Good afternoon Welcome, Timur Mustaev. There are a huge number of directions and styles of photography: some shoot wildlife, some specialize in working with people, some adhere to the classics in posing and processing photos, while others develop their own approach.
There are quite a few options to try something new. For example, have you ever wondered how to photograph newborn babies? We can say that this is a whole science - complex and, of course, fascinating.
Partially, this type of photograph has something in common with a portrait photo shoot, but it also has its own specifics, which we will talk about today.
For a photographer working with newborns, the most important issue is not only proper handling of lighting and camera, but also interaction with people.
And here I’m talking not so much about the parents, but about the baby itself. How to organize such a photo shoot? The article will have many subheadings - important notes regarding our topic. I will comment on each of them in more detail.
Don't be afraid baby
It will be more difficult for those amateur photographers who have previously had little to do with children in general. Here, as in everything, you need experience communicating with such “small models.” And most importantly, you don’t need to be afraid of them: arrange them the way you would like to see in the photo and at the same time as it would be comfortable for the baby.
You can offer the parents to move the child to the right place, or do it yourself (with their consent). Perhaps at some point you will have to calm the baby down a little, simply pet him or, conversely, cheer him up and play with him. In the latter case, various ringing and bright objects will be useful to you.
Which photographer, other than yourself, would you trust to photograph your newborn baby?
At the beginning of her creative career, she adored Ana Brandt. I learned from her videos) Now there are quite a lot of photographers whose work I like, whose style is close to me. From foreign countries I like Jade Gao, Paola Alduli, Natalya Ignatova, Claudia Aguilar, from the CIS countries I like Anastasia Kondratenko. I hope I named everyone correctly))) For my little one, I would choose from Belarusian photographers. You can’t travel far with a 14-day-old baby, and a flight from Israel, Canada or Australia will cost a pretty penny))) And we have many photographers with an excellent level of work. For example, I like the works of Minsk resident Varvara Sergeeva.
The most suitable age
Age is not a completely correct concept in our situation. This is a newborn! Therefore, this paragraph applies to days or weeks of age.
Professionals believe that the first week after birth is ideal for photography. After all, this is a very important moment in a child’s life - he is just beginning his life, and you, in turn, will be able to capture all this. In addition, at this time the baby is often calm, sleeps a lot and feels good - his tummy is not bothering him yet.
Water games
Kids love to swim. And how great it is to play in the water! You must remember: the more emotions, the more interesting the pictures. In this case, owners of compacts will be luckier than those with a DSLR, simply because a waterproof case for a compact costs mere trifles, but with a DSLR camera in this regard it is more difficult.
Why do we need a cover? Not only to protect the camera from splashes - and where would we be without them, this is the most beautiful thing (after your child, of course) - but also so that when filming the splashing fidget, you could lower the camera into the water. The highest class is to capture the moment when half of the frame is in the water and the other half is on land. Although, you will have to do a lot of takes.
If you're filming your child with someone else, just ask them to play while you walk around in circles and click. Exactly in circles. Don't stand still for a second. This way you can choose the most interesting angle. If there is no one to help, you will have to take the blow yourself. Ask your child to spray you from head to toe. He will do this with great pleasure. And don't forget to spray him back. Without stopping filming, of course!
Child's daily routine
- Firstly, it is worth clarifying in what interval of the day the child sleeps and when he is awake.
- Second, tailor your shooting to these factors. You must be prepared both for periods of activity and, possibly, the whims of the baby, and to use the time wisely if he falls asleep.
In the case of the latter, there is no need to wake him up, just gently lay him down, giving him a certain pose and take a photo.
During the waking period, the baby will not necessarily share your desire to be filmed, so, if necessary, regulate his mood and attention with interesting toys. It is useful to have colorful loud rattles in your arsenal.
How do you even choose a photographer for your baby and how do you know if you can trust him with your baby?
First of all, of course, I advise you to look at the photographer’s portfolio: you should like the shooting style. It’s best when parents start looking for a photographer in advance for the first photo shoot of the baby, then there is an opportunity to get to know the photographer better, see how he works with the kids and how the photo shoot goes in general. It is mandatory to clarify that the photographer is trained, although all professional photographers post their certificates, awards and achievements on social networks or on their website, if there are any, of course, and there is no need to ask.
Posing
A newborn is not the kind of person who can listen to you and take any body position. Therefore, here you will have to lay him down, change his position, control his arms and legs.
There are only a couple of options for positioning the baby: on the back and on the stomach.
In both cases, the baby can sleep or not. Your task, as always, is to catch the best shot. Important note: in the tummy position, if the baby is not sleeping, it is often difficult for him to support his head. To raise it a little and direct its gaze towards you, pick up a toy.
Photography idea
There are hundreds of interesting ideas for newborn photo shoots. Examples of them can be found on the Internet or the portfolio of the selected photographer. There are 6 proven ways to diversify your shooting:
- Make a creative print on a children's bodysuit with a touching or funny inscription.
- Carry out 4 consecutive shootings to show how the baby has grown. For comparison, you can use a toy, a patchwork blanket, or even mom or dad.
- In the studio you can do a session dressing your newborn in superhero costumes.
- It is not necessary that the child in the photo is alone. He can be photographed with his mom, dad, brother, sister or the whole family together.
- For older children (from 6 months), filming is allowed with their favorite pets.
- To style the shoot, you can use festive or seasonal accessories, such as safe Christmas tree decorations (for New Year's photo shoots), yellow leaves (as part of autumn leaf fall) or flowers to show the bright colors of summer or autumn.
