Dejecting baby shoot.....

JustJazzie

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(This is mostly a vent)

Oy vey. I had another newborn shoot yesterday. (De Je Vou here, I think Ive started a thread like this before)
We missed the 2 week window because my entire family came down with a stomach virus. (Mastiffs included, the mess was haunting)

So baby is now a month and would NOT have anything to do with a photo shoot. We tried EVERYTHING. He wouldn't be swaddled. If I touched him he would scream. I couldn't even get a good pose in mommas arms/hands. Finally gave up and went upstairs to chat (It was a friend) Baby falls asleep and is super comatose. So we venture downstairs to try again. The second We walked into the photo room, he crinkles his nose and wakes up. *Sigh*

I ended up with 2 "decent" shots in 3 hours of attempting.

Reshoot is on Thursday at his house, I need to rebuild my confidence by then!

It seemed to be me/the room and not related to the flash, but I am tempted to try and go natural light on Thursday as a precaution......
 
First, your confidence may be down but it shouldn't be. It's like going out to shoot a sunrise or sunset and it's overcast with no sun. You can't shoot what wasn't there. And what you're talking about is the reality of this genre. Sometimes the baby is cooperating and something the baby is telling you to **** off!

Second, look for anything that might distract the baby. Is the mom comfortable with nursing photos? Or a bottle? Is there a toy they'd hold?

Third, don't go in to shoot. Go in with the baby, set up (as low tech as you can be....if you can put up a scrim and shoot ambient light that would be best). Then pull out a book and quietly read. Or go on your phone and start replying to as many messages here on TPF as you can. Don't shoot. Don't try to get the baby to cooperate. Just be in the space (at one month more than a foot away, you're just a blur anyway). Don't talk. Just be in the space doing something else that is quiet with your camera near by. Let the baby fall asleep (yeah, it may take an hour) than quietly shoot with minimal movement by you.
 
Uuuughhhhhh!!!!!!
Exactly!!
First, your confidence may be down but it shouldn't be. It's like going out to shoot a sunrise or sunset and it's overcast with no sun. You can't shoot what wasn't there. And what you're talking about is the reality of this genre. Sometimes the baby is cooperating and something the baby is telling you to **** off!

Second, look for anything that might distract the baby. Is the mom comfortable with nursing photos? Or a bottle? Is there a toy they'd hold?

Third, don't go in to shoot. Go in with the baby, set up (as low tech as you can be....if you can put up a scrim and shoot ambient light that would be best). Then pull out a book and quietly read. Or go on your phone and start replying to as many messages here on TPF as you can. Don't shoot. Don't try to get the baby to cooperate. Just be in the space (at one month more than a foot away, you're just a blur anyway). Don't talk. Just be in the space doing something else that is quiet with your camera near by. Let the baby fall asleep (yeah, it may take an hour) than quietly shoot with minimal movement by you.

I like that you compared it to a sunset! That definitely made me feel better. There just wasn't anything I can do to make him sleep/want to be swaddled)

I did try to fade yesterday. We darkened the room, I had the heater going so he didn't get cold, my white noise machine going, and mom nursed in this environment 4-5 times. I just sat quietly across the room. I'm hoping being in HIS own element will help him relax a little better. And I'm definitely considering using natural light this go around. Their house doesn't have a ton, but I should be able to make it work!

Thanks for the kind words and ideas. They are truly appreciated!
 
Valium.jpg


I don't know why the stomach virus thing would have stopped you. I am sure it didn't stop the subject.
131455d1086761618-do-not-come-south-san-jose-please-smell.jpg
 
Try not to be too hard on yourself. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. Babies are the most temperamental creatures on earth. I think a reshoot is the best plan of action.

To be honest, the mom is probably more stressed about it than you are. She knows you're a good photographer, so if the pictures are bad it must be because something's "wrong" with her baby. She's probably embarrassed and worried that you'll never be able to get a good picture. And of course, newborns feed off of every little emotion of the mom as an evolutionary necessity for survival.

So I'd try to focus on the mom. Build up her confidence. Try to make her happy and comfortable. Happy mommy, happy baby. :)
 
Try not to be too hard on yourself. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. Babies are the most temperamental creatures on earth. I think a reshoot is the best plan of action.

