That tummy shot of my daughter in my previous blog is one of my all-time favorites… mainly because it captures such genuine emotion. I took that picture at my parent’s house, but we were the only ones home at the time so there were limited distractions. I placed her on her tummy and grabbed my camera. At the time she was more interested in my black camera than she was with any of the toys I had out. Getting a shot of her looking directly at me was a breeze because she was genuinely interested in the object I was holding. (Two-and-a-half years later capturing the same facial expression on her is not as easy.)
I never had a problem capturing memorable shots of my daughter when she was an infant, but I hear from a lot of my friends with babies that taking frameworthy pictures of their newborns is a challenge. If you are struggling to get a decent photo of your bundle of joy I would suggest looking at the tips I provided in my previous blog and reviewing the following pieces of advice as well.
LIGHTING. If you have read my previous blogs on the subject then you know lighting is a tricky element in any photograph. Indoor lighting, outdoor lighting, hard, soft, diffused… it’s enough to make you want to put your camera away. When it comes to shooting infants ideally you want to go for the soft glow, and the best way to achieve that is by using natural light sources. You should start by taking your baby out of a space that restricts light from flowing evenly. Remove your infant from his crib or playpen and place him on a solid color blanket on a bed or the floor (preferably a spot that is exposed to a lot of bright, indirect light-—one void of shadows. You want to eliminate the need to use a flash when photographing infants for obvious reasons (nothing kills a photo session faster than a baby frightened by popping flash bulbs). Turn off your flash; use as much natural light as possible and raise your ISO to around 400, and your picture should come out fine.
POSITIONING. No doubt positioning your newborn is a key element in capturing that one perfect shot. Most parents go with the straight overhead shot and let the blanket provide an uncluttered, simple background. This is one option. But if you are using this technique be mindful of the tones in your shot. For example, if you are shooting white on white you risk capturing a “floating head.” To alleviate this, dress your infant in an outfit that variates slightly between her background. Another effective method that I employ often is to get down to your newborn’s level. Just be cognizant of your background and contrasting tones if you do so. Once you are down there you can experiment with different angles.
Finally, another tip I have found useful has to do with picture development. I would suggest printing some of your photos in black and white or sepia. There is something timeless and pure about a shot of an infant in black and white that is not always represented in color.
Related Articles:
Photography Potpourri—-NO To “Cheese” and YES to Hats
Telling A Story With Your Shots
Snapping Frameworthy Shots Of Your Kids
More Common Sense Tips To Capturing A Frame-Worthy Picture
Common Sense Tips To Capturing Frame-Worthy Pictures