Taking photos of newborn preemie twins...

[gsgary]

I'm not your friend, and I have no trouble getting help on here... Moving along...

I dought it very much

 

[michael9000000]

I dought it very much

I don't care about your doubts.

 

[rub]

Regardless of your skills or equipment, if you are going to do this shoot, which in my opinion you are not ready for, please please please read up on newborn safety. Many of the images you see from top baby photographers are composites. You have no training, no insurance, and you may very well be risking the safety of these little babies with your ignorance.

 

[LizardKing]

Regardless of your skills or equipment, if you are going to do this shoot, which in my opinion you are not ready for, please please please read up on newborn safety. Many of the images you see from top baby photographers are composites. You have no training, no insurance, and you may very well be risking the safety of these little babies with your ignorance.

+1... No, let's make it +2

I don't think you should take some of the comments you received as offensive or with bad intention, but the complete opposite.

My personal opinion on what makes a professional is different than wikipedia and dictionaries. It seems to me the skill makes a professional, not the money he/she receives. You can do it for the love of it, and that doesn't mean your work will be worst or of lower quality. I really don't think a profession is all about the money.

But anyway, putting all that aside, it might seem like a good idea for you to charge and make some extra money... but the minute you're getting paid for a job, people WILL expect certain quality... and it could happen they'll not like your results, specially if you're just starting on this... so, maybe it's better to gain experience before charging for anything. No matter how great idea it sounds to get a few extra bucks.

It is important to understand that here you have people who's actually been into photography for a very long time, and you can't just say you're charging for a session with 2 months of experience. People will react to this and -most likely- they'll be right.

Anyway, I've never done newborn shots so I can't be of much help... but please take all necessary precautions, make sure to think in advance what different settings you'll be trying... cause you'll be pretty much learning by trial and error as you go through the session.

I'd use manual focus, a fast lens, keep ISO to the lowest possible at all times, wide apertures (smaller f/stops numbers) to isolate the babies from the background and surroundings, and try to use all the natural light possible. If not enough, maybe use an off-camera flash and something to soften the light... although most people will probably say you're definitely gonna need artificial lighting, but of course if depends on the location. Get a grey card and -when possible- use a tripod.

All this being said, I wish you good luck and looking forward to see the results.
Have a nice day!

 

[orljustin]

I am brand new to photography. I got my first DSLR in April and I've been taking photos non stop since then. I've been getting a lot of compliments on my photos so I decided to make a facebook photography page and charge super low prices since I am a stay at home mom and I would like to make a little extra money. I have no studio set up, no backdrops, props, or lights so I advertised that I am strictly taking outdoor photos for summer. I live next to a beautiful river so I figured the families or kids, couples, etc could come to my house and we could walk along the river which goes through 2 beautiful parks and take photos. The first park is literally a few steps from my house, I can see it from my front porch. The other one is about a 5 min walk.

So anyway, this woman messaged me asking about my prices, if I charge a session fee, etc. I told her no and told her my price and she seemed very interested. She has twin preemie babies and she said she is not sure about taking them outside because of their fragile health which I completely understand. She asked if I could come to her house to take pictures of them but like I said, I have no indoor set up yet. Could it be possible to take photos of them with natural light coming in through a window? And what kind of props could I use? I have some cute baby hats and clothing that was my daughter's when she was a baby but since they are so tiny, I am not sure if it would fit them. I was looking at professional newborn photos online and it looks like people always use very soft cushiony type of bedding, like the baby is on a cloud. How can I achieve this look with regular household items or what can I buy to achieve the same look?

Come on, how can this not be a troll post? We've got all the elements:
A: Brand new to photography
B: Camera less than 3 months old
C: "Passion" (implied)
D: Facebook page
E: Super Low Prices!
F: Stay at home mom
G: No studio, no props, no equipment
H: Natural Light Photographer!
etc....

So look, you can't take the babies outside, you're not going to be able to shoot inside without the proper equipment. You don't have the experience, so tell this woman you are not experienced or equipped to create the images she wants and she needs to hire a competent, professional photographer. That's all. How easy it is to say "Sorry, I can't do that at this time."

