Book Review: Baby Face by Barbara Smith
Baby Face: Celebrating Your Pregnancy and Baby with Beautiful Photo Crafts, by Barbara Smith, is from Watson-Guptill Publications. Smith is a wedding and portrait photographer based out of Los Angeles, and also the author of The Art and Craft of Keepsake Photography: Engagements & Weddings: How to Take Perfect Photos and Make Perfect Invitations, Announcements, Albums, Thank You Notes & More .
As you might expect from a book whose author is foremost a photographer, the pages of Baby Face are full of inspiring eye candy: beautiful photographs, and photo-based projects. (Disclaimer: This book makes use of artistic nudity in its photography of pregnant women. If you were offended by Demi Moore's famous Vanity Fair cover while she was pregnant, you will probably not like this book.) If you are pregnant, have friends who are pregnant, or are a photographer who regularly takes pictures of mothers-to-be, this book will almost certainly stretch your creative boundaries. The photography techniques include both ideas for during a photo session and for in the "digital darkroom" of photo editing afterward. (The photography tips aren't only limited to pregnant women, either - there are also tips for taking beautiful portraits of babies and older children.)
In fact, there is a lot of digital hybrid content in this book. Most of the suggested projects rely at least somewhat on digital techniques and provide step-by-step instructions on how to complete them. The projects include ideas on how to use photos in everything from baby announcements and gift thank yous to baby shower accessories and photo albums. And while the project ideas are illustrated with newborn pictures and baby shower examples, it is easy to imagine the techniques being applied to other events and topics.
If you like to get "artsy" with your photography and your papercrafting, and you like to use your photos for more than just for scrapbook pages, you will love Baby Face. It inspires and teaches at the same time...a wonderful combination.
