Newborn posing help

[janineh]

Who has experience in newborn photography? Had another newborn session yesterday and struggled with lifting his head. Any tips or suggestions welcome!

 

[Derrel]

I actually have experience in newborn photography. I photographed about 2 to 3 newborns a day for two and a half years, five days a week. Lifting the head of newborns is a new MWAC-era maneuver that has become fashionable among the mommy set....who LOVE to place newborns in dangerous poses that are fundamentally UN-safe for newborns...you know, like with their head propped up on their hands, as they are piled on top of stacks of whatever is handy in the studio, said stacks of junk which is all piled on top of a table...

NEWBORNS by their very FUNDAMENTAL NATURE can NOT "lift their heads", and should not be posed as if they are six month-old babies. I realize this post might seem like an attack on you, j, but it's not directed at you per se--merely at the hordes of newly-minted,self-taught shooters who have begun placing babies in potentially injury-prone "poses"...because they see something on the interwebz...kind of like the teenage boys who saw some jacka&& stick a firecracker up his butt and light it...or who saw a kid skateboard off the ROOF of the local high school, and successfully stick a landing after rail-sliding down the pipe bannister on the concrete stairway...all sorts of dangerous or simply wildly age-inappropriate infant poses are becoming common among the many uninsured, self-taught shooters working these days. Babies have natural developmental milestones....and this new trend I find absolutely sickening. KInd of wonder if it's not part of a spectrum of age-inappropriate photography that includes that full-glitz hair/nails/makeup for 4 year-old girls...

 

[janineh]

Lifting the head of newborns is a new MWAC-era maneuver that has become fashionable among the mommy set....who LOVE to place newborns in dangerous poses that are fundamentally UN-safe for newborns...you know, like with their head propped up on their hands, as they are piled on top of stacks of whatever is handy in the studio, which is piled on to of a table...

NEWBORNS by their very FUNDAMENTAL NATURE can NOT "lift their heads", and should not be posed as if they are six month-old babies. I realize this post might seem like an attack on you, j, but it's not directed at you per se--merely at the hordes of newly-minted,self-taught shooters who have begun placing babies in potentially injury-prone "poses"...because they see something on the interwebz...kind of like the teenage boys who saw some jacka&& stick a firecracker up his butt and light it...or who saw a kid skateboard off the ROOF of the local high school, and successfully stick a landing after rail-sliding down the pipe bannister on the concrete stairway...all sorts of dangerous or simply wildly age-inappropriate infant poses are becoming common among the many uninsured, self-taughgt shooters working these days.

Sorry I must have explained it wrong. I am not after a hands on face lifting head pose. Those shots are usually just photoshoped anyway.

Just wondering how much to place under babies head to be able to see it better.

I am not doing any dangerous poses with babies. Or does that baby in the photo look in danger of hurting himself?

I am after advise.

 

[janineh]

Sorry I must have explained it wrong. I am not after a hands on face lifting head pose. Those shots are usually just photoshoped anyway.

Just wondering how much to place under babies head to be able to see it better.

I am not doing any dangerous poses with babies. Or does that baby in the photo look in danger of hurting himself?

I am after advise.

Wow... Three newborns a day? How did u do that? I would not do more than one a day, bc of settleling and feeding times.

Would love to see some of your newborn work!

 

[kric2schaam626]

NEWBORNS by their very FUNDAMENTAL NATURE can NOT "lift their heads", and should not be posed as if they are six month-old babies. I realize this post might seem like an attack on you, j, but it's not directed at you per se--merely at the hordes of newly-minted,self-taught shooters who have begun placing babies in potentially injury-prone "poses"...because they see something on the interwebz...kind of like the teenage boys who saw some jacka&& stick a firecracker up his butt and light it...or who saw a kid skateboard off the ROOF of the local high school, and successfully stick a landing after rail-sliding down the pipe bannister on the concrete stairway...all sorts of dangerous or simply wildly age-inappropriate infant poses are becoming common among the many uninsured, self-taught shooters working these days. Babies have natural developmental milestones....and this new trend I find absolutely sickening. KInd of wonder if it's not part of a spectrum of age-inappropriate photography that includes that full-glitz hair/nails/makeup for 4 year-old girls...

Any photographer I work with has always had the parents held the baby in needed position and then takes the hands or whatever out in PP.

 

[mommy-medic]

For this particular shot you've done well at making the face visible, but babies often tend to squish the side of the face they're laying on. Some extra tissue under the blanket to elevate the cheek (right at the cheek bone area) he's laying on helps remove the squished face and elevate it for the viewer better.

 

[paigew]

have you tried slipping a rolled up receiving blanket under her head? I do more lifestyle shots rather than posed ones but I have read this works.

 

[jaicatalano]

Inspire me baby has GREAT tips that will help you more than you can imagine.

 

[matt62485]

Derrel said most newborns can't lift their heads, while said is probably true, all be darned if our 5 day old girl can't pick hers up and look around. Most of the time it's like a piece of spaghetti, but when shes willing, she'll pop that thing up and look around and we are sitting there like... 'did that just happen?' lol.

 

[paigew]

Derrel said most newborns can't lift their heads, while said is probably true, all be darned if our 5 day old girl can't pick hers up and look around. Most of the time it's like a piece of spaghetti, but when shes willing, she'll pop that thing up and look around and we are sitting there like... 'did that just happen?' lol.

Newborns can lift their heads. It is instinctual and related to feeding. They will lift their head around and look for food. Actually within minutes of birth if placed on the mother's tummy newborns have been know to 'crawl' all the way up to the breast!

Anyway, I don't think the op was wanting the newborns head lifted UP as in, looking around/head on hands/ or any other 'head up' position. From what I get, she wants the face slightly lifted out of the blanket (propped up so you see more of the face).

 

[matt62485]

yea, i can tell you. posing them can be much harder than the pros lead it on to be. i have unlimited time with our little one now, but its difficult to get that look

 

[janineh]

Inspire me baby has GREAT tips that will help you more than you can imagine.

Thanks!

 

[janineh]

Newborns can lift their heads. It is instinctual and related to feeding. They will lift their head around and look for food. Actually within minutes of birth if placed on the mother's tummy newborns have been know to 'crawl' all the way up to the breast!

Anyway, I don't think the op was wanting the newborns head lifted UP as in, looking around/head on hands/ or any other 'head up' position. From what I get, she wants the face slightly lifted out of the blanket (propped up so you see more of the face).

Yes thats what I need to figure out. I already had more blanket under his face. I will try something a bit firmer, like the suggested rolled up blanket. Thanks!