Photography tips for taking great baby photos

We’ve all received them--baby announcements that look like something out of a magazine. Some of us are fortunate to have the help of a talented photographer, but what if you don’t? Here are infant photography tips for the non-professionals who want that gorgeous photo:

  

A close up is best. Remember your baby is the hero! Your loved ones will want to see your baby’s features, and share it with others. A close-up will show just how special your little one is, and how daddy’s nose has been passed on to another generation.

Use a nursing pillow if you have one. It is a great way to prop your baby up for the perfect shot. Cover the nursing pillow with a blanket and place your baby in it for the photo. This makes it much easier to get a good angle for your shot.

Let sleeping babies lie. Don’t feel the need to wait until the baby is wide awake and smiling. Some of our favorite photos are of slumbering babies! They can be artful, simple and elegant.  Not to mention that the subject of your photo will be a lot more cooperative, allowing you to get that perfect shot, even if it is 50 clicks later.

Use minimal, simple, or no props. Baptism invitations and Christmas birth announcements would seem to naturally lend themselves to adorable props. It's tempting to go all out and surround the baby with toys and flair, but remember, your baby is the star. Anything else is a distraction. Nothing is cuter than a baby with a single prop or no prop at all.

Natural light is best. Take your photo outdoors or near a window for the best light, but avoid direct sunlight. Too much light can wash out the details, like those perfect dimples. That's an infant photography tip from the pros.

Automatic camera setting. Many digital cameras have settings for portraits or close-ups that can help you take the perfect photo without having to adjust lighting, focus, etc. With a little experimentation, finding the right setting can make things easier.

 

Take the photo when you are not rushed. The last of the infant photogrpahy tips would be to make sure the Baby should be fed and changed or sleeping. Have fun and try not to stress about it. The worst that can happen is that you have a hundred new photos of your baby to look at!

 

 

Free Address Labels

Now through November 4th you can enjoy 72 free address labels! And you get to pick the design! We have over 300 great designs to choose from whether you want to match your holiday card design, use as gift tags or even personalized labels to organize your kitchen pantry! So versatile.

I will admit, I LOVE our address labels, I have probably 10-15 different designs for myself. Below are a few of my favorite designs but check out the entire collection of address labels right away!

Diamond Damask - Green Address Label & Matching Holiday Photo Card

 Simply Merry -- Blue Address Label & Matching Holiday Photo Card

Thin Stripes -- Red Address Label & Matching Holiday Recipe Photo Card
 

Here's how to get your free labels.

1. Add holiday cards to your cart ($49 minimum)
2. Add any address label (qty. 72) to your cart (See all Address Labels)
3. Add Service Code LABELS at checkout

$49 order minimum. Discount will appear as a $17.94 credit in your shopping cart. Not valid with other offers. Restrictions apply. Offer expires November 4, 2009.

Happy Shopping at Pear Tree Greetings!

Graduation Thank You Cards

So, you’ve graduated. You’ve had your open-house party. Now what? Undoubtedly, you have been given a variety of gifts, including checks and cash and cards, from family members and friends who helped you celebrate your graduation. So now is the time to thank them for their kindness and their support.

How do I go about it? you might ask. There’s no one way, but here are a few suggestions for thanking everyone who has been there for you during your graduation.

Step 1: Thank people in person, if possible, especially those who make it to your open house. Then, send a graduation thank you card at a later date to show your full appreciation.

Step 2: Make a list of everyone you invited to your graduation and open house. Most likely this will mirror, or at least be close to, your list for graduation thank you cards.

Step 3: Choose a thank you card design that fits both you and your budget. Graduation thank you cards come in many different styles, from those featuring school colors to more trendy colors to those that even feature your photo. Also consider choosing graduation thank you cards that match your graduation invitations.

Step 4: Re-check your list to make sure you have included everyone who has given you a gift or attended your grad party. It is a good idea to have someone write down exactly what each person gave you while you open the cards and gifts. This way you don’t have to rely on your memory. Don’t forget about other important people in your life, coaches, teachers, etc.

Step 5: Within each graduation thank you card, write a personal note for the recipient. Even something simple will suffice, but any personal touch shows that you care and appreciate the gift-givers kindness.

Step 6: When sealing the graduation thank you cards, re-check to make sure you have enclosed the right card in the envelope with the corresponding address. You wouldn’t want to send the card to the wrong person!

For a finishing touch, choose have your envelopes professionally personalized to save a ton of time or check out the fun collection of graduation address labels. Many of our graduation invitations and announcements have matching graduation address labels available!

 

Have fun with it!

Custom Gift Tags

The other day when looking at a few live orders, I noticed one order for a bunch of different address labels so I took a peek. Each one was personalized in a different way....yet NONE of them had an address on it!

   

Jennifer from Virginia didn't need address labels. She needed gift tags! She said she wraps a lot of gifts in cellophane and then planned on sticking a label to the front for a cute touch, and it also doubles as a card! Adorable! Thanks, Jennifer, for sharing your idea!

Check out all of our personalized address labels!

Do you have any great tips or ideas? Send them to me at christy@peartreegreetings.com and if we select to publish your content we'll give you a $25 gift certificate to Pear Tree Greetings! Jennifer's idea will be featured in our monthly newsletter, too. Sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Coordinate, Coordinate!

I happen to be very fond of coordinating and matching in many aspects of my life. When my husband and I go out...we typically coordinate. Now, that said, it's not like we MATCH, it's more like complimentary colors. You can imagine how my wedding planning process went and most recently building our house. I haven't even started decorating the house really...it stresses me out (making sure everything coordinates...)

Getting to the point. The past few posts I've shown you some new products, thank you cards and address labels. Now let me show you how it all fits together...

Birth announcement, photo thank you card, thank you card and address seal.

and again...

and again...

and it goes on and on. We've tried to help you find these coordinating product when shopping. When you find a product you like and you're on the detail page for it (shows you the full description, pricing, etc.), scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the coordinating items. (many of these add on pieces are coming this week, so keep checking back!)

Address Labels galore!

Yesterday I shared my excitement about our thank you cards...today I will share with you our address labels. Yes, address labels have been around forever. I think I ordered my first roll out of the Sunday circulars when I was 10. We've come a long way.

I've also decided since most of our address labels are bigger (2 1/4" x 2 1/4"), I no longer have to lick the envelope. I just stick it right over the back flap using it as an envelope seal at the same time. (I'm sure lots of people do this, I just started doing it)

Here are a few of the seals/labels coming soon to Pear Tree Greetings!

Sorry the images aren't great, but you get the idea. And there are so, so many more.