black and white vs. color By extracting the color from a photograph, we remove occasionally extraneous information. Absence of color pares a portrait down to what's most essential: your child's playful expression, the shape of her eyes, the shadow cast by the fullness of his cheeks. Black and White photos can be more poignant, more nuanced, more elegant, more timeless than color shots. Perhaps it's because our daily word is seen in brilliant color - television, magazines, and even newspaper photos -- that black and white portraits stand out and hold one's interest. ...On the other hand, a photograph can be very successful if shot with color film. The vibrancy of the colors of a hot pink ball, a bright blue car or a bright yellow duck such as these add punch and zip to the scene. For the sake of variety, we can always shoot some photos in black and white, some in color, and some in sepia—this will create a variety of moods and emotion from a single photo session. the zen principle Having lived in Japan and worked among Japanese people, I have learned to appreciate as well as seek out a Zen-like, tranquil, aesthetic. In this regard, the years I spent working for the great American "minimalist" designer Calvin Klein further influenced my technique. As an example of my approach, I always strive to remove any competing "information" in the photograph that might distract the eye and destroy the visual mood. Given a cluttered environment like a playroom, I might move our shoot to a quieter, simpler place in your home. capturing the genuine moment I have no problem adjusting your positioning so that the composition is most beautiful. While this may be considered altering reality, I prefer to think of it as "tweaking" the shot. There is only so much I can manipulate, however, before the shot becomes contrived or forced. A fake "say cheese" smile will usually make me put my lens down until the moment when I can capture your child's genuine beauty and innocence. Whether a child is looking at my lens dead-on, or is quietly absorbed in thought, I prefer a photograph that looks like a moment caught in time, rather than a moment staged for posterity. Vidal Sassoon To paraphrase loosely, "If you don't look good, I don't look good". I strive for beautiful, flattering shots. I am not interested in "reality" such as a blemish on your face or drool on your child's chin. Such details only detract from the beauty of what might otherwise be a wonderful photograph. a mom's advice start taking portraits immediately! Many parents ask me, "What is a good age to have my child's portrait taken?" I say, if you're feeling up to it within your first week or two home from the hospital, then it's a great time to start. Sure you'll have all of the obligatory snapshots of each family member and each friend holding and cooing at your newborn, but my advice is to focus on the newborn himself. His expressions at this early stage in life will either be eerily similar to those he'll develop later on-or vastly different. The fun is in the waiting! Newborns have that sleepy, fetal quality that is quickly lost in infancy. Their wrinkly bottoms plump up quickly and soon the moment is lost. It may be hard to imagine, but a baby who can't hold her head up today will be walking around in the blink of an eye. take photos frequently! Picture your child's image changing with each turning page in an album like a "flip-book-movie"-you can literally see her grow up. It's exciting and visually arresting to see a baby grow -in a tightly edited, series of beautiful photographs. The key is to capture important developmental milestones-- and to edit these photos with extreme care. This is especially true in the first two years of life, when a baby's 5th month might mean sitting up unsupported, his 7th month might mean cruising the furniture, the 11th month might mean walking and (though the photo won't convey this)-the 15th month, talking! Your child herself will be the most appreciative that all of these photos exist to chronicle a time in her life she will not be able to remember. Even when your "baby" is 4 years old, (although the physical changes wont be as apparent) each new season will mean new changes. So make sure you don't put your camera away after the newborn-related excitement dies down. take lots of pictures (at a time)! You hear over and over again about how quickly children grow up. How else can you capture those dramatic changes if not by taking or having photographs regularly taken? have a loaded camera on hand at ALL times. It's only film. Shoot 10 shots and get 1 or 2 great ones. Children will change their expressions and poses in a matter of seconds-to make sure you catch "the one", you need to shoot more than you think to secure a little insurance. Digital cameras work too-just be prepared to archive your work carefully and make sure your camera is fully charged. ...And when you want your child's photo to have the beautiful quality that will incite your friends to say, "This looks like the photo that came with the frame!" -- call me! Sure, having your child's portrait taken is a significant investment in time and money. But the elegantly composed, customized photographs of you and your children will be timeless as well as priceless-both to your family and to your children, when they get older. Click here to see the "watch-me-grow" series.