C&C Please, Newborn Photo Shoot

[indioli]

Hi! ANy feedback/advice/feedback rea's would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you

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6

 

[mc1979]

Per your request, here's my feedback. Looks like you have some of the same problem I do, we like to frame too tight! I'm having to work on that myself. This seems to be an issue in several of these here.

On the 1st photo: The baby's skin is too blotchy, and it really stands out in this B&W converesion. While I don't believe babies should look fake or plastic after PP, I think some should be done to the skin to get rid of the redness and blotches that they all have. What program do you use in post?

All the photos seem a little soft to me, either you missed focus, or you are doing what another bad habit of mine and using too shallow DOF.

#2 would have been better if you had backed up more and also got the bottom of the blanket in focus.

#4 doesn't work because you've chopped fingers off of mom's left hand, in my newbie eye it looks a bit overexposed

#6 needs the ankles blackened out too, where only the feet are showing IMO. The ring doesn't look in focus either. There's also something in the upper right hand corner, not sure what that is?

Anyhow, there are tons of tutorials for newborn photography that seem to be pretty helpful. I think it just takes alot of practice. Keep on and you'll get better and better!
I'm new to this too and will be getting the opportunity to be shooting some newborns in November. You can take what I say with a grain of salt by the way! haha..

Keep at it!

 

[indioli]

I softened the skin a bit (all my PP was done in Lightroom as it's all I have at the moment) I was concious of not making the baby look like a doll, but I see what you mean about the blotchiness.

Also, cropping in to tight, yes you're right, another thiing to work on, but easily solved. #4 I do also have a landscape version of the photo, which I prefer but i've not uploaded it yet, I'll put it on when I do.
Thanks for your feedback, very helpful

Any other C& C from people?

 

[tirediron]

I think MC pretty much nailed everything, but I will reiterate, MORE DoF!!! Until you know them off by heart, either print and carry, of if you have a smartphone/PDA, install on that, DoF tables, and consult them! The two seconds consulting them would have saved an image like #6.

 

[bennielou]

Hi, sorry these aren't working for me at all. There are a lot of avoidable mistakes here:

1.
Blotchy skin as mentioned. The rug is getting in the way of the babies face and body.

2.
This one isn't bad, but you clipped the right side. Leave more room.

3.
Again, the rug kills this one. It looks like a hairy baby.

4.
This one could have been really cute, but as mentioned you cut off the digits of the mom and baby. Would have been better further back with a landscape shot.

5.
This one is again blotchy, the face seems OOF, and the heal of the baby is cut off. Leave yourself more room.

6.
The ring is out of focus, and you should remove the highlight from the right side of the photo.

Is it possible that you could do a reshoot?

 

[SteffJay]

Honestly, the posing just isn't working for me.

Number's 1 and 2 are ok with the posing, but number 4 is a very awkward pose. If you want the face in the hands, do it with the whole body resting on the arms. This kind of looks like he has a head and nothing else.

Number 5 attempts my previous comment, but the way the arms and legs hang off the arms detracts from the "sweetness" of a newborn baby shoot.

I like the feet shot, but I agree with previous comments about focus and cropping of the ankles.

i would research infant posing to get a better idea of things that you can do.

 

[indioli]

Thank you guys for all your feedback, all taken on board. I seem to be cropping to tightly on all my photo's, and will do more work on the blotchy skin once I have photoshop back on my computer
It was the first time I've photographed a newborn in a while and I got a bit nervous with the posing.

More practice required!
Thanks again for all your feedback.