1. First, be patient. Babies do not follow any rules. If he is crying, then stop and pick him up and wait until later. The best time to take pictures is after your baby has been fed and rested. Some of the most beautiful photographs are taken while your baby is sleeping.

2. Set up your mini photo studio. Lay the baby on a solid  colored blanket and stay away from patterns. You want all the attention to be on your baby, so things in the background and busy blankets can be distracting. Clear everything out of the way in the background and dress baby in simple clothing, or no clothing at all.

3. Get down on her level. Don't try to stand up and take pictures pointing down at your baby. You won't get eye contact and will miss the cute expressions. Fill the camera screen up with her face and zoom in on her tiny hands and feet.

4. Focus! Nothing ruins a photograph more than one not in focus. Nearly all digital cameras have an auto-focus feature and this is done by pressing down the shutter button halfway. Once you do you will see your image on the lcd screen or through the viewfinder focus itself. Once focused, press the rest of the way down on the shutter button.

5. Turn off the flash! Using your flash shows every imperfection, and makes the subject appear flat and dull. Set up your studio near a large window, in front of a door or even outside. Get as much natural light as you can so you do not need to use your flash. Use trial and error if you have to by setting up a doll or family pet, take some pictures using the natural light and see how they turn out. If they are blurry, you may need more light.

6. Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more! The best thing about digital cameras is you can keep shooting the same shot over and over. Don't give up after a couple shots, just keep on taking the same picture, try different angles, zoom in or zoom out. Just relax and have fun!