How to celebrate your new baby in photos

The arrival of a new baby is a monumental event for the entire extended family, and even faraway friends. Everyone wants to share in the joy of welcoming the new blossom on your family tree, and digital photography gives you an easy, memorable way to make that possible.

With a digital camera, a photo printer, and a little preparation before the big day, you'll have all you need to share every smile and milestone with family and friends, whether they're across the street or around the world.

Before the birth—get ready!

If you don't already have a digital camera, do some research and invest in one that has the features you need. For starters, check out the HP Digital Photography Center's tips to find great cameras for new moms Here are a few features to consider:

• A camera that is compact and easy to hold in one hand will fit easily into a purse or diaper bag and allow for quick, one-handed shots.
• A high-resolution camera (think 6.2 megapixels) lets you enlarge your best shots for posters or framed gifts.
• A camera that makes it easy to e-mail photos will make sharing a snap.

You can never take too many photos of a newborn-they seem to change and grow by the day! Be sure you've got spare batteries and photo memory cards so you can snap away every chance you get. You may also want to invest in a photo printer and photo paper so you can create your own professional-quality prints at home.

Prepare to share

As the anticipation builds before your baby's birth, friends and family will be eager to see that first photograph. You'll have plenty of other things on your mind, so use the time before your baby arrives to plan how you’ll share your photos. The following pre-baby planning steps will make it easy to send photos to loved ones amid all the excitement of the new arrival:

• Create a mailing list with the e-mail addresses of everyone you'd like to receive photos.
• Ask a close friend or family member to take and e-mail those first photos in the delivery room, when you leave the hospital, etc. You'll be too busy admiring your new bundle of joy.
• Collect everyone's snail-mail address, too, so you can send prints and a photo birth announcement. You can customize and print birth announcements at home using the HP Activity Center.
• Join a photo sharing web site like Snapfish , so you can share multiple photos without bogging down everyone’s inbox. They also offer customizable cards and other products that you create online and receive by mail.

After your baby is born—snap away!

Once a new baby enters your world, you'll want to preserve every moment. The first smile, the first bath, the first time in Grandma's arms. Keep the following tips in mind to get the best possible photos:

• Your camera's flash can be dangerous to newborn eyes. Rely on natural light whenever possible or be sure to photograph in a bright room.
• Get up close and at face-level with your child, and use your camera's zoom feature to fill the frame with your adorable subject.
• Try to photograph with simple backgrounds whenever possible, so your baby is center stage.

Read all about Taking better baby photos .

Let the sharing begin

Once your birth announcement gives your friends and family a glimpse of your new arrival, they're sure to want more. Digital photos give the important people in your life a way to watch your child grow. Along with e-mailing photos and posting them on the Web, here are some additional creative ways to keep everyone involved in your child's life:

• Send photo cards. Use photos of your child to create thank-you notes for baby shower gifts or to make creative photo birthday or holiday cards. Find great tools to get you going at the HP Activity Center or at Snapfish.com.
• Design a baby scrapbook. Document your baby's life and growth by displaying photos in a scrapbook, along with other mementos like ultrasound photos and copies of handprints and footprints. Print pages and embellishments from the HP Activity Center's Baby steps scrapbook kit found in the Scrapbooking section of the Activity Center, or create your own.
• Give one-of-a-kind photo gifts. Snapfish lets you use your own photos to create baby books, mugs, T-shirts, tote bags, and other memorable gifts.
• Create a mini movie. Use the video function on your digital camera to catch your baby in action. Upload the video to an e-mail or post it on a web site. Those few moments will be priceless to loved ones who live far away.
• Consider creating a monthly newsletter—in either e-mail or print—that includes baby photos and updates. It’s a great way to keep in touch and show off your little one’s latest breakthroughs.

With digital photography, no one has to miss a thing in your new baby's life. So, if you like the information in this article, you might also appreciate watching our helpful video "Capturing Perfect Baby Photos" in the Digital Photography Center. This video shows additional techniques you can use with your HP camera and printer to take great baby pictures.