Every new parent's camera roll looks the same: twenty burst shots of one expression, five takes of the same roll-over. When the first birthday comes and it's time to make a video, opening the album is tiring before anything has begun. With a baby video, the time goes into choosing, not cutting. Get the choosing right and the rest is simple.
Fix the length so you know how much to pick
For a video played at a first-birthday party, three to four minutes is right. With photos on screen for three to four seconds and clips for five to eight, that's about 30 to 40 photos and 10 to 15 clips. Knowing the number makes it easier to let go.
Choosing from thousands of files
- Go month by month. Three to five of the best from each month is enough. The phone album already sorts by date.
- Put "firsts" first. First smile, first roll, first time sitting, first solid food, first steps, first word.
- One from each burst. The sharp one with bright eyes.
- Pick clips with sound. Laughter and babbling will matter more than the picture later.
- Include family. A video of the baby alone feels cooler; add photos with parents and grandparents.
Put the chosen files in a new album or folder and rename them by month: 01-1, 01-2, 02-1.
Common ways to arrange it
- Chronological: from the pregnancy or the day of birth, month by month. The clearest way to show growing up.
- By theme: eating, sleeping, playing, family. Good when there is a lot of material and the mood is light.
- Then and now: the same pose in the same place, newborn and one year old. Lovely if you have been taking them.
Filming day to day so it edits well later
- Hold the phone sideways for video. Vertical clips leave black bars on a TV or projector.
- Take one photo each month in the same place from the same angle; in a year you have a ready-made comparison.
- Stay quiet for a few seconds while filming instead of calling the baby's name throughout.
- Back up regularly. These can't be re-shot; see backing up video footage.
Before you hand it over
Upload the chosen photos and clips to a cloud folder and tell us the baby's name, birthday, where the video will be played, and any words or music style you'd like. See how to provide footage. You can also send everything and let us choose; more material simply means more sorting time, which is reflected in the assessment. Examples are on the first-birthday portfolio page.
FAQ
Is phone footage good enough?
Yes. Recent phones look very good in decent light. Clips from dim rooms are noisier, so the brighter ones are the better choice.
Can iPhone Live Photos be used?
Yes, that second or two of movement is charming. Send the original files, not screenshots.
Can footage from the party itself be included?
Not in the video played at the party, which has to be finished beforehand. A longer keepsake version can be made afterwards.
