Capturing #BabyMoments With The Help Of Canon Canada [+ Giveaway!]

Photo taken with the Canon SL1
Photo taken with the Canon SL1

Just so ya know: This post was created in partnership with Canon Camera. 

If you're ever lucky enough to pay a visit to my Mom's house, it's an inevitable fact that at some point in your stay, she'll pull out a photo album and start sharing pics of yours truly - the good, the bad, and the ugly. While I loved being her photography muse, I never really understood the joys of snapping a zillion pics of one sole subject until my Little Magician came along. With the help of my trusty iPhone and Instagram filters, I've been able to capture some pretty cute shots - but thanks to the good folks at Canon Canada, LM and I are taking our photo sessions up a notch!

I recently received the new Canon SL1 camera kit (complete with 40mm and 18-55mm lenses and other goodies) and was introduced to Baby Moments - Canon's new Facebook app. Created with the assistance of Stephanie Robin - an award-winning baby photographer - Baby Moments offers awesome photography tips to help you capture your baby in the best light! Dividing baby's first year into quarters, Baby Moments gives you a variety of pose options and clear, simple steps to help you get professional-looking pics of your little one.

Could the SL1 really make this self-professed smartphone addict choose it over the instant gratification of my trusty iPhone? In short, YES.

The SL1 is a compact and common-sense camera - I've played with other similar models and found them too bulky or too complex to really enjoy. It's easy to toss into a bag and go, which I really like. I also love the numerous shot settings, touch screen capabilities, and guidebooks that came with the kit, which helped me to navigate the camera quite easily.

After tinkering around with the camera and choosing looks from Baby Moments (Little Magician straddled the 0-3 and 4-6 month categories), I had fun capturing some awesome shots:

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In Your Arms: LM and I (aka Puppy Baby and Afro Kitty) posed for a series of Hallowe'en shots and had photoshoot fun in between the handing out of candy.

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Tiny Details: This girl has hair. LOTS of hair. Her grandma went to town putting in cute little comb twists, and I had to catch a pic!

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Baby Portrait: Umm. She's cute. I know all parents say that about their babies, but...she's mad cute. Tummy time sessions often end in tears, but this time it ended like this!

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Favourite Toy: Sophie the Giraffe is the Beyonce of LM's world. Seriously - she cannot get enough.

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Big Smile: When her belly is full, her diaper is clean, and her nap has been had, Little Magician has smiles and laughs for days.  I also took some quick video of her with the SL1 to capture her giggles - there's absolutely nothing like that sound.

Now, I'm no professional and I'm still learning how to work my way around getting even better shots - but I'm loving the results with the SL1! My smartphone is awesome, but the quality of the Canon can't be beat. There's something I love about holding the camera in my hands, adjusting the lens, and capturing the essence of Little Magician in high resolution. If it's true that we become our parents, I'm well on my way to becoming that mom who pulls out the photo album when LM's friends come to visit.

Canon's really done a great job with the specs of the SL1 and with the creation of the Baby Moments app, but they didn't stop there! Digital copies of photos are wonderful, but there's something to be said about the value of tangible copies of those memories. Canon has given me a Selphy CP910 Wireless Compact Photo printer to give away, and I'm so excited!

via Canon Canada
via Canon Canada

Simply put, the Selphy allows you to print beautiful photos from your smartphone or tablet (compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows RT mobile devices) wirelessly! Printing photos in the comfort of your own home - or anywhere, since the Selphy is so lightweight and compact - has never been easier!

To win the Selphy printer (open to readers in Canada and the U.S.):

1. Comment below and tell me why you want to win the Selphy

OR

2. Click to tweet this message: "#CanonCanada & @BeeSince83 are giving away a Selphy wireless photo printer! Visit thebrownsugamama.com for details! #BabyMoments"

Want a bonus entry? Comment AND tweet!

I'll announce the winner next week - good luck!

Canon Canada's website

Canon's Facebook page

Canon's Pinterest board