So what do you do when.....

[wwall]

...a baby cries the WHOLE TIME?!

A friend of a friend (someone I'm not very familiar with) asked me to take pictures and design her daughter's birthday invitations. This was on short notice and I need to get the cards designed and ordered this weekend. No biggy, right? Well what about if the little girl CRIES the WHOLE time? What then?!?! I mean she literally would not stop crying unless her mom was holding her. That's really too bad because she is an ADORABLE little girl. Like I said, I had to get them ordered this weekend so there is no time to reschedule and shoot again. I had to work with what I could get... so here is what I came up with...



015LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr


014LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr


Invite3pp22-log by wwall3, on Flickr

BTW, definitely not a pro... just take little odd jobs here and there as favors. Any money I get goes right back into my gear and accessories! No bashing please :thumbup:

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Well, that's what you (or the customer, rather) get when you have to do custom work on such short turnaround time.


Mines a little different. "what do you mean I can't get custom wedding bands made in two weeks?"
My normal turnaround time is 4-6 weeks. People need to plan ahead.

 

[e.rose]

I agree with Bitter.

For what you had to work with, I think you did well using her misery to your advantage, by using the "I'll cry if I want to" line, haha.

But next time, don't take the job if you're not going to have enough time for a do-over if the kid is freaking out.

 

[NikonME]

I ask mom to step out of the room (she can stand just out of sight if she feels more comfortable) and then I play dolls or trucks until the child realizes mom is gone and she calms, then once the child is comfortable start shooting.

She is looking to mom to come save her. Once mom leaves the child may cry a little harder for a moment or two, but then will almost always stop. There will be a moment of shyness and then the child typically relaxes.

 

[wwall]

I didn't even think to ask her to walk away... I figured that would make the baby scream even more! I will keep that in mind.
Mom didn't really see it as a short turnaround time. To be honest, I didnt either... and it wouldn't have been had the pictures turned out better.
I exaggerated a little because we did actually get a few of her in the very beginning where she isn't crying... I was just snapping as we were walking to the location, so I didn't have my reflector or anything out and the Texas sun was blaring on her face (even though it was 8am!) Mom fell in love with the "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to" thing so that's why we used those, rather than the few "non-crying" ones we do have.
Here are the others... besides the obvious problems with the lighting, what do you guys think about these? (completely taking this thread a different direction, but it's mine so I guess that's ok..)

I just got my D7000 in with my 50mm 1.8... this was pretty much the first thing I used it for.

1.

003LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr

2.

008LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr

3.

007LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr

4.

006LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr

5.

009LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr

6.

010LOGO by wwall3, on Flickr

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I will say it before Derrel.

Shoot

V
E
R
T
I
C
A
L

Sometimes!

Many of the above would have benefitted from doing so.
Try often to shoot quickly in both orientations so you can decide which is better later.

 

[wwall]

I will say it before Derrel. ShootVERTICALSometimes!

Lol.. I think this is the first time I've had this issue. I noticed it when I posted these. I do have some in portrait orientation but I didn't like them.

 

[sleist]

Also, stop down the 50 f/1.8 to at least 2.2. Your shots are all soft and this lens - if it's the older D version, is soft wide open.
Can't see the exif so if you are shooting wide open, you need to work on the focus a bit.

The newer G version of the 50mm f/1.8 is much sharper wide open. If you have this lens, still work on the focus.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

How long have you been at this wwall? I must have missed your introduction thread (if there was one).

 

[wwall]

Also, stop down the 50 f/1.8 to at least 2.2. Your shots are all soft and this lens - if it's the older D version, is soft wide open.
Can't see the exif so if you are shooting wide open, you need to work on the focus a bit.

The newer G version of the 50mm f/1.8 is much sharper wide open. If you have this lens, still work on the focus.

Yea I have the D version. I will work on that.. Definitely just getting used to it. I'm a newbie all together though. I don't like out of focus but I actually do like kind of a "soft" look.

 

[wwall]

How long have you been at this wwall? I must have missed your introduction thread (if there was one).

There was an introduction... I think you can find it if you try
I picked up a D3100 in February and started practicing. I've been teaching myself along the way. I treated myself to a D7000 even though I can't really tell you why I felt the need to upgrade.. No need really, just want.
So I guess I have been at it for 6 months or so... Unless you count the disposable cameras I took pictures of my dolls with or my P&S cameras I drove my boyfriends crazy with

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Thanks. I didn't feel like searching and wanted to be spoon fed the info.

 

[sleist]

You can always make a sharp photo soft in post. You can't fix bad focus. Not trying to be too harsh, but I would have tossed all of those due to the focus issues.
#4 is the only one that is close to being sharp.

I agree that sometimes a softening during post processing can create a nice effect, but do start with a well focused image.
There will be many more times when you want that image tack sharp.

 

[EPPhoto]

I agree with sleist about not shooting a 50mm wide open. Since you're outdoors, you have a ton of distance from subject to background. Meaning you can shoot @ 2.8 or even more and still get a nice blurry background that everyone loves!

Shooting portraits wide open is only ok when you are far from the subject (30 feet or more). Otherwise you will only catch parts of the face in focus. Also make sure you always focus on the eyes.

Also, you should have used the crying shots and had the page say something like, "I'll be sad if you can't make it"

Overall, not bad for a free favor shoot.

 

[wwall]

Thanks. I didn't feel like searching and wanted to be spoon fed the info.

Don't you normally bash people when they get on here asking questions that they could have just as easily typed into google and found an answer? Just sayin' hehe