You didn't mention you're already opening a "studio"!
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-i-am-new-photography-i-love.html#post2601086

"As far as props go, we have all the standard Old Time photograhy props like barrells, a bar, bottles, guns, etc. I am really excited about my studio opening! I am basically doing this for fun but obviously I don't mind making a little side money. I am so new to photography that I am going to offer inexpensive prices. It's not that I am not confident in my ability, I am! It's just that I am not in desperate need for money and I really want to make this a fun experience. I don't want to get overwhelmed and quit. That's why my studio will be open 3 days a week."

 

[Robin Usagani]

Do you have an external flash?

 

[BlueMeanieTSi]

These threads always keep me entertained at work

 

[tirediron]

Regardless of your skills or equipment, if you are going to do this shoot, which in my opinion you are not ready for, please please please read up on newborn safety. Many of the images you see from top baby photographers are composites. You have no training, no insurance, and you may very well be risking the safety of these little babies with your ignorance.

Read the red text, and then read it again! These are two most important words in this entire thread. When someone hires a professional (and to reiterate what was posted earlier, if you charge you are viewed as a professional, regardless of your skill or experience), they have the right to assume that the person has the necessary qualifications, licenses, etc. Granted, a prudent person will verify this, but many will not. If you do go ahead with this and something happens, you are more likely than not to wind up in civil court. I wouldn't even want to think about the potential damages that could be awarded in a personal-injury case involving premature infants.

DO. NOT. DO. THIS.

 

[KmH]

There really is no substitute for learning the fundamentals.

To that end, I often recommend these inexpensive books and helpful web sites:

For Business
Best Business Practices for Photographers, Second Edition
ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography
Business and Legal Forms for Photographers (Fourth Edition) (Business & Legal Forms for Photographers)
www.SBA.gov and Free Small Business Advice | How-to Resources | Tools | Templates | SCORE

For Photography
Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography
Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers
Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html
http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

 

[gsgary]

There really is no substitute for learning the fundamentals.

To that end, I often recommend these inexpensive books and helpful web sites:

For Business
Best Business Practices for Photographers, Second Edition
ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography
Business and Legal Forms for Photographers (Fourth Edition) (Business & Legal Forms for Photographers)
www.SBA.gov and Free Small Business Advice | How-to Resources | Tools | Templates | SCORE

For Photography
Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography
Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers
Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography
Strobist: Lighting 101
http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

I'm sure Best Buy will go through all this when you buy one of their pro kits that comes with instant pro credentials

 

[KmH]

I have said it before, and I will say it again:

It is the buyers responsibility to determine if a sellers price is comensurate with the product, or service being offered.

 

[tirediron]

Caveat emptor.

 

[KmH]

Yep!

For those not familiar with latin - Caveat Emptor = "Let the buyer beware", a basic doctrine of property law and consumerism since the days of old.

Plus there is - "Caveat venditor - for "let the seller beware." It is a counter to caveat emptor and suggests that sellers can also be deceived in a market transaction. This forces the seller to take responsibility for the product and discourages sellers from selling products of unreasonable quality." Caveat emptor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Mach0]

My suggestions would be to use a brighter aperture for more light. Babies always look good with paler light, ESPECIALLY smaller (premature) babies who usually have reddened skin or other unsightly conditions. It gives a peaceful tone to the picture if they're asleep, but if they're awake That'd be great too. As for the soft looking bedding, try simply using a soft pastel colored blanket and wrapping it around a cushion. Try not to ruin the picture with TOO many props, the main focus is on the babies. You also don't want to have the really cheesy back drop "yearbook" type of photo, so just work with the surrounding. Any mom who has premature babies will have a nice and well put together house, and the pictures will be more personal if they have the house as the background. Try to get some pictures with the parents in it, if you can. Lastly, since they are so little, the most memorable pictures will have the babies near something that reflects on their little size. Like a big teddy bear or even in the parent's hands. you're welcome

Brighter aperture?

 

[topazsol]

Well, the studio is at a standstill right now. The woman I bought the turnkey business from got bit by a hobo spider so she is in the hospital getting skin grafted. It's nasty business. I have to wait for them to return to actually get my hands on all the equipment and costumes I bought from them. I understand though, I mean, it's not her fault that happened to her. I'll be opening the studio sometime this summer, despite all the ranting about how I can't do it blah blah. I have tons of family and friend support, a positive attitude (which seems to be lacking in this forum) and the ability to try try again.

Best to my knowledge a troll is someone who posts rude or offensive things to get a rise out of people. Or someone who disrupts normal coversation. I don't know how I did any of this. I just asked some questions.