It’s not easy to get great photos of your kids. They are constantly on the move, they haven’t quite perfected the art of smiling and your house is cluttered with so much crap, it seems like the mess in the background is always distracting from the subject.
What’s a mom to do?
I have a suggestion. Take some photos of your kids during bath time. They are contained, usually against a simple white background and if your kids are anything like mine, there are many smiles to be found.
Baths are some of the most joyous and imaginative moments I have witnessed, especially when Mazzy and Harlow take a bath together. They splash around, play mermaid, beg for more bubbles, have tea parties on the ledge and love to pour water on each other’s heads.
Last month, I attended a seminar given by JOHNSON’S® that showcased their new global campaign, SO MUCH MORE™, and how multi-sensory opportunities in your bath time ritual could aid in your baby’s development. I learned that bath time is about touch (infants who experience routine touch and massage are 50% more likely to make eye contact) and smell (familiar scents have been shown to improve mood and alertness). According to research, bath time activities, like playing with bubbles, can help with hand-eye coordination and show babies that items exist even when they can’t be seen.
I find bath time to be one of the more low stress parenting moments since the kids are totally occupied. I can play with them and use it as an opportunity for some great mommy-daughter time, or I can let them play together while I casually observe.
Until the actual washing part— they both still need my help with that.
While they play in the water, I love snapping a few photos. They can’t run away, they’re in a bright clean environment and they are almost always doing something adorable.
Here are a few tricks for taking creative bath time photos, along with some of my favorite bath time photos on Instagram. Thank you to the people who let me use their photos— I encourage you all to follow and get inspired by these great photographers!
1) Shoot from down low
If you want to make sure your kids are decently covered in their bath time photos (so they don’t haunt them later), the best way to do this is to get down on the floor and shoot up. This obstructs your kids’ bodies with the side of the tub and puts the focus mainly on their little faces.
Photo: @mommyshorts on Instagram
2) Leave a lot of white space
Bath time photos often look best when the bathroom is all white. Don’t be afraid to crop the photo so that you leave a lot of tiles above your children’s heads.
Photo: @haleykjar on Instagram
3) All that white space is a great opportunity for some color
Don’t worry about removing bath toys and towels from the shot. Often, they make for great pops of color.
Photo: @littlemissparty on Instagram
4) Try an aerial shot
Hold onto your camera extra tight for this one, but some of my favorite bath time photos have been when I am holding onto my smart phone precariously over the water. You can get some great angles of your little mermaids this way.
Photo: @churchill_chris on Instagram
6) Just Add bubbles
Bubbles make kids smile, look great in photos and are another way to cover up.
Photo: @samanthapierson on Instagram
Plus, they can make for some really fun framing.
Photo: @mommyshorts on Instagram
7) Use the ledge
If your kids are anything like mine, they like to line up all their toys on the ledge of the tub. These often make for some really fun photos.
Photo: @mommyshorts on Instagram
Try playing with perspective.
Photo: @mommyshorts on Instagram
8) Go black and white
I don’t know why, but bath time photos often look great in black and white. If you don’t have a pop of color and everything is white and skin tones, try seeing what happens when you take out all the color altogether.
Photo: @ruffledsnob on Instagram
9) Stick as many kids in the tub as possible
Twins, siblings, cousins… more kids means more expressions, often bigger smiles and your best chance of getting a framer.
Photo: @micharlivy on Instagram
10) Do some crazy hair stuff
The fun is just beginning when the shampoo makes an appearance. If you work the lather just right, you can create mohawks, pompadours, and unicorns.
Photo: @popsicleblog on Instagram
Photo: @bart_vrdrn on Instagram
I like to call this one the “Harlicorn”.
Photo: @mommyshorts on Instagram
Today, I’m giving away a JOHNSON’S® prize pack with their signature Baby Shampoo & Conditioner, HEAD-TO-TOE® Wash, NO MORE TANGLES® detangling spray, Baby Bubble Bath, Baby Soothing Vapor Rub, Calming Lavender scented Baby Shampoo and JOHNSON’S® Baby Powder.
JOHNSON’S® has the only baby shampoo with the NO MORE TEARS® formula, which is as gentle to your baby’s eyes as pure water. It leaves hair looking shiny, feeling soft and smelling fresh. In 2014, JOHNSON’S® transformed their products to remove formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and reduce traces of 1,4 dioxane. The newly reformulated JOHNSON’S® Baby Shampoo is also paraben-free. For more information about the brand and its product offerings, visit www.johnsonsbaby.com.
Just tell me your baby’s favorite part of the bath time ritual in the comments below.
I’ll pick a winner on Friday!
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UPDATE: Congrats to Alison Cupernall, whose girls pretend that they are making milkshakes in the tub, Janine, whose daughter likes to play “Naked Parade” on the way to the bathroom, and Jenny, whose kids like to play with the bubbles in the bath! You have each won a JOHNSON’S® Prize Pack. Please contact abby@mommyshorts.com to claim your prize!
