first time taking baby pictures

[dk]

I am in need of some suggestions; please. I am shooting my friends baby girl tomorrow. We'll be indoors, winter and cold outside, shooting at about 1:30 p.m. Baby is only a couple of weeks old but mom wants them yesterday. Here is my equipment list: D70, SB600 (that I'm still trying to figure out how to use), 50mm f/1.8D AF, 18-70mm kit lens, tripod, and two homemade studio lights with homemade diffusers.

She is willing to pay me and so I'm sticking with my going rate (I usually do architectural, aerial, landscape, and some portraits on location at $75 USD per hour). I've not done much indoors so your thoughts will be invaluable.

Thanks a million.

dk
Spanish Fork Utah where it is very cold. Going to be +3 degree F tomorrow morning.

[myarhidia]

Hi DK,
with a baby 2 weeks old you are pretty much limited to the parents holding the baby in different positions. She is too young to sit up, and if you put her on her tummy, she wont be strong enough to lift her head. Lying her on her back wont give you much variety for shooting.

One technique you can use is a black background, get the parents to wear black clothes, and step up the aperature and rely on your lights so that the baby is highlighted & everything else is just a mass of black.

Of course, photo's including the parents will make them happy

You may want to get some ideas from this site http://newlifephotography.com.au/

Good Luck

[Aussie Dave]

I agree. You will be limted in what positions you can shoot the baby from, however if you look at it from a creative point of view, close-up shots of hands, feet etc (and compared to Mum/Dads feet & hands) can make for really great photos, and ones that will make the parents goo and gaa

Teddy Bears and the like, to be used as props might also be something to think about. Close head shots of Mum kissing baby, dad kissing baby, both kissing baby etc... Get the whole family involved. They will want photos of "everyone" with the baby too....

I'd go for the 50 1.8 or kit lens and the SB600 (bounced off the roof) No "direct" flash ! But the more natural light you can use, the better. The flash can be more for fill-flash than the main light source.

I hope this gives you some ideas

[Dug]

Mum and / or dad, black clothing or bare skin.

Bounce the lights off the ceiling and shoot the 50 1.8 wide open and close up, be willing to turn up the ISO to get the shots.

Get the face the feet the hands and the wrinkled skin look for texture soft smooth hard hairy cuddle love kiss hug and just keep shooting give it a while to happen and be willing to wait till the bub wakes up.

Turn up the heating to max.

If mum is willing get some breast feeding shots too.

have fun and ask if you can come back and do it again soon, you will probably look the the shots and go "Dam I wish I had done......"

[Aussie Dave]

and shoot the 50 1.8 wide open and close up

I'd personally be careful shooting wide open with the 50 1.8 and close. Your DOF will be quite small and I'm not sure it will give you the photos you will ideally strive for. Using natural light and flash (if required) should enable you to set very reasonable aperture settings (easily f4 - f8). Nikon have done very well with their speedlights, and will help you out if & when required (unless they have 20ft ceilings )

[ajo43]

Here's some tips from a new father:

- get down nice and low so that the baby is eye level or above
- sometimes babies can be proped up agains a pillow if they are not big enough to support their own weight
- try a couple of b&w shots of the bum and the feet (see my avatar) as the mums usually love these
- a shot of the hand holding the mother or father's finger in b&w can look really good
- take lots of shots - babies facial expressions change quickly so shoot lots and hope you capture the right expression.
- avoid flash - it generally stuns the baby and might make them cry (window lighting is good)

Have fun and talk to the mother lots (she's the boss afterall)

[stormygirl]

I'm only an amateur photographer, but have photographed endless amounts of my 2 children, mostly in B&W. For a 2 week old, they tend to get pretty tired very quickly, and don't like to be over stimulated, or it will end in tears! The best time is immediately after a feed when they are content and not screaming with hunger!

For a lot of my photos, I used available natural light, as flash will startle them, and I propped them up on our bed on pillows covered with a white cotton wrap. These were taken with my Dad's (heavy) Leica, which I found quite difficult as the bubs tended to move around a lot! DOF could have been improved too, but you live and learn! They are scanned film shots too, so quality isn't 100%, but it gives you an idea!

http://members.optushome.com.au/janestu ... ssica1.jpg

http://members.optushome.com.au/janestu ... /benh2.jpg

http://members.optushome.com.au/janestu ... ssica2.jpg

Don't be afraid to get up close, and as ajo43 said, hands work well! They grow and change so quickly that photos of hands and tiny rosebud lips will be treasured. Most of all, have fun, be patient (as the saying goes, never work with kids or animals!) Good Luck!

[dk]

I have some news to report on the newborn shoot I was recently commissioned to do.

First of all, thanks to you all for your suggestions and tips.

The shoot went better than I hoped. Mom was patient and willing. Since this was my first time with a newborn, I was obviously nervous and clumsy at best. But I just kept shooting and as luck would have it, after about 140 shots, I got some that mom adores.

Sorry for the delay in my response to all your posts. Sometimes I forget what I've posted.

Again, many thanks to you all.

dk

[Aussie Dave]

Congratulations dk. It is always a great feeling when you take photos for someone and they absolutely think you are the "bees-knees".

I hope this will build your confidence to get out there and do it all again soon....

[Alpha_7]

Glad you got the shots the Mum was after DK, and now next time you don't have to be nearly as nervous. If you can I'd love to see some of the images you came up with, but I'll understand if you don't or can't post them.

[Geoff]

If you can I'd love to see some of the images you came up with, but I'll understand if you don't or can't post them.

Ditto

[james m]

I don't know if I can offer much in the way of advice but when I am looking for ideas when I have to photograph kid's I check a friends website and blog

[shutterbug]

Keep it simple, use available window light, with 50mm and have fun.

James, that is one of my fav kiddies websites

[MHD]

Good stuff mate!

I will echo what everyone else has said, bounce and use a shallow DOF...

If they eyes are open use them as the focus point and make sure you use the bounce card on your flash to give some catchlights in the eyes