Now that the baby has arrived, everyone is clamoring for pictures. But when you take pictures with your flash camera, the baby just does not look like the beautiful baby you see before you. Here are some tips to take some natural photos of your newborn that can be used for an artistic birth announcement.

- You can use a film camera or a digital camera, but use the best camera available to you that is easy for you to use. If you are using a film camera, you may want to use black and white film, at least 800 ISO. If you are using a digital camera, you can turn the pictures black&white on the computer later, or at via your online printing service.

- The flash needs to be turned off! Using window light to photograph your newborn baby will result in a beautiful soft look that will truly capture your babies features. Find a window that has good strong indirect light coming through. You do not want direct sun light. Morning light has a great quality and it is often a great time for your newborn if that works for your space.

- Simple is always better, so remove visual clutter. Use a white sheet or solid colored blankets under the baby so that the look is simple, classic and totally focused on the baby.

- Photograph newborns without clothing for the best, most organic results. You can keep on the diapers if they do not have a bunch of cartoons on them, or you can use a diaper cover or fabric to cover the diaper.

- Turn the baby towards the light so that their face and body are well lit by the natural light. Look through the camera and take pictures, trying to fill the frame of the camera with baby and solid colored blankets. Avoid any additional clutter or items in the background. Do not shoot with the window as the background - look at the light on the baby and take your pictures where the baby is well lit.

- Take pictures from all different angles. Talk to the baby to try to get them to look into the camera for some of the images, but do not focus on trying to get the baby to smile. Just sing and coo and work on getting different expressions and features of your newborn.

- Sleeping babies make great subjects. If the baby falls, no problem just continue shooting. Sometimes when they are sleeping it is the best time to get pictures of the feet and hands which tend to move non-stop when they are awake.

- While you are photographing, take lots and lots of pictures. The more you take, the more you are likely to find ones you will like. Take full body shots from different angles, half body shots, close ups of faces, hands, feet, wrinkly shoulders, fuzzy hair lines, etc

- When it is time to develop the images - whether on your computer or at the lab, develop your pictures and then sit down and go through them, looking with an artistic eye to choose the ones that capture the baby that you see, and this time in your life which will pass so quickly. Choose the best ones for an artistic birth announcement.