Picture Perfect: 8 Tips for Great Baby and Child Photos

Instead of taking all your pictures in the same format, think in terms of filling your image area with meaning, recommends Horton. "If the child is standing up, turn the camera. And move closer. Fill the viewfinder with meaningful content." Steffen agrees, adding that parents shouldn't be afraid to zoom in. "You know you love their little feet—so capture them," she says.

Consider perspective, as well. For example, if the child is lying down, get at his or her level. "It makes the image more appealing," Horton explains. Another fun technique is to place your child off-center in the frame, suggests Steffen.

Whenever possible, use lots of natural light when photographing. If it's not necessary to use the flash, don't, says Theis. Instead, move to another place, like outside or to a room with lots of windows, so that natural light will fill the picture. When Theis takes photos of his grandchildren, he moves everyone into a sunroom so that the natural light illuminates the pictures, giving the photographs a softer look.

But be careful, admonishes Korona. A big mistake people make is photographing a person in front of bright window. "You'll get an underexposed photo and won't be able to see the person's face," he says, recommending that parents instead position the subject against a medium-toned background.