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This post was sponsored by Johnson’s Baby, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. To learn more about the SO MUCH MORE™ campaign and JOHNSON’S® Global Bath Time Report, follow #SoMuchMore and visit www.johnsonsbabycare.com/somuchmore.
My 2 year old’s favorite part of bath time is when I wash his feet. I always tickle them at the end.
My son’s favorite part is pulling the plug out continuously and trying to stick his feet and hands down the drain. He has even started to get down with his face as close as possible, so he can look down the drain. Of course I have to keep the tap running because he doesn’t leave the plug in! Haha. So much for all those expensive bath toys!
My 8 month old has discovered the art of the ‘Fully Body Splash.’ Laying on his back, he will bouncy that body up and down, creating a splash zone to rival Sea World.
My son loves playing with bubbles in the tub!
My daughter loves to pretend she’s a mermaid with hair floating all around her just like in the photo above. We then pretend that we have just come upon a mermaid and make a big show of asking her for a mermaid kiss. She squeals every time!
My son loves blowing bubbles in the water
Making the slight incline on the foot of the tub a water slide! This always has them cracking up and me throwing more towels on the floor to dry the tidal waves.
My 3 year old absolutely loves the game lets splash mommy! Thinks it’s hilarious, I play along because it’s harmless and so darn cute!
Our favorite routine for the bath has become bubbles. Our 2&1/2 year old wants bubbles all the time. I can’t wait until little sister (joining in june) is big enough to share bathtime together! It will be a soecial memory for sure!!
My daughter Heidi loves to paint with foam or bath paint all over the walls of the tub and then uses the shower sprayer to help clean up :). She will be 3 in April.
My three definitely enjoy dumping water on each other’s heads. My little one (almost 2) likes to drink water out of the spout as I’m filling the tub.
POPPING BUBBLES!!
My kids love playing with cups!filling them, emptying them, transferring water from one to another or just banging them together!
My daughter’s favorite part about bath time is playing with her cups. She loves to fill them up and pour them out. She especially loves to splash me.
Splashing as much as possible! My husband calls it the hulk smash.
Our twins looooooove bath time! Especially the splashing! However, bubbles are the devil. Clearly, bubbles are some scary shit: http://carriescole.blogspot.com/2015/02/save-ducky.html
My 3 yr old loves bath time. She’d stay in all night if I let her! When it is time to get out, she loves to be the one to pull the plug and then i wrap her in a hot towel right out of the dryer (our laundry room is connected to her bathroom) and she always says “oh yeah, that’s JUUUST right!”
Love the photo of Mazzy looking up from the bubbles. we have one of my son like that and it is one of my favorites of him- head surrounded by bubbles.
If answering honestly, I’d have to say that my toddler’s favorite activity is drinking bathwater out of his many bath cups. Gross. Hopefully he stops and I can give him his cups back. Splashing water everywhere is his close second.
She loves playing with her hippo and splashing.
My son loves everything about the bath, but his favorite part is after he gets out and we wrap him up in a nice fluffy towel and call him a “kid burrito”. He’ll walk around the house saying things like “Oh no! The burrito had legs–it’s walking around the house!”
My eight month old is fascinated with the shower head. I hold it a few inches from her face and she reaches out to grab the falling water and just looks so perplexed when she can’t. Super adorable.
My littlest dude love water dumped on his head 🙂
My (almost) 2 year old daughter Charlotte loves all parts of bathtime. She yells “bathtime!” and says “see ya!” to her brothers after I tell her it’s time to get in the tub. Her least favorite part is when it’s time to get out of the tub.
My littlest loves bubbles – but only so she can immediately claim she didn’t want bubbles and pop them.
I love watching my son put his hands in the flow of water as it pours in. The look of wonder is adorable!
My girls like to slide the glass doors closed and throw cups of water at the glass. It splashes back at them and they think it’s just hilarious.
My 1 year old’s favorite part of bath time is getting out 🙂 we recently transitioned from the sink to the tub and she’s not totally sold yet, but we’re making progress!
My favorite part of bath time is the set of wall crayons that the kids can use.. They have a blast creating artwork and it is easy to clean up later!!
We are using little animal bath toys to teach Violet (13 months old) about different animals and the noises they make. At the of the bath every night, Violet says good night to each animal and kisses each one good night.
Me: Say good night to monkey.
Violet: mmmmwhau (and then kisses the monkey before putting it back her bath toy basket)
After doing that for her 12 animals, she then kisses her reflection in the tub drain lever good night.
It’s the cutest. Gives me butterflies every night.
My 4 yr old daughter’s favorite thing during bathtime is to pretend to be ariel and I have to be ursula 🙂
Great photos and tips! My kids love playing with cups and pouring water everywhere.
