There is no better way to announce the birth of your baby than with photo birth announcements. To get started, the first thing you will need to do is take the actual picture that you will send out to all your friends and relatives. This will save you time and money, and you can keep your newborn in the comfort of your own home rather than going to a professional. If you go this route, put your camera on its highest resolution setting, which will make sure your picture is focused and clear. One thing to consider when you are taking pictures for your photo birth announcements is your lighting.
First things first, check the lighting in your home, and figure out which shades you need to pull down or leave. You might need to use the flash on your camera, but it is best to take a few with and a few without, just in case.
When editing pictures for photo birth announcements, look at the contrast ratio, cropping and color to see what you might need to change. Many programs will let you change the picture to black and white or sepia tones, if that is closer to the look you are wanting.
Cropping your photo is the next step. Typically photos work better for photo birth announcements when they are close ups or from the chest up, rather than full body shots. These close ups capture the details that make your baby unique, which set your announcement apart.
When you have everything squared away for your picture, the next thing on your agenda will be to choose a design and layout for your announcement. You will want a design that works hand in hand with your picture, so be sure to keep your picture at hand, so that you can make informed decisions.
If you chose a sepia toned picture, then you might want to stay away from a brown background when choosing photo birth announcements. In fact, you will want to avoid a monochrome color scheme, as this not only washes out the announcement, but it is also hard to match the colors in your picture and the printing of your announcement.
While you do not want to create monochromatic photo birth announcements, it is still a good idea to use colors from your photo and incorporate these accents into your announcement. These accent colors can tie the whole thing together, and give your announcements a professional feel. The way to make this successful is to choose an accent color, rather than a dominant color that will wash everything out.
If you ultimately decide to go with a black and white photo, then it is best to use cooler colors as a background, such as blue. Warmer colors tend to make black and white pictures look somewhat dingy, so yellow creates a dirty look. Blues make black and white photos look crisp and clean. When you combine all these tips, you will create beautiful photo birth announcements that no one will ever want to throw away.