LilSugar

Photographer Sets New Standard For Newborn Portraits

LilSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:00:30 -0700

Show me a new mama and I'll show you a woman with a brag book filled with precious photos of her newborn. There's no denying that parents love to show off their kids, be it via images on their phones, albums in their Facebook accounts or photo albums bursting out of their bags.

While snapshots on the ol' digital camera may work for some moms, others turn to the professionals for a portrait that can become the centerpiece of their rooms. For years, Anne Geddes' whimsical shots of babies incorporated into nature were the standard by which photographers shot their subjects, but following an appearance on The Today Show, a Nebraska shutterbug with a knack for photographing sleepy newborns in some adorable poses is creating a stir. Tracy Raver's calming photos of weeks-old babes are the result of warm studios and bellies full of milk, allowing the artist to carefully maneuver the tots into her signature poses. Raver told viewers her trick was to photograph babies before they turned one month old, because that's when they get a bit feistier and can throw off a session.

Did you turn to the professionals to photograph your newborn, or did you stick with family snapshots?

Photo courtesy of Tracy Raver and Kelley Ryden Photography

Mobile Technology Keeps Baby Close When Mom Is Away

LilSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:00:45 -0700

Leaving baby to return to the workplace or steal a few minutes of mom-me time can be tough on a new mother. While there are many gadgets on the market to ease women into motherhood, there are also numerous mobile gadgets available to keep baby close. Here are just a few to lessen the pain of leaving the little one.

Special ring tones: New services, like Ringtonebang.com, allow parents to record their lil one's gurgling sounds and squeals of delight and make them ring tones for their phones.
Cell phone photos: Digital mobile photography has made snapping a shot of lil ones easier than ever. Whip out a cell phone and snap a photo to create a current photo album that can be carried wherever you go.
Digital key chains: Mamas will be careful about misplacing their keys when they have a digital photo album filled with photos of their wee ones attached.
Screen savers: Let everyone in the office catch a glimpse of the growing babe by updating the computer's screen saver on a weekly basis. It only takes minutes to do so, and both mamas and their colleagues will appreciate the changing scenery.

Prop Baby Cocoons: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding?

LilSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:00:00 -0800

When I first saw these baby cocoons from simplybasicdesigns's Etsy shop ($45) I thought: oh my goodness! That baby is too cute! I later worried about how safe an infant might be wrapped up in such a thick body blankie, but learned the designs are mostly used by photographers as a prop during baby's first few weeks of life.

Would you wrap your baby in a cocoon for the sake of a cuddly pic, or are you squeamish about these soft knitted pouches?

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Brad Pitt Turns Photog; Who Snaps the Shots in Your Fam?

LilSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:00:49 -0700

Brad Pitt turned paparazzi on his beloved brood for the November issue of W. While the actor, his partner, Angelina Jolie, and their six offspring - Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox - often find themselves the subject of snapping shutterbugs, this time daddy Brad was behind the lens and calling the shots.

The Jolie-Pitts had Chateau Miraval in the south of France as a breathtaking backdrop and, most likely, state of the art cameras, makeup artists, and lighting technicians, but many moms and pops are able to capture their family's essence on film. Whether the pictures grace the pages of a major magazine or a handmade scrapbook or album doesn't make a difference. Photos are a way for everyone to preserve memories. Who mans the camera in your home?

Source

Lil Links: How Motherhood Has Changed Ali Landry's Perspective

babysugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:30:58 -0700

Ali Landry talks about how motherhood has changed her - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Hilary Swank talks about walking around nude in front of her boyfriend's son - Celebrity Baby Blog
How to save time at the doctor's office - CafeMom
Clive Owen talks fatherhood - BuzzSugar
Karl Lagerfeld attacks "Fat Mummies" - ParentDish
Kids and photography - The Poop
Did you take your husband's last name? - Momversation
Delicious and healthy smoothies - Momologie
A gorgeous nursery makeover - CasaSugar

Pimp Your Crib: Simply Silhouettes

babysugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 05:00:21 -0700

It hard to beat a classic like a baby silhouette when going for traditional nursery decor, but silhouettes aren't limited to the black and white ones reminiscent of your grandparents.

Simply Silhouettes ($40 - $400) takes a modern look at the silhouette adding color and themes to the vintage concept. Printed on real canvases, the company offers designs for multiple children and will even include the family pet upon request. The company provides easy-to-follow instructions for providing photography and offers a relatively quick turnaround time. In addition to their heirloom-quality canvases, the company has a number of fun vehicles for showcasing your child's profile, including stationery, aprons, wrapping paper, jewelry and ornaments.

To see more silhouette options, read more.

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Pimp Your Crib: America At Home

babysugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:00:22 -0700

In this age of digital photography, we capture our children's every move. For a unique way to share your favorite memories, there's a popular coffee table book. America At Home ($40) features hundreds of photos, taken by professional and amateur photographers, of people in and around their homes. The book's publishers are offering the public the ability to personalize the book by uploading their own photo to be printed into a custom cover. So your prized photo of junior eating a bowl of ice cream or your baby's first steps can turn into cover art.

Harry Potter Author's Son Granted Privacy

LilSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:41 -0700

J.K. Rowling won a small victory against a photo agency that published a long lens photo of her son, but it may prove to be a big win for celebrities trying to protect their wee ones from the paparazzi.

According to a Reuters report, the Harry Potter author and her husband, Dr Neil Murray sued Express Newspapers and Big Pictures agency over a photo taken of their son, David in 2004.

To see what happened, read more.

The picture of the young child, not yet two, was shot while he rode in a stroller pushed by his parents and ran in a Sunday Express magazine.

And, after the case being thrown out of court initially, the appeal was victorious.

A judge said:

If a child of parents who are not in the public eye could reasonably expect not to have photographs of him published in the media, so too should the child of a famous parent," he said in the judgment.

The couple who has tried to give their children a normal life despite J.K.'s fame, was thrilled by the verdict and issued a statement that said:

"We are immensely grateful to the court for giving our children protection from covert, unauthorized photography; this ruling will make an immediate and material difference to their lives."

What are your thoughts on the ruling?
Source

Lil Find: Children's Camera

LilSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:00:55 -0800

Help your lil kids hone their budding photography skills and capture moments with this digital camera. The Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera comes in two models, blue and pink.

The controls are simple enough for a small child to use and the toy is tough enough to withstand clumsiness. To learn more about this camera for small shutterbugs, read more.

Kids get a kick out of being able to see the images they take on the preview screen and will snap everything in sight since the camera can store over 60 pictures.

Although the price is a bit hefty for a toy, it's an alternative for parents who aren't ready to trust their own digital camera to small hands.