Tiny tots take a perfect shot

CHENNAI: The first one year of a baby’s life is memorable for every parent. I wish we had the opportunity to capture those moments forever 40-50 years ago,” 70-year-old Gnaambal Santhanam sighs as she looks at the baby photo-portfolio of her one-year-old granddaughter Dhanya. “My mother keeps saying that she wished she had documented my first year like this! I am just glad I was able to do it for my daughter…20 years later, this will be a beautiful memory,” smiles Gnaambal’s daughter, Sundari.

Baby shoots are perhaps the cutest type of photoshoots ever and parents in the city are constantly on the lookout for new themes and trends. We chat with a few photographers who specialise in baby shoots to find more about the fad that is taking the city by storm. They do admit candidly that it’s quite exhausting! 

The popular trends are newborn portraits which are usually taken within 20 days of a baby’s birth, toddler portraits and formal studio shoots or ‘cake smash photo sessions’, themed shoots, and even documenting the little munchkin’s daily activities. There’s rarely a posed picture…almost all of it is natural and honest. “Parents have just started discovering new themes and they are open to experimenting fun concepts. So, as a photographer, I brainstorm with them and also give references after which we decide on an appropriate theme that’s best suited for them,” shares Arjun Rajkumar of Bluegrass Studios.

Baby photoshoots are popular in the West, and in certain parts of India. In Chennai, its new and the number of parents who are opening up to the concept is increasing by the day, opine these photographers. “A parent who likes movie posters wanted to get a shoot done for their baby. So, we shot the toddler incorporating themes of movie posters like Thor and PK. There is a lot of scope in this genre and the possibilities are limitless,” he explains.

With themes like balloons, baskets and picnics becoming a recurring favourite among parents, Deepak Subramanian of Stormy Clicks opines that capturing babies in their natural best — while sleeping, eating, playing and even while brushing their teeth — has become another favourite concept among parents! “In our studio, we offer three packages — ‘a day in the life of your baby’, ‘baby’s day out’ and thematic shoot. But, the one we get most requests for is capturing a day in the baby’s life. Parents want to document every single step as a memory,” he shares.

Yashodha Ganesh, mother of Veer Krish, who had done a baby photoshoot for her toddler’s first birthday narrates, “Until I approached Deepak for the baby photoshoot, we had stuck to taking photos on the phone. But this experience was totally different and memorable. From Veer playing with us and his grandparents, having a fun bath, to taking his usual afternoon nap, Deepak captured everything. It will be something to look back at and smile,” shares Yashodha.

And, Viji Sharma, another parent who had opted for the one day photoshoot ,says that it was an ‘instinctive interaction’. “The photographer not only took pictures, but made sure he established a good rapport with my daughter. He spent quality time with her to get to know her and make her feel comfortable around him. That made the shoot easier…otherwise it would have surely been quite a task!” she shares.Concurring, Arjun laughs and says, “Yes, kids are very temperamental. But, once we understand the challenges and know when to give the baby some free time, they become adorable again,” he quips.

Adding subtle touches of creativity to the shoots, parents let photographers experiment themes and are open to new concepts, despite the fee being on the higher side. “The cost of every photoshoot varies with the theme, setting and props. But, when few parents are ready to shell out more money, planning an elaborate shoot with interesting contrasts becomes exciting,” shares Thomas, a toddler photographer.
Prices start from `3,000 (approximate) and go upwards to `60,000 and above.

“The baby shoots are not only a portfolio of the baby, but we make sure to include shots of their gestures, and also pictures of them with their parents. It’s very holistic,” explains Deepak.With ‘statement shots’ of babies ruling social media, parents opine that these shoots make their memory timeless. “Showing these pictures to my son when he is in his 20s will be exciting. Hopefully, he will get an idea of how much he was loved and taken care of,” adds Yashodha.

What’s trending
●    Documentary lifestyle photo shoots
●    Baby milestone shoots (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly - during the babies first year)
●    Theme-based photography
●    Cake smash
●    Silhouette baby shots
●    Statement shots (babies dressed as a different person/object)