Holy Cuteness!

[sarah_19_nz]

To balance things a little - I really do not like it when babies are being decorated with adults jewelry etc. To me aestetically babies are beautiful by default, they are not Christmas trees. Other than that and rather gloomy gray background - very nice.

Thanks for your comment, i think.... The outfit was the Nana and Mums choice, Nana is a dress maker and made it especially for the shoot so I had to use it. The dull background.... mmm perhaps, I am working on buying more colours and/or using gels on a backlight to change that. Also I had some nice fabric which I was meaning to use as well as the grey, but babys patience was running out so I never got a chance to use.

 

[Derrel]

Two softboxes at equal, 45 degree angles to the baby = dual, competing main lights. That produces the flatness that amolitor referred to, which is most obvious in shot #3. The competing light sources basically cancel one another out, so there is very little shadowing created, and very little shape or sense of depth conveyed. That said, these shots are sort of thematic baby pictures...baby playing "dress-up", as it were. And I think most people would find these cute pictures, just based on subject matter. Subject matter counts a LOT. Posing and props are important too, and the props, and the poses, are cute. So...the lighting being very low-ratio takes a backseat on these, for me. I think this baby's parents and grandparents will absolutely love these. As to the catchlights being "too big"--I think that is debatable. I personally like them big. SOme people do not. Some people even clone catchlights out of the eyes--which seems in my experience to be a big thing, mostly in England, and I have no idea why.

 

[sarah_19_nz]

Thanks Derrel, they are over the moon with these images. I will have to practice my lighting. Would anyone describe or even draw a wee diagram for me of what a more ideal set up would have been? positioning and powers etc?? If not i'll get on the google

 

[MiFleur]

Very nice series, she is absolutely adorable and you caught the curiosity and a nice expression, well done!

 

[sarah_19_nz]

Would it have been more appealing if I just used ONE light and then a reflector on the opposite side? I did trial it but found it wasn't enough light on the reflector side???? how do I remedy that?

 

[kundalini]

You have shown three perfect examples of photographing the mask. 2/3rd, Profile and Full Face. I hope others can appreciate this because we all too often see bastardizations on the fundamentals. People interested in portraiture should study these three shots.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Derrel]

Would it have been more appealing if I just used ONE light and then a reflector on the opposite side? I did trial it but found it wasn't enough light on the reflector side???? how do I remedy that?

It's hard to say if it would have been more appealing. More appealing is pretty subjective. There are so many ways to light a scene. What would the one light have been? A 30 inch umbrella? A 45 inch umbrella? A 36x48 inch softbox? I dunno...these shots depend mostly on props and posing. These are "theme" baby pictures. As kundalini pointed out, the poses show 2/3, profile, and full face renderings of the face. Your poses show fantastic, classic "looks". The setting, seamless gray paper, is also pretty classic. I think you could light these any number of ways and make them quite appealing. I think a medium softbox (36x48 inches) about six feet off to the side would have been fine. Or, lacking a softbox of that size, maybe "stacking" two smaller ones one on top of another.

 

[sarah_19_nz]

Softbox 39 x 31 (converted that from cm for ya I have 2 of them. Ill try with one light and a reflector next time to see the effect.

Thanks for the further commenting

 

[sarah_19_nz]

You have shown three perfect examples of photographing the mask. 2/3rd, Profile and Full Face. I hope others can appreciate this because we all too often see bastardizations on the fundamentals. People interested in portraiture should study these three shots.

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you

 

[Granddad]

Have they had to widen the tops of the doorways in your house so you can get in and out, yet?
Comments like these above from peers make it all worthwhile, don't they?

 

[sarah_19_nz]

Have they had to widen the tops of the doorways in your house so you can get in and out, yet?
Comments like these above from peers make it all worthwhile, don't they?

Hahah luckily I have wide doorways anyway! My 2nd living room has become my "studio" for the time being. I wish I was rich enough to buy a dedicated studio.... actually make that a brand new house with studio room attached! sigh.... I can dream right.

These comments definitely make it worth while.