Newborn Studio- Camera/Lens/Light

[Fere]

The photographer you hire will probably have her or his own camera already.

Thanks for your advise.
You are right. Probably someone like you an expert

I realize my response to you was impolite, and certainly not fitting for your first post to the forum. I do apologize, I'm normally a much friendlier person. Welcome to the forum.

I am an expert, but not in photography. I'm an expert in my own proffesion. I don't know which camera and lens and light is best for baby photography. Don't forget to include all the grip and rigging gear you'll need like stands and backdrops, modifiers, props. And a healthy insurance policy for working with families with children.

Consult with an expert on child developement. I think there are some concerns with flash and newborns, and safe posing technique.

I admire your ambition!

I wish I hadn't posted my snarky reply. However, If I went to an auto mechanics forum with a first post of "I want to open a repair shop specializing in Ferrari. What wrench and screwdriver and hammer should I get?" ... I would expect a similar reply.

Best luck to you!

It is ok. To do wrong thing is easy but to confess is so much difficult. Thanks for your understanding and support. I did search about posing, stands, backdrops, ... and I hope to get more experience at the course, but my biggest problem is camera, lens and light, since I do not have much money to spend. I have to be careful.
You are right again my question is general.

 

[Fere]

Hi everybody,
Im going to open a photograph studio that specialize in new born baby´s photography, i need help choosing the best camera, lens and light for this job. I don´t want to purchase to expend more than $4000.
Could you please help and advise?

Hi, and welcome!

For instance, I think I need 86" PLM umbrella with 400W flash, 24-70mm f 2.8 lens could be enough,...

I think you are on the right track, just a bit over-zealous. I will recommend a Nikon D700 for the excellent rendering qualities of that processor. It is a "full frame" (I really hate that term) DSLR, and which has always been considered a "professional" grade camera. They are no longer in current production, so look for a clean, lightly-used model for around $700.

I cannot recommend the zoom lens. Even though many professionals use that lens, it is not the best for rendering depth and subtle details. Instead, I will recommend one or two prime lenses, a fairly short one for those times when you can't avoid it, and a medium length lens for your go-to portrait lens. Ideally, your "short" lens will be in the 105mm to 85mm length. Your main portraiture lens might be more like 135mm or even longer if you have the space for it. The main difficulty you have with infants is they cannot sit or stand, so you may find yourself hovering over the top while they are lying down. Not an ideal setup for portraiture, to be sure, but I have some ideas on that. (PM me if interested). At the very least, your short lens might be in the 60mm length, but get a good one. So now I've given you some food for thought, the 105mm and a 60mm will get you there.

As for your light, you won't need 400ws of flash under normal circumstances. You can easily use 150 to 300 ws lights, so I'd get two or three. As for your modifier, a large parabolic umbrella is nice, but for a professional studio, you should be looking at softboxes or "brolly-boxes", which are umbrellas with a back cover. If you are setting up a home studio, you can generally leave your softboxes set up, but if you are traveling, then learn how to efficiently set them up when you go to someone's house. (I recommend that you don't do that, just have your clients come to you.)

Also, you will need some posing benches (not literal benches, of course), light stands for the softboxes, possibly radio controllers for the flashes, reflectors (that you can make yourself), tripod or camera stand, and a place for diaper changes, nursing, etc.

Good luck with this, and keep us informed as to your progress. (and ignore the naysayers)

Thanks a lot for your explanation. That is what I was looking for, some advises, some guides, some ideas, some experiences,... It gave me positive energy to follow what I like to do and not give up.

 

[Fere]

Look in to specialized studio equipment, like a good, convertible posing table, one that has a multi-angle top that converts into a wedge, and a chair, for posing very new babies. I used to work at a studio, and a multi-configuration posing table is reallllllly handy for posing babies that can not even hold their head up, or who struggle even with simple things like "tummy time". I'm not kidding you either. A baby poser will have a recessed "throne-like" place, where you can position the baby, with the right fabric or throw over the foam-covered seating/posing place, and that helps the baby sit upright, or slightly,slightly reclined; the closest thing you might think of would be a huuuuge baby car seat, with a throw over it, yet, different. And the "ramp"? it's literally a ramp, so the baby can be placed tummy-down, at the front edge of the ramp, and thus placed in an "active" pose, with the face held in a good position for the camera, despite the fact that the baby can barely hold his or her head up when placed tummy-down.

Without a baby poser, you'll be working in an entirely different manner, which is basically, unsafe (legal liability), and depending on the parent to "catch the baby". And speaking of which...you danged well better have a big shooting area, where the baby can NOT fall off the front or sides of the table.

I've photographed maybe 800 babies under one year of age. it's demanding work. And frankly, I think a studio devoted to it would require much experience, and a very skilled photographer. And it's not at all just about the camera or lights, but about how to be a studio shooter. it's much more a soft-skills game than it is camera and lights and props and fabrics.

You mentioned good points and it is clear that you have a lot experience. I know it is not easy to expect parents to give their little baby to me for photography. First I have to make a safe place and then studio. Many thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[Designer]

I think the course requires "homework", so they need a camera. If she is buying from scratch, then she wants to get the gear that she will use when hanging out her shingle.

True, but in the first post, first sentence - "Before photography was a hobby for me and I was taking photo by Nikon D5500". I assumed the OP still had this camera, ..

I recommended a different model camera because the D5500 is not what she needs.