To be honest, the mom is probably more stressed about it than you are. She knows you're a good photographer, so if the pictures are bad it must be because something's "wrong" with her baby. She's probably embarrassed and worried that you'll never be able to get a good picture. And of course, newborns feed off of every little emotion of the mom as an evolutionary necessity for survival.

So I'd try to focus on the mom. Build up her confidence. Try to make her happy and comfortable. Happy mommy, happy baby. :)
So says someone who has never had a WIFE!!!!!:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:popcorn:
 
Try not to be too hard on yourself. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. Babies are the most temperamental creatures on earth. I think a reshoot is the best plan of action.

To be honest, the mom is probably more stressed about it than you are. She knows you're a good photographer, so if the pictures are bad it must be because something's "wrong" with her baby. She's probably embarrassed and worried that you'll never be able to get a good picture. And of course, newborns feed off of every little emotion of the mom as an evolutionary necessity for survival.

So I'd try to focus on the mom. Build up her confidence. Try to make her happy and comfortable. Happy mommy, happy baby. :)
So says someone who has never had a WIFE!!!!!:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:popcorn:

I'm not temperamental....I'm RIGHT. Always.

:D
 
Try not to be too hard on yourself. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. Babies are the most temperamental creatures on earth. I think a reshoot is the best plan of action.

To be honest, the mom is probably more stressed about it than you are. She knows you're a good photographer, so if the pictures are bad it must be because something's "wrong" with her baby. She's probably embarrassed and worried that you'll never be able to get a good picture. And of course, newborns feed off of every little emotion of the mom as an evolutionary necessity for survival.

So I'd try to focus on the mom. Build up her confidence. Try to make her happy and comfortable. Happy mommy, happy baby. :)
So says someone who has never had a WIFE!!!!!:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:popcorn:

I'm not temperamental....I'm RIGHT. Always.

:D
Yes Dear,
Evolution. .png
 
(This is mostly a vent)

Oy vey. I had another newborn shoot yesterday. (De Je Vou here, I think Ive started a thread like this before)
We missed the 2 week window because my entire family came down with a stomach virus. (Mastiffs included, the mess was haunting)

So baby is now a month and would NOT have anything to do with a photo shoot. We tried EVERYTHING. He wouldn't be swaddled. If I touched him he would scream. I couldn't even get a good pose in mommas arms/hands. Finally gave up and went upstairs to chat (It was a friend) Baby falls asleep and is super comatose. So we venture downstairs to try again. The second We walked into the photo room, he crinkles his nose and wakes up. *Sigh*

I ended up with 2 "decent" shots in 3 hours of attempting.

Reshoot is on Thursday at his house, I need to rebuild my confidence by then!

It seemed to be me/the room and not related to the flash, but I am tempted to try and go natural light on Thursday as a precaution......

My thought on reading this was maybe it was your perfume/body lotion/shampoo/fabric softener/scented candles or something that didn't smell familiar to him. Just a crazy thought but maybe a quick spritz with mom's perfume or hand lotion to fool the baby a bit? Is that crazy? I have very sensitive sinuses so for me, smell is of high importance to my comfort and that is likely why it was my first thought. Yes I'm nuts.
 
My thought on reading this was maybe it was your perfume/body lotion/shampoo/fabric softener/scented candles or something that didn't smell familiar to him.

Or maybe you could take a page out of my dad's book - The "I'll give you something to cry about" school of thought. Waterboarding springs to mind. Ok, might not stop the wailing but hey, good opportunity for action shots.

:)
 
You guys are a big help! lol

Actually Sharon/SquarePeg - you're not that far off! For example when babies are preemies and in a NICU usually the mom is given a cloth or a snoedel to wear for a certain amount of time to pick up her scent - then that's taken to the NICU to put in the isolette to have mom's scent nearby to help with bonding for the baby and the mom.

So yeah, this baby might do better at home than someplace where there were different sounds and smells, etc.

He may be getting to be at the age/stage that he might be moving his legs too much to tolerate being swaddled, but here are a couple of resources/videos in case anyone's interested in proper swaddling techniques.

http://ww.babycenter.com/2_the-benefits-of-swaddling-your-baby_10347122.bc

Hip-Healthy Swaddling
 
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