Received an Email

[Holly]

Last night... SOmeone would like me to attend the hospital to do baby portraits of their newborn daughter in August... Im pumped but a little nervous.. This is my first time.. SO I did tell her all her 4x6s will be free of charge.. PLUS it will help me build a portfolio...

Question to those of you who do portraits of babies....

IS there anything I should be aware of? I mean I did do a few of my OWN baby portraits of my little guys.. Some Ive taken...


Moments after birth

Few hours after birth

Ready to go home

Any tips are appreciated!!!

 

[mysteryscribe]

I have never done any right after birth but my son in law did my grandson immediately after and I think during but I was to squimish to see those. The right after ones were fine.

I think he said the number one problem was the natural light was bad but those he took with strobe were fine. Composition of course and they just wont smile on demand. Strobe seems to be a dirty word around here but I would definite use it under those hospital lights.

 

[markc]

Flash would probably be a good idea, but diffuse or bounce it. Direct on-camera light really does not look nice. I'd also suggest going with as much telephoto as the room will allow for. Babies already look a little funny. If you use a wide angle, they can look like aliens. I'd also go with a wide aperture to blur out anything but the baby and crop in close when you can.

 

[saulmr]

I will suggest to use a very swallow DOF to blur things out. Newborns are always surrounded with clutter.

Try getting closeups from tiny hands and feet, those shots are always a winner.

 

[mysteryscribe]

if you go shallow dof.... remember to focus carefully there will be a lot going on and people josling you around most likely. Focus every shot carefully ... Not from kiddie pic exp just from shallow dof exp...

I would go the close crop route myself with a longer depth of field...most likely people will be happier to see just the baby just s the ones you posted show.

 

[CrazyAva]

In october I shot pictures of my little neice when she was born. I didn't do any after she was all cleaned up though, only one, it was mostly new fresh outta mommy pictures LOL I think yours look good and you should be able to get some great shots.