American Baby Magazine Offers Photography Tips for Submitting to Free Baby Photo Contest

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- With the American Baby magazine's free baby photo contest in full swing, the editors are offering digital photography tips on what to do and what not to do when capturing pictures of babies from three months to 24 months. From now until March 31, proud parents can enter the baby photo contest by uploading their babies' photos, which must have been taken within one month of entry for babies under one year and within three months of entry for children over one year.

The five finalists of the online baby contest will participate in a New York photo shoot, and the grand prize winner's photo will appear on the cover of the August 2010 issue of American Baby. The photos must have been taken by a non-professional and not have won any previous award. The official rules are posted on the American Baby website.

American Baby editors offer these photography tips:

1. Remember how professionals get all those gorgeous shots? They take lots and lots of shots to get that one good one, so take a ton of photos.
2. Photo judges don't really take to cranky babies, so capture your child in a happy moment – not too posed – so it reflects your baby's personality.
3. Don't cover up the beautiful little one – no big hats or towels, just the cute baby will do fine!
4. Simple backgrounds are best. Try to remove clutter so that the focus of the picture is your adorable baby.
5. Often times the best shots are taken spontaneously, so keep your camera handy during this period.

After the baby photo contest ends on March 31, there are three rounds of judging. Around April 20, 10 semi-finalists are selected and asked to submit five additional photos of the child, which must be taken between April 9 and April 28. Approximately 10 days after that, the panel of judges selects five finalists, who are then invited to New York for an American Baby photo shoot to take place in mid-May. On approximately June 25, the grand prize winner is selected, and the parents are notified that their baby will be on the cover of the August issue.  

Visit http://www.parents.com/photos/photo-contests-1/ab-cover-contest-2010/ by March 31 to enter the contest.

Moms are invited to join American Baby readers for conversation and tips at: http://www.facebook.com/americanbabymag

About American Baby

From the moment a woman knows she is pregnant, through her child's preschool years, she turns to the leader, American Baby. It is the #1 brand for expecting and new moms, providing nearly six million women with everything they need to know about pregnancy, family wellness, juvenile products, beauty, home and more. American Baby understands that readers are bright, vibrant, multi-faceted women - who just happen to be new moms. Their changing bodies and roles create a new set of personal care needs and information demands. American Baby is a mom's best resource.

SOURCE American Baby magazine