Taking photos of eczema babies and children

Baby eczema typically takes hold just as little ones are starting to reach all those photogenic milestones of sitting up, crawling and sofa surfing. It’s only now that Zoë (who is, so far, eczema free) is doing these things that we are realising just how few photos of Max (the inspiration for ScratchSleeves) we have at a similar age. While we don’t need reminding of how sore his face was, it would have been really nice to have a record of some of those key moments. So please, keep taking photos even when your baby is covered in eczema.

In conjunction with our friends at Rare Moments Photography, we have put together our top tips for taking photos of scratchy little ones:

• Just go for it and ignore the sore skin. Eczema is part of their story and their smile will shine through.
• Try action shots rather than portraits. Back views of disappearing crawlers and toddlers tell their own story.
• While it won’t make for a technically great photograph, taking photos when your baby’s face is in the shadow will disguise the sore skin.
• Take close-ups of hands and feet doing things. In Zoë’s case, it’s usually hands removing socks, while with Max it’s an upturned palm with something yucky from the garden, snails are a favourite.
• If your little one is starting on solids or learning to use a spoon, you’ll find that the baby food and yoghurt does a great job up covering up their eczema.
• For the technically minded, try opening up the aperture and focusing on hands or feet, any scratches on the face should be nicely disguised by the shallow depth of field.

If you want portraits (and who doesn’t), professional photographers have an armoury of techniques up their sleeves.

Get your phone (or camera) out and try our top tips for photographing eczema babies and children today!

Here at ScratchSleeves, we don’t just share our experiences of bringing up an eczema child (and favourite allergy-friendly recipes), we also manufacture and sell our unique stay-on scratch mitts and PJs for itchy babies, toddlers and children. We now stock sizes from 0-adult years in a range of colours. Visit our webshop for more information.