"Now more than ever, parents want to preserve the precious early years of their child’s life in pictures – not with the stuffy, formal poses of yesteryear but with fresh, stylish images that would grace any contemporary home.

Professionals and amateurs alike need new ideas, and this book has them in abundance. There’s guidance on finding alternative angles, unique props and unusual poses. There’s specific advice on taking great photos at every stage of a new life, from pregnancy through to the first birthday and first steps. The author even shares his hard-won experience of capturing youngsters’ full range of expressions – from love to sadness, play to concentration.

Examples demonstrate how particular camera settings helped achieved the results. Where the photography has had a bit of help from Photoshop, there are step-by-step workthroughs making it easy to replicate the effect. Finally, the book is rounded off with a comprehensive chapter on displaying pictures to best effect – as prints, on the Internet or even as an interactive DVD."