The first year goes by fast, and each month the baby looks a little different. One steady photo every month is the simplest way to keep that change. In this article you will find how to shoot, what to photograph each month, what to do when you missed a month, and how to turn it all into a film.
Why photograph the baby every month in the same place?
When the background stays the same, the eye focuses on what changes: the baby. The same blanket, the same armchair or the same teddy bear next to the baby becomes a measuring stick. In the first month the teddy is bigger than the baby, and by month twelve the baby is hugging it or trying to climb it.
This idea works especially well in a growing-up film. In a film like this the photos flow into one another in one continuous motion, and it is not a slideshow or a fade from one photo to the next. When the background is similar from photo to photo, you see the baby truly grow before your eyes. You can read more about the growing-up film on this page.
How do I take the monthly photo?
You do not need a professional camera. A regular phone is enough, as long as you keep a few steady habits:
Choose one fixed element. A blanket in a clear color, an armchair, or one toy that will stay with the baby all year. Decide on it already in the first month.
Shoot at the same time of day and in the same light. Daylight by a window gives a soft, sharp photo. Strong light from above creates shadows on the face.
Keep the same angle. If you shot from above while the baby was lying down, keep doing so when the baby sits. You can mark for yourself where you stood.
Add a sign for the month. A card with the month number, a sticker on the outfit or letters on the blanket. That way it is always clear which photo belongs to which month.
Take many frames. Babies move. Ten photos in a row will give you at least one where the face is sharp and the eyes are open.
Choose a calm moment. After a feeding or after a nap, the baby is usually in a better mood for a photo.
Set a reminder. A phone reminder on the day the baby was born, every month, saves you from many missing months.
Which photos should I take each month?
Beyond the steady photo, you can take one more photo each month of something new. The table below is only ideas. Every baby develops at their own pace, and it is perfectly fine if the moments come in a different order for you.
| Month | The steady photo | An idea for an extra photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | On the blanket, close to the toy | A tiny hand holding a parent's finger |
| 2 | On the blanket | First smile |
| 3 | On the blanket | On the tummy, lifting the head |
| 4 | On the blanket | Grabbing a toy with both hands |
| 5 | On the blanket | Laughing, playing with the feet |
| 6 | On the blanket | Sitting with help, a first taste of food |
| 7 | On the blanket | Sitting alone |
| 8 | On the blanket | Crawling or rolling toward something |
| 9 | On the blanket | Standing with the help of furniture |
| 10 | On the blanket | Clapping, waving goodbye |
| 11 | On the blanket | First steps, or steps holding a hand |
| 12 | On the blanket | With the birthday cake |
It is also worth photographing the people around. A photo with a grandfather, a grandmother, a brother or a sister adds warmth to the film, as long as the baby is clearly visible in it.
What if I missed a few months?
It happens to almost everyone, especially in the first months. There are a few simple solutions:
- Look in your phone's gallery. There is almost always a photo from a nearby date. Even if the background is different, a sharp photo from the right month is better than a hole in the sequence.
- Ask the family. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and friends take many photos, and sometimes they have exactly the photo that is missing.
- Choose photos where the baby looks similar. The same pose or a similar angle to the steady photos helps the sequence continue naturally.
- You can also skip. A film of 10 or 11 months still tells the whole story. Viewers see a baby growing, and they do not count months.
And if you only started in the middle of the year, do not give up. Use photos from the gallery for the first months, and continue from now on with the steady photo.
How do I show the film at the first birthday party?
12 photos make a minute of film, and a minute is exactly the right length for a party of small children. Guests do not have time to lose focus, and the parents have time to be moved. If you also chose extra photos from each month, a 2-minute film is still a comfortable length.
The best moment to play it is usually right before the cake. Everyone gathers anyway, and the film leads straight into the moment of blowing out the candle. You download the full film in HD, in 16:9 and with no watermark, so you can play it from a computer, a TV, a projector or a USB drive. If the party is outdoors, it is worth checking the screen and the speaker ahead of time. We have a full guide to showing a video at an event.
At GrowingTale you can add to the film an opening with a dedication, music from the library or a song you upload yourself, and a closing note. If you are not sure what to write, we collected dedication examples.
How do I turn the film into a gift for the grandparents?
For grandparents, the first year sometimes passes from a distance, in photos that arrive now and then. A film that shows the whole year in one run is a gift they will return to again and again.
A few ideas that work:
- Write them a personal dedication in the opening. Something simple like "To Grandma and Grandpa, my first year" already turns the film into their gift.
- Put the film on a USB drive. Many grandparents prefer to plug it into the TV and watch it on a big screen.
- Include a photo with them. If there is a photo of the baby in a grandparent's arms, it can be the extra photo for one of the months.
- Make a second version. You can make another film from the same photos, with a different dedication for each set of grandparents.
If you are torn between a film and a printed album, we wrote a comparison of the two.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to photograph on exactly the same day each month?
No. A few days before or after will not change anything in the film. What matters more is the same background, the same light and a sharp photo of the face.
Can I make a film if we only have regular phone photos, without a steady monthly photo?
Yes. A growing-up film also works with regular photos from the gallery. Just choose one or two photos from each month in which the baby is clearly visible.
What if in some of the photos the parents are holding the baby?
That is fine. Photos with several people can work nicely, as long as in most photos the baby is the one who is clearly visible.
How long does it take to get the film?
The free preview, the first 2 animations with no credit card, arrives within a few minutes. The full film is usually ready 10 to 20 minutes after payment, depending on the length.
Do the baby's photos stay private?
Yes. The photos are not shown publicly, and they are handled according to the site's privacy policy.
How much does a first-year film cost?
A 1-minute film from 12 photos costs ₪79.90, and a 2-minute film from 24 photos costs ₪159.90. There is an exact package for any number of photos in between.