My 2 and 4yo girls take turns being the mermaid and the pirate complete with Johnsons no tearso shampoo for a patch! Haha
My 15 month old daughter does a “naked parade” on the way to the bathroom. She is so proud to be walking and I get a minute to check out her cute chubby legs. My little brother and I did naked parade when we were babies so we are carrying on the tradition 🙂
Pouring water on brothers head!!
My 16 month old likes to run away from the towel when I try to get her out of the bath. It usually wins her a few more minutes of bath time while i drain the tub to convince her that bath time is over.
Playing in bubbles. Usually with cars or planes. Loves to pretend the bubbles are clouds.
My 10 month old baby girl just loves to get a washcloth of her own and she’ll attempt to wash herself or wash me like I wash her, or try to wash the tube! Oh and she has great conversations with rubber duck!
My 2 yo little girl’s favorite part is filling her doll’s plastic milk bottle with the “milk” from the tub (bath foam) and squeezing it on my face she finds this really funny and laughs so much while I try to escape around the bath
Everything. Don’t think there’s one thing that’s not they’re favorite. They’d stay in there all day if I’d let them.
My 18 month old daughter went through some weird “Oh my God why are you putting me in this tub of death” stage. Now I can’t get her out of the bath. Lately my favorite thing she does is quack as soon as she gets in (this means “Give me my duck toy”).
My little guy (age 1) loves to have splah wars with us- the wetter we get, the more he laughs!
Getting her father soaking wet!!!
My 9 month old son plays so nicely in his bubbles until Mommy or Daddy trys to wash him then he very innocently proceeds to kick every last drop of water from his bath tub. And of course this is accompanied by non stop giggles!
Drinking bath water. Sigh.
We reenact the mermaid scene from Sofia the First, at every bath time! She plays Cora and Oona and Sven and I get to be Sofia! ❤
I’m still waiting for my little one to arrive (4 weeks to go!) but my niece loves sucking on the washcloth 😉
My daughter, Nora, (13mo) loves bath time no matter what horrors her little day has seen. But her all time favorite part is getting wrapped up in the towel at the end. We always let her see herself and give her reflection a high five. My husband starting call the girl in the mirror, Aron, (backwards Nora) so I don’t even know when she’ll figure out it’s herself over there. But for the meantime, seeing her snugly, wet friend after bath is her favorite part. Her smile when she sees Nora is the biggest ever.
My 2 year old loves looking at her face in the faucet!! She cracks up at how distorted she looks in her reflection.
My two year old loves dumping water. He’ll spend the entire bath time filling the bucket I use to rinse his hair and dump it on himself over and over and over again.
my son’s favorite time is when he gets to play after being rinsed off. He basically gets free range to make a splash zone and I usually equip myself with a towel for protection. It’s a pretty hilarious event. Our dog hates it…
jonathan is an aspiring mixologist at one and half…he loves lining up little bottles and cups along the tubs edge and filling each with water–some with bubbles some with water straight from the faucet!
Our 3 year old likes to play with her washcloth and scrub the walls of the tub. Too bad I can’t give her tub cleaner and multi-task!
My 6 month old loves to be Shamu in the tub. He waits until his baby bath is full and then he kicks his little legs until water sops over the edges. Sometimes he’s really serious about it and sometimes he giggles like crazy. But when the water gets low he stops and waits for me to fill it again! So cute!
My toddler likes to blow “raspberry” bubbles on the 10 month old… Then they both shriek with laughter!
Hunter loves floating on his back and pretending to fart! I squeeze little bubbles by his little booty and he thinks it’s hilarious.
Their favorite part is turning on the cold faucet on low and drinking and drinking like they’ve never drunk (drank?) before! Meanwhile, outside of the bathtub, when I offer them water they run from it like its acid. “I said miiiilllkkkk!!”
My one-year-old loves “practicing” for swimming lessons. She will kick and blow bubbles until the water is cold. She ends up drinking dirty bath water with almost every bubble attempt, but she is so proud of herself when she gets it!
my 22 mo. old likes to scoot around on his bum holding a foam shark saying, “Shark! Blub, blub!” He loves taking baths and when he is sick it’s the only place that calms him and makes him happy.
Letting him paint with shaving cream. I keep a few paint brushes in bath tub and a small bowl. Put a little shaving cream and he paints the tub. So much fun!!
My boys are 2 and 4, and they of course love bubbles and splashing, but they’re favorite part is picking which toy(s) they’re going to bring into the tub each night! Right now its all about hot wheels cars and action figures! 🙂
My daughter Evelyn is 9 months, and her favorite bath time activity is pulling her older brother’s head of beautiful golden curls! She just can’t help herself and screeches with joy every time! For Angelo, who is 2 years & 9 months, his favorite activity is to help wash sissygirl! He is such a good brother.
P.S. I never thought I’d need detangler for my son, but I do! 🙂
My daughter(4) and son (18 months) love making “smoothies” and “salad dressing” with different soaps, shampoo, bubbles and water. They stir it up and serve it to me. 🙂
We have recently discovered splashing.
Colored bath or bubbles!