Newborn photo practice

CherylL

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Grandbaby will be here very soon and I practiced on a doll. The doll's legs don't bend. I've watched YT videos and have been reading blogs. One blogger said no up the nose shots and another said do not show the nostril opening, which makes for limited angles. I plan on getting a few posed shots like these posted below and candid shots. I will take a reflector and use window light.

How are the practice photos? Angles? DOF? I did minimal cropping, shot too tight? Any comments are welcome.

Canon 5D mark iii & 50 1.4

1. f2.8
062818_005.jpg

2. f2.2
062818_015.jpg

3. f2.2
062818_027.jpg

4. f2.0
062818_029.jpg

5. f2.0
062818_031.jpg

6. f2.8
070118_043.jpg
 
What a doll! Sorry couldn’t resist... with the exception of #1 with the top elbow cut off, I like your composition in all of these. A little more toe room in 4 and 5 maybe? Did you shoot long and crop? Good dof choices. Looking forward to seeing the real thing.
 
Let the games begin! LOL
 
What a doll! Sorry couldn’t resist... with the exception of #1 with the top elbow cut off, I like your composition in all of these. A little more toe room in 4 and 5 maybe? Did you shoot long and crop? Good dof choices. Looking forward to seeing the real thing.

#4 is not cropped and #5 is slightly. Good point to leave room for cropping and not cut off the shoulder. I think I need room to rotate slightly. There were a few shots I liked, but the doll was too vertical. I can't find the thread on newborns, but remember it was mentioned about baby falling out of frame. This may apply to #1.
 
Good luck with the real thing.....:)

Yes, the doll doesn't move :friendly_wink: I had the dolls arms & legs taped too. Will not tape the baby. :)
 
Search member @twocolor for examples of how to do this really well. With infants, I don't think "up the nose" shots are a huge issue. A couple of things that really strike me about these: (1) The lighting seems to lack impact. I suspect that to start, your lights might be a little too far away; and (2) the wrap seems a bit messy. Bearing in mind that I know NOTHING about this area, but I suspect fabric with just a bit of stretch would be ideal.
 
Search member @twocolor for examples of how to do this really well. With infants, I don't think "up the nose" shots are a huge issue. A couple of things that really strike me about these: (1) The lighting seems to lack impact. I suspect that to start, your lights might be a little too far away; and (2) the wrap seems a bit messy. Bearing in mind that I know NOTHING about this area, but I suspect fabric with just a bit of stretch would be ideal.

Thanks for the feedback! Thanks for suggesting looking up @twocolor, I do remember her photos were very good.
 
Yes, the doll doesn't move :friendly_wink: I had the dolls arms & legs taped too. Will not tape the baby. :)

Duct tape is a newborn photographers friend - Just sayin :Hail.sml::drool::eagerness: (kidding). Just remember no matter how much you plan, no matter how much you practice, some of your best photos will be caught in the spur of the moment, so keep the camera handy when the baby is around.
 
@smoke665 I will take more candid and if I can't get the posed then not too worried. Daughter has been sending me Pinterest ideas. There is one with a baby and 2 dogs that she likes. Taking my tripod and will shoot that one 3 photos and composite. This is her first child and will have to go with the flow. We will only be there 3 days, maybe 4, and the plan is to spend a few hours off and on each day as not to overwhelm anyone.
 
I have to disagree with your first recommendation on this one John, but I didn't want to click a red x on your post, and Smoke I do know you're just kidding around about duct tape.


Don't use some of the poses shown in baby videos and photos, and don't wrap babies in that gauzy fabric restricting movement. That's inconsistent with how we position and/or swaddle babies. If it isn't something you'd otherwise do with a newborn, then it shouldn't be done for the sake of taking a picture.

I worked for 20+ years as an Early Intervention Specialist. I've read in medical/education journals that improper swaddling can lead to hip dysplasia, but I don't know how much/how often could be problematic (because I don't think I ever ran across it til baby photography online). I think it would be more likely to be a concern depending on a baby's muscle tone, and a baby could develop it just due to that without swaddling (no fault of the parent/caregiver, due to 'low' tone or medical/physical reasons). I CANNOT recommend what I saw in TwoColor's photos because the wrapping appears extremely tight, and we do NOT bind a baby. Proper swaddling allows for room for movement.

It's probably better that the feet are peeking out of the fabric and it doesn't look too tight, but the fabric is still wrapped around the legs. I'm going to post a couple of links that show proper swaddling. I'd think about returning that fabric because you just don't need it; you can use cute or pretty baby blankets, etc. If you use this, just arrange/drape it loosely. A concern to me is that apparently issues with the hip may not show up for years.

When we work with babies we position so the head, neck, and trunk are in alignment, not twisted or flopped, etc. Of course babies can get themselves into awkward looking positions but we don't place a baby into some of the positions shown in photos/videos. You need to keep in mind a newborn's trachea is awfully small, and I've seen photos that made me wonder if the baby's breathing was compromised. (The chin in hands, up on elbows is a concern to me because we don't place babies in that position til they can hold up the head.)

I think a reflector and window light sounds good, and maybe candids are a good way to go. I imagine you'll be spending time watching the baby anyway, so watching for an opportunity for a right moment for a photo should work fine.
 
I have to disagree with your first recommendation on this one John, but I didn't want to click a red x on your post, ...
Feel to 'Red-X' me all you want; you're not going to hurt my feeling! ;) Seriously though, do you mean the stretch fabric idea?
 
Smoke I do know you're just kidding around about duct tape

Of course I am, give them a few years to reach puberty and the mouth kicks in, all bets are off. :allteeth:

I don't remember swaddling being that popular when our kids were babies back in the early 70's.
 
I don't think it's popular now... I know other conditions but this has been a new one, I don't remember parents swaddling or ever working with a child with anything like this. I don't know what's going on with some people when they get a camera in front of their face and decide to take pictures of a baby.

I taught jr. high too, not all that much of a stretch going from that to toddlers! lol I gotta give 'em credit for creative thinking for things like explaining why they're at the opposite end of the building from what their hall pass says, or how well they can write in detention with two pencils at once. Never a dull moment.
 

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