Many readers have asked here, on Flickr, and on Facebook how we produce the weekly photos that document Clara’s first year. After answering several of you individually, we decided a concise how-to post would be helpful for anyone wondering how we get images like these. We love step-by-step tutorials, and documenting family photos can absolutely double as DIY art and decor—especially when framed or compiled into a coffee table book, which we plan to do.
We’re not professional photographers, master Photoshop users, or veteran baby wranglers. Still, after a few months of shooting Clara on a fabric background and adding her age to her onesie in post-production, we’ve developed a reliable process that produces consistent, pleasing results.
- Clara wears a plain white onesie (so far the same one, though she’ll outgrow it eventually). We add the text in Photoshop rather than using a physical prop.
- We use about one yard of fabric for each shot, which keeps the project affordable and simple.
- We usually buy fabric at discount stores or use coupons to save money.
- Sometimes we use fabric we already have—blankets, pillowcases, or remnant pieces—so background costs can be zero.
- We shoot in the evening (around 5:30–6:30 p.m.) when the light is indirect. This avoids harsh shadows and keeps Clara from squinting.
- We take the photos in our sunroom because it gets the most natural light. If you don’t have a sunroom, use a blanket outside in the early evening for similar results.
- We use a DSLR and have been learning how to use it with tips from other hobbyist photographers.
- To keep color consistent week-to-week, we white balance the camera against Clara’s white onesie before we begin. Most DSLR cameras have a custom white balance setting for this.
- We typically shoot 75–100 frames to ensure we capture the right expression and pose—baby photo projects require a bit of patience.
Once we’ve taken our shots, the next step is selecting a single favorite image. We sort through the photos, deleting the unusable frames and flagging the keepers until one stands out. We try to choose a photo that represents Clara at that age while also offering variety from previous weeks’ compositions.
After selecting the winning image, we open it in Photoshop. Our basic editing routine includes cropping and slight exposure adjustments, and sometimes smoothing out fabric wrinkles that an iron missed using the Healing Brush or Clone Stamp. These small fixes help the final image feel clean and polished without extensive retouching.
Next we add the text that indicates Clara’s age. We usually copy the text layer from the prior week’s file to keep style consistent. For those starting from scratch, we use a bold, rounded number within a subtle circle and a simple sans-serif for words like “weeks.” Once the text is placed, we rotate and position it to follow the angle of Clara’s body so it looks natural.
We pick the text color by sampling a hue from the fabric background with the Color Picker so the image feels coordinated. Occasionally we select a complementary accent color when the fabric calls for a contrasting pop.
The main trick that makes the text appear printed on the onesie is a combination of layer blending and opacity adjustments. We set the text layer to Multiply and reduce the opacity to roughly 60–80% depending on the color’s saturation. This allows the lettering to pick up the onesie’s subtle highlights and shadows so it blends convincingly. Sometimes the color needs a small tweak afterward so it doesn’t look washed out.
This approach subtly integrates the text with the fabric texture, creating the illusion that the design was actually printed on the onesie. If the fabric or onesie is wrinkled, additional transforms, chopping, or warping can help the text follow those folds. That technique takes practice, so a smooth onesie makes the process easier.
And that’s it—finished!
Now that we’re several weeks into a year-long photo project, we’re excited to collect all 52 images and eventually print them in a bound book for our coffee table and a few proud grandparents. We think Clara will enjoy looking back on her weekly growth and expressions when she’s older. You can view larger versions of our recent photos on Flickr, where we upload the current weekly image.
As for the fabric we’re collecting, we haven’t decided on a final use—quilt, baby clothes, or other keepsakes are all possibilities. Lately we’ve thought about making an eclectic banner or bunting that could be reused for birthday parties or future annual photos, celebrating her first year of growth and the fabrics that marked it.
We hope this photo play-by-play helps anyone aiming to document a child, pet, or home project with a similar method. We’d love to hear about other creative approaches you’ve seen or used to record milestones—feel free to share ideas or projects that inspired you.
PS: If you want a similar look without Photoshop, there are companies that sell removable monthly milestone stickers that can be applied directly to clothing as an easy alternative.