A baby shower is one of the most special celebrations leading up to your new arrival. It's a time to come together with loved ones and cherish the pending bundle of joy. As a mom-to-be, you'll want to capture all the memorable moments from your baby shower. Follow these 8 tips to make sure you don't miss a thing!

Plan Ahead for Great Baby Shower Photos

Thinking ahead is key for getting fantastic photos during your baby shower. Here are some ideas to ensure photo-ready moments:

Scout the Location

If hosting the shower at home, decide on spots with good lighting and space for group shots. For a venue, tour beforehand and note photogenic backdrops like large windows and floral arrangements. Inform the site contact you want great photos.

Create a Shot List

Make a list of must-have shots with your photographer like candids, the dessert table, gift opening, and group photos. Share it with your shower host or friend in charge of pictures.

Have Props Ready

Cute and creative props take baby shower pictures up a notch. Have a "Photo Prop Box" with items like baby shoes, blocks, tutus, bowties, and fun signs.

Capturing Candid Moments

The best baby shower photos are often candid, unscripted shots. Follow these tips to get those special stolen moments:

Circulate and Shoot

Walk around, mingle, and keep your camera ready! Catch moments like guests laughing, touching mom's belly, or eyeing the cake. Get varied perspectives like closeups and wide views of the whole scene.

Photograph Interactions

Zoom in on guests interacting, like opening gifts or playing games. Get shots of mom's real reactions too - her joyful face seeing a gift or surprised look playing a baby shower game.

Schedule Some Free Time

Ensure the photographer has time to roam and get candid photos, separate from any group shots or planned activities. Allow at least 30 minutes of mingling time.

Coordinate Group Photos

Don't miss the chance for photos together with family and friends. Plan ahead to get great group shots:

Choose the Spot

Select an area with enough space and a clean, attractive background. Outdoor showers open up more options, but pick a shaded spot if it's sunny.

Make a List

Provide the photographer with names for each group photo you want taken. Common shots are all guests, family members, work friends, etc.

Assign a Wrangler

Appoint someone as the photo wrangler to gather people for each shot. This prevents long delays while locating guests.

Use Signs

Have cute signs like "Baby Crew" or "Shower Squad" for groups to hold and pose with. Print names or relationships on signs for family photos.

Capture Fun Themed Photos

Themed baby shower photos make for extra special memories. Get playful with these photo ideas:

DIY Photo Backdrop

Create photo spaces like a "Welcome Baby" backdrop made from balloons, streamers, and signs. Use a bold-patterned fabric as a backdrop.

Dress Up Time

Lay out fun accessories like boas, flower crowns, masks, and hats for guests to pose with. Go classic with pink and blue baby props.

Get Creative with Props

Tie baby shower themes into shots with props like having a book-themed shower? Pose guests with books in a "story time" shot.

Signature Shower Shoes

Have guests sign baby shoes or slippers so mom can display after. Take pics holding up signed shoes for a cute photo.

Print Photos for Guests

Printed photos make great shower favors guests will love. Some ideas:

Party Polaroid Station

Set up a little area with instant film camera and props for guests to take pics. Print extras as shower favors.

Thank You Photos

After the shower, print and frame a photo from the party to include with guest thank you notes.

Shower Snapshot Frames

Glue a party photo inside a small picture frame to give guests. Write a thank you on the back for a sweet favor.

Share a Photo Album

Make duplicates of a small photo album from the shower for mom and host to share as a heartfelt gift.

Get Great Candle Blow Out Shots

Don't miss the chance for magical candle blow out photos as mom-to-be makes her wish!

Use Long Tapers

Long, thin tapers that take some effort to blow out make better shots as guests watch in anticipation.

Soft Lighting

Blow candles out in a softly lit space, not too bright. Photograph at golden hour or use string lights for a glow.

Shoot from All Angles

Take shots of guests' reactions, mom puckering up, and the candles before blowing them out. Get her expression right after too!

Slow It Down

Using video mode? Capture in slow motion for an extra magical memory. Add lovely background music after.

Perk Up With Post-Production Edits

A few editing tweaks can really make your shots shine. Try these tips:

Adjust Lighting

If photos are too bright or dark, adjust the exposure, highlights, and shadows for balanced lighting.

Boost the Color

Give dull shots more vibrancy by increasing saturation. But don't overdo it!

Soft Focus

For a dreamy effect, subtly soften focus on close up face photos using a Gaussian blur.

Special Effects

Use fun effects like black and white or sepia tone selectively on some shots for visual interest.

Create a Baby Shower Photo Keepsake

Preserve your special memories in a photo keepsake. Creative ideas:

Shower Photo Book

Make a custom photo book online chronicling all the moments from the shower. Send copies to mom and host.

Frame a Favorite Photo

Pick one great shot for a framed print or canvas gallery wrap. Go classic with a black frame for timeless decor.

Share Online

Post a shower photo album to social media so guests can relive the fun. You can order printed books straight from sites like Facebook.

Baby's First Photo Album

Start baby's album with shower photos! Jot notes about the date, location, and guests.

Baby Shower Photo Tips FAQs

Still have questions about capturing perfect baby shower photos? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

Should I do formal poses or candid shots?

Aim for a mix! Get classic group poses but remember to grab lots of candid moments between staged shots.

What basic gear do I need?

At minimum, any camera or phone with decent resolution will work. Extra batteries, memory cards, and photo props are handy too.

How do I ensure good lighting?

Opt for soft, natural lighting when possible. If indoors, add accent lighting. Avoid shadows and bright backlight from windows.

How can I get great candids?

Be patient and always ready to shoot. Move around and observe moments unfolding. Experiment with angles and zoom for variety.

What are the best photo props?

Use props that tie into the theme like baby blocks for spelling names or books for a book-themed shower. Funny signs, hats, and baby outfits also make great props!

Should I edit photos?

Basic edits like cropping, color correction, and contrast can take photos up a notch. But don't overdo filters and effects!

What's the best way to gift photos?

Order professionally printed photo books or canvases as keepsakes. For quicker gifts, print wallet sized photos or use an Instax camera.

How do I gather guests for group shots?

Assign someone as a photo wrangler to help gather people for photos. Print a list of shot ideas to share with them and the photographer.

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to ever lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. Simply Download PicBackMan (it's free!), register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

Conclusion

A baby shower is a special event to cherish, but the memories can quickly fade over time. Following these photography tips will help you fully capture all the joyful moments and milestone memories from the shower to look back on for years to come. When looking through your photos later, the love and thoughtfulness that went into the celebration will be clear. The beautiful images will tell the story of the relationships being built and just how excited family and friends are to welcome baby!