Back in the day, when a baby was born, the news was usually spread by telephone, often beginning with the grandparents. We’ve come a long way since the days when the whole family had to wait outside the delivery room for news, and today, most parents send out printed birth announcements to share the happy news of their little one’s arrival.
And while the classic photo of a sleeping, angelic newborn is always a good choice for a birth announcement many parents are getting more creative with their baby photos in the house to make the recipients smile, laugh, or ooh and aah over the new arrival. From funny and clever to just plain adorable, here are a few creative photo ideas to inspire your baby stationery.
The Dog Did It
When you have pets, chances are the arrival of your baby is bound to elicit some interesting reactions, ranging from curiosity to bewilderment to resigned acceptance. These reactions can create some great photos, allowing you to share your news from your pet’s perspective. Incorporate your four-legged friends into the photo shoot or design your announcement so it appears to be coming from your pet. Use clever wording to indicate your pet’s feelings about the baby.
If you don’t have pets, or want a different twist on this idea, feature human siblings instead. Photos featuring natural reactions to a new baby brother or sister are always likely to make people laugh or pull on the heartstrings and sharing the news from a big brother or sister’s perspective is a fun take on the traditional birth announcement.
Use Props
Instead of adding your baby’s vital stats to the announcement with text, use some clever props to share information. Including calendars and clocks to show the date and time of birth, for instance, or using a scale to show weight, adds an interesting visual element to the announcement. Try placing your baby near other items to show his size in perspective. Props can also help you share other information; for instance, a stack of diapers to show the number of diaper changes per day or empty bottles to indicate a healthy appetite. Be creative, and experiment with different arrangements.
Show the Good – and the Not-So-Good
Everyone loves seeing babies looking calm and cute, but we also know that it’s not always snuggles and happy smiles. Give a glimpse into the reality of life with a newborn with photos of all her moods. For example, you might send out a double-sided announcement, with one side showing a happy and content newborn, the other side a less calm version. A photographer in Cheshire that specialises in newborn photos would be able to provide fun ideas with this concept.A collage style announcement with multiple photos featuring different expressions and moods is also a nice way to share your baby’s personality with the world. Don’t be afraid to show your newborn in all of her red-faced, angry glory – it might even increase offers of help. Best of all, all these photos can be compiled and can be turned into a photobook, preserving every tiny memory for the newborn baby.
Use Clever Backgrounds
Use the background of your photo to your advantage as a way to share the information about your baby. For instance, take your baby’s photo against a neutral or plain background, like a solid colored blanket and then add typography or doodles to add details or information. If your baby strikes a pose, try some clever doodling to put him in an unexpected situation, like a party. Using a plain background also allows you to use photo editing software to easily turn the announcement into something clever, like a movie-poster style design or an album cover.
Another option for making the most of the background is to use a chalkboard to list the vital stats. Pose your little one on the board with the information surrounding her for a trendy design.
Do Double Duty
Finally, save time by letting your baby’s clothing do double duty in the photo. Try ordering a custom onesie that features all of the vital information, for instance. Or, use one of the ubiquitous “Hello, My Name Is…” name tags to introduce your new arrival. If you’re including siblings in the photo, have them wear custom shirts with numbers to indicate birth order, or dress them in coordinating T-shirts with funny phrases.
Again, there’s nothing wrong with opting for a traditional style baby announcement, but if you want to surprise and delight your friends and family, try one of these unique and modern photo ideas.
