All babies are adorably cute, and in the vast world of proud parents every single one thinks their baby is a star. There is good reason for this thought since every child born is unique, and no two are exactly alike in personality. Having a precious child to cherish is only half the battle though. There are photographs to consider too.
Of course there are countless contests that parents want to enter their bundles of bubbling joy into. How will you determine which ones are the very best to enter your child into, and how are they judged?
Photo Taking Tips
Taking the perfect photograph can be difficult to do, but you’ll want to follow some of the following tips to increase your chances of having a photograph that is unique and memorable. Also keep in mind that every contest has its own unique rules, so you’ll want to read the terms very closely.
1. Your child should always be the center focus of the shot and looking at the camera directly. These shots will capture your child’s personality in the best way.
2. Get close to your child. Close-ups will give the judges the best view of your little one. This is especially good for shots that show emotions such as smiles, giggles and laughter.
3. Keep background noise and clutter to a minimum. This includes items in the background as well as items on your child too. The judges want to see your baby.
4. Choose proper lighting. Children tend to photograph best when outdoors during sunrise or sunset. If it is midday try to use shaded areas to your advantage with your baby facing away from the sun if possible
5. If shooting indoors avoid using the camera’s flash. Try to place your child near a window that allows a good deal of light in instead. Flashes can easily wash out babies skin due to the harsh lighting. On another note it can also make smaller children upset.
6. Get down at your baby’s level to bring the viewer more into the moment and for shooting the best angles.
7. Use professional lighting equipment in the home. This can be a bit more expensive and challenging, but if you’re determined it will help to achieve perfect lighting conditions within the home.
8. Hire a professional to shoot your photographs. This is a very viable options as contests frequently allow professional pictures. However, as the parent you are responsible for obtaining the rights, and there are typically fees involved.
9. Shy away from shots that include other people. The judges only want to see your little one.
Taking the perfect shot is the next step. Some parents are very lucky and will get the right shot on the first try, but many parents will find they take dozens of different photos a day. One point to keep on your mind is that you will have to think like a judge. If you think like a parent then it will be more difficult to pick out that winning photograph.
Picking The Right Contest
There are two types of baby photo contests, and what is being judged is usually told to contestants up front. One type is where the judges judge the photograph itself, and the other is where the skill of the photographer is judged. This should be listed in the rules of the contest, but if it isn’t you should contact the host for clarification before entering.
The judges of each contest can vary greatly, and this is typically stated in the contest rules or conditions. Some will use professional child talent agencies, popularity voting, employees or other outside sources. It’s very rare that you will ever get to meet the actual judges, so there is much mystery behind what they are looking for in photographs of children and babies.
Which contests are the best to enter? There are so many contests out there on the internet that it can be difficult to choose which ones to enter. Below there will be a list of the top five choices, but make sure you read all the rules thoroughly prior to submitting photographs for judging.
Also never judge a contest based on the prize alone as there are some great contests out there, but they may not have the largest or flashiest prize. Better yet, take multiple different photographs and enter them all with a unique picture.
Top Baby Photo Contests For 2012
1. The Cute Kid Contest (sponsored by Gerber)
2. BabyZone Photo Contest
3. American Baby Cover Contest
4. Babytalk Baby Cover Contest
5. Baby, You Should Be In Pictures!
