My first baby shoot in 5 years

DanOstergren · Dec 28, 2015

Last week I had my first baby photo shoot in 5 years. The last time I did this was when I was working in the mall at The Picture People. I have to say it was a lot more fun to do this in my own studio!

So far I've only had the chance to edit one photo. I'll upload a couple more as I edit my favorites. I'm open to constructive criticism, and would love advice from other baby photographers.

Captured in natural light (single window with overcast skies outside)
EOS 5D MKI
85MM @/1.8
1/320th sec
ISO 500

limr · Dec 28, 2015

What, no beard??

I really like the spareness of it. The colors and lighting are your usual excellent. I keep thinking that it looks like a fashion shoot, just with a baby. She's modeling the very latest in high-fashion flower headgear

frommrstomommy · Dec 28, 2015

So sweet. The only thing I feel I can nitpick is the lean.. I LIKE the lean because it captures that stage where baby probably isn't 100% sitting up quite yet from the looks of it.. where they're still kinda wobbly, but they can do it. My daughter is coming up on this stage, so its a mom thing maybe but I love that. lol Anyway, I feel like the open space should be on the right side of the image vs the left.. the direction she's leaning.

FITBMX · Dec 28, 2015

Really nice, especially for the first in five years!
I know nothing about baby photography, but if this was my child I would be very impressed!
Are you going to start doing more baby work?

chuasam · Dec 28, 2015

Great work and I don't do baby photos but I'm feeling that the balance is a bit bluish.

vintagesnaps · Dec 28, 2015

I can't help but see it from a perspective of having been an early intervention specialist for 20+ years. Having her hands in fairly tight fists would tell me most likely she can barely sit that way and/or is working hard to stay up; looks like it could be she's getting fatigued and about ready to topple or just isn't ready to sit in this position yet (or at least not for long).

She looks like she might still need some support, an adult behind her or a boppy etc. To sit well for any length of time in this position the hands should be open and flat on the floor and the arms outstretched with the chest and shoulders up much more - or at least that could be what she's heading toward, the level where she's developing skills, she may not quite be at that point yet. So this might be pushing it a bit for her to try to stay in this position. (edit - My instinct just based on this one photo would be to sit behind her, help her bring her chest up and back a little, help her get those fingers open, and then give her some support at the hips - but of course I don't know her! and haven't done an assessment etc. to know her age and what skills she's developing.)

And it's one thing for the parent or a therapist to challenge her a little, or work those little muscles, but for a photographer it's probably best to let the parent or family member position a child. Then if she can't maintain it long enough to get a picture that would tell you to go with a different position, that she may not be quite ready for this for any length of time.

It's good that she's on the floor, so if she does lose her balance she probably wouldn't get hurt (although it could lead to some crying and possibly the end of the session). I'm not sure what exactly she's looking at or what to think of that expression; it makes me think she might have been about done with this! lol

I think the thing is, working with other people's kids puts you at a different level of responsibility and/or liability to consider.