Source: yu-la.spb.ru
A photo shoot is a way to capture the best moments not only for parents, but also for the baby. When he grows up, he will probably be interested in watching himself grow up. To make it look organic, you can arrange all the photographs in an album or book, for which there will definitely be a place in the family archive of memories.
Source: fotoast.ru
Comfortable environment
The family that comes to your studio should enjoy being there. You yourself must show openness and good nature and take care of the surrounding space. It is advisable to use predominantly light, delicate colors.
Bright details may be in small quantities. The area of comfort also includes musical accompaniment, with which you will create a relaxed mood for yourself and your clients: various children's songs or unobtrusive sounds of nature, relaxation.
Communicate also calmly, do not make noise or fuss. Be prepared for a fairly long process, quite possibly two to four hours, and be patient.
Workplace and light
When photographing with small children, especially infants, the only right solution is to use natural lighting.
Window light would be suitable, or I would choose constant sources, that is, those that do not blink and where you would not have to use a flash. This is more suitable for the child and will not disturb him in any way.
Soft diffused light is what is needed; hard contrast, of course, will be inappropriate to convey the delicate appearance of the baby.
In bright sunshine, curtain the windows with sheets or use fabric covers on appliances; you can use reflectors for even illumination.
In the bright sun
Sometimes it’s worth turning your usual walk into an exciting photo session by taking your camera with you. A sunny day (or better yet, evening or morning) is perfect for shooting. The only thing you should not forget about is black shadows on the side opposite to the sun. We were taught from childhood that we should not shoot against the sun. It is quite possible that this rule arose from the natural economy of our ancestors: in 9 cases out of 10, a person photographed against the sun turned into a black silhouette... The frame was rejected, and the film was a pity... However, there was one more case when a surprisingly unusual photograph was taken. You can, for example, remember that your camera has a “harmful” flash. It will illuminate the face, and the delicate curls on your baby’s head will glow in the sun’s rays. By the way, it’s a rare case when it’s really needed!
You can come up with something more complicated. For example, take a piece of foil with you and, reflecting the sun's rays, highlight the shadows on the child's face.
I don’t encourage you to shoot exclusively against the sun, let the baby spin as he wants and play for his own pleasure: your task is not to leave his face out of the frame and remember that the details in the shadows should be highlighted.
Camera settings
I don’t dwell on the camera settings separately, although it is assumed that they should be correct. As in other circumstances of photo shoots in natural light, you select the technical parameters to suit these conditions.
Don't set your ISO too high to avoid noise that will ruin your photo.
A shutter speed that is too fast will not be necessary, because the model is almost motionless, while the aperture can be opened as wide as possible to get a portrait with a beautiful blurred background.
Pay attention to the white balance - all colors must correspond to reality. At the same time, you can enhance warmer shades, but it is better to avoid cold ones.
It's better to use RAW format for shooting. It will be easy to do post-processing with it.
How to Photograph Young Children: Check the Lighting
shutter speed: 1/160 sec, aperture: f/4.5, ISO 800, flash: on
For the best baby photos, it's best to take them during the day when you have plenty of natural daylight available to you.
Natural light gives a soft focus to the baby's skin and emphasizes its tenderness. Try to use light diffused from windows and avoid bright, harsh lighting, as this not only creates harsh shadows, but is also harmful to the baby's skin.
For this type of portrait photography, a 50mm prime is ideal for you (you can see a review of inexpensive portrait lenses here). Set your camera to Aperture Priority (AV) mode, select an appropriate ISO and wide aperture, and then let the camera find the right shutter speed. If necessary, use an external flash - always with a diffuser! – to fill in the shadows.
Furniture and attributes
Consider the colors of the furniture you will use, including the background. The shades should not be too bright so as not to take attention away from the child, and should not resonate with other things and accessories.
The question arises: what to photograph a child with? It is convenient to place the child on an ottoman, which can be given any shape. Babies look very cute in tiny cribs.
Various kinds of blankets, towels, mini-pillows will come in handy - again, among other things, they will create comfort for your “model” and unobtrusively allow you to give her the desired pose.
Buy a few oilcloths for your newborn in case of surprises. They should not be visible in the frame; veil them with a cloth or towel.
Preparing for a photo shoot
Preparing for a photo shoot with babies does not require much time and effort. There are 5 rules, the implementation of which will guarantee a pleasant process for the photographer, mother and baby:
- Choose a warm, cozy room or sunny, comfortable weather (ideally May-June) if the shooting will take place outside.
- Establish a source of constant “white noise”. A cyclical, monotonous and pleasant sound will calm the child. To do this, you can place a fountain, a player with classical, calm music, or even a hair dryer at the venue.
- Feed your baby before the photo shoot so that he feels good, sleeps soundly and is not worried. Mom should always have a bottle of food on hand in case the baby wakes up and gets hungry.
- Take a warm blanket (if the shoot will take place outside), spare diapers, a napkin and a pacifier. It is also advisable to take a waterproof lining so as not to spoil the props in case of a “childish surprise”. There is no need to worry about this. Professional photographers have encountered different situations and this case certainly won’t surprise them.
- There must be things familiar to him next to him. Every newborn has items that soothe and help them feel safe. This could be his favorite rug or blanket, toy or pillow. It is important to make sure that this thing is near him. It’s even better if it becomes a detail of the shoot, adding variety to the shots.
Moms also need to prepare for the process. The day before the shoot, they are not recommended to experiment with new products if the baby is breastfed. This can negatively affect the child – his appearance and health. New foods in a mother's diet can cause allergies, colic, or bloating. In this case, the photo session will most likely have to be rescheduled because the baby will feel unwell. It is also necessary to free up at least half of the day, a little more than the planned time, since the process of the photo shoot itself may drag on.
Source: newborndreams.ru
