warm, informal style and was greatly encouraged to re-learn what I'd known about real photography.

How wonderful to find that her book has the same Me Ra character--a friendly, down-to-earth friend who comes alongside you and shows you what she's doing with her camera to capture a certain sense. I grieve over the fact that I didn't have this knowledge when my own babies were new & squishy, since I was in such a sleep-deprived exhaustion that these "photo recipes" were what I needed Me Ra provides clear explanations and cuts right through technical confusion to open up a whole new world of photographing memories. She explains why it is she's doing what she's doing, which creates continual "a-ha" moments that make learning a new hobby so approachable. What sets this apart from any other book out there is the loving treatment of all those unique baby moments from someone who has obviously been there and cherished them: the fleeting hair swirl, baby feet, the love pats while feeding, inked-up baby feet at the hospital, .

Babyhood, much to my sorrow, is all too fleeting, and I only wish I'd had this book sooner so that I could have had this knowledge while my own were still in the newborn phase. Without question, I am giving this as my favorite New Baby Gift.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Where do I begin? January 1, 2012

By Melissa Harris

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I guess I'll just add my 5-star review to the pile.

This book is so wonderful and helpful and came at the PERFECT time. I have one of those "fancy" cameras and not a lot of knowledge about it. I keep thinking I'll "learn one day" but keep it in its Auto mode 99% of the time. Well, at 39 weeks pregnant I decided that pictures of our first newborn were an absolute necessity but we couldn't afford to pay a photographer, so it was high time that I learn how to use that puppy!

In her introduction, Me Ra Koh explains that when she bought her first big-girl camera, she felt lost and people who were "in the know" talked above her head or in terms that seemed like a foreign language. Hello, kindred spirits, sister! I have more than one pal who takes photographs professionally - a couple who are freakishly good and make a great living at it. But when they talk about their photos, it's like they're speaking Japanese.

I grabbed a Cabbage Patch doll from my childhood and began experimenting with my camera the day I got this book. Little by little, chapter by chapter, Me Ra introduces you to quick tips and tricks to get great pictures - even in Auto mode. Then she gives you projects with "recipes" for a great photo - so I can take my camera out of Auto mode and set the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed for myself and get accustomed to what these settings change in each picture. I find myself taking more than one picture, changing settings with each one, and then comparing. I'm actually learning, and it's fun!

I'm 39 weeks and 4 days and baby has still not made his entrance into the world.. but I've got some great pictures of my Cabbage Patch doll! This is THE book for new parents and/or people who are nervous about photography. It's YOUR family and YOUR baby. Have fun!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for new parents! March 15, 2011

By t gilbertson

Format:Paperback

This is a great book for any new parent out there--the helpful information about how to take a photograph, how to use your camera as well as capture the moment is great. As a new mommy and a photographer also, I was encouraged to see my baby with new eyes all over again! Thank you MeRa for the great book!

MeRa is fabulous throughout the book and in person--you won't be disappointed!

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If you own a camera you need this book March 15, 2011

By Theresa Lafrance

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Love this book. Anyone who has a baby in there life needs to have a copy of this book. It is clear, concise and inspiring. The "recipes" are easy to understand and the results are beautiful. This is a must have and would also make a great gift.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Author has great writing style, highly recommended even for intermediate photograpers August 23, 2011

By JC TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book based on the great reviews here, and the fact that my first child (daughter) is to be born in about a month.

I greatly appreciate the author's writing style --- helpful, not condescending, slightly humorous at times, personal, etc.

I would consider myself an intermediate photographer: been shooting with DSLRs for a few years, have studied various books/manuals on digital photography, frequently post process using GIMP. While I didn't really learn anything new in this book concerning camera settings (ISO, shutter, apeture) I really appreciate it as a refresher course on some things. Overall my favorite part of the book (and the reason I bought it) is the great example shots. They serve as a great jumping off point for shots I hope to get with my newborn.

I also really appreciate how the book is divided into months of life, making it a easy, logical read.

At $10 I highly recommend this book, and it even if you don't learn anything new from it it makes a wonderful coffee table book because who doesnt like great pictures of babies?!?!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book for beginers and advanced photographers March 15, 2011

By mountain mamma

Format:Paperback

I love love love this book! I am a family portrait photographer, but I have never been over the moon about my newborn photos. Now I am! If you are an advanced photographer you will get a ton of ideas for natural posing and things to do during the shoot. And if you are a beginner, this book, and everything else Me Ra Koh is the thing for you! Me Ra's style is simple great photos- and she gives you just enough technical information to get there. The photo recipes are so helpful to get you started. A great way to learn is to copy someone you admire, and the more you shoot the more your own style will emerge. Get started with newborns with this book!