Ideas/books for baby photography

Hi all,

I am starting out photography with my EOS-7E. My subject for my

photography lessons is my 6 month old :-) Tough one !! I am having a

real hard time getting good ideas. I want to avoid taking stereo

typical photos and instead be a little creative. Can you suggest some

place I can start looking for ideas. I have looked at Anne Geddes's

work, but that is not what I am looking for. It is too flowery for

my taste. I liked some of the photos of babies posted on this

website. I have a 550EX flash with an off camera accessory. I do not

have any other fancy lighting. So, mostly, I will be using natural

light or this flash for fill in. Please help. Any suggestions on

books/pose cards or websites is really appreciated.

How to Photograph Your Baby by Nick Kelsh (at Amazon)

Hi

 

6 months old is easy. Wait till they turn 2 and want to take the photos themselves (my EOS30 only just survived).

 

Your best bet is outside with natural light. That way you don't have a distracting flash going off (believe me they can stare at a flash for HOURS waiting for it to go off again).

 

At this age they are sitting up really taking an interest in what is going on around them. Try to capture that. Give them a new toy and get some shots of them exploring it. Try some different angles - shoot from directly above them looking down or from right on the ground looking up. Use different crops - try showing a lot of background with them looking small. Try cropping tightly around them. Use a wide angle lens to make them look tiny or like a giant.

 

They have their own personality at this age. Try to bring that out. I tend to avoid any sort of Anne Geddes style props or posing as the images end up saying more about the photographer than the child. Let them be themself.

 

Sleeping is good too. Nothing is more peaceful than a sleeping child. Get in close and personal with a macro lens if you have one. Try some really tight crops of face, hands, feet etc. I shoot that type of image using 3200 speed B/W film. it has a fantastic grainy look and means you can shoot in low light without risking waking them up with a flash.

 

Hope this helps

Dave<div></div>

<I>the images end up saying more about the photographer than the child.</i>

<P>

I couldn't have said that better myself.

<P>

Anyway, just shoot a lot of photos, study them with a critical eye, then shoot more. Edit them after you shoot them. You can always decide that a shot you took isn't a keeper, but you can't decide that one you didn't shoot is a keeper. Film is cheap. One day you'll wake up and your six month old baby will be six years old.

<center><img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=1662186&size=lg"></center> </p>

 

I don't think that there are any really good suggestions accept take LOTS OF PHOTOS. I would say going digital would help significantly since you have the instant feedback and can easily and affordably blow through 100s of shots in an afternoon. </p>

 

<p> With baby shots it is all about catching that 1/1000 of sec moment, which is so so hard to do. My baby pics has improved a lot since I got my 10D instead of relying on film. Not really where I want to take it yet, but I'm getting there.

You can take some very memorable pictures of your baby in window light of soft light under trees or patios. You can use your baby toys as props. Here is one picture I took when my son had not started to crawl yet. The picture was taking in our covered patio with my wife holding a blue bedsheet in the background.

 

Make sure that the eyes are properly lit and have some catchlights. Tha make a lots of difference.

 

The camera was Nikon N80 and lens was 80mm f2 AIS. The light was metered using a hand held meter.

I too am looking for great ideas for my baby pictured at 1.5/2mths here. This was shot with regular fugifilm 200ISO just on automode on my old Maxxum 5000... pic 2 was with a cokin filter which kinda jazzes things up a bit(it's stackable).

 

<a href="http://www.hfmcorp.com/camden/pages/camup1_jpg.htm"target="_blank">pic1</a>

<a href="http://www.hfmcorp.com/camden/pages/camhorn_jpg.htm"target="_blank">pic2</a>

They're a lot more fun photographically between 18 months and 4 years old. For your 6 month old, I'd shoot a lot of black and white, and focus on capturing expressions and interaction with the rest of the world.<p>

<img src=http://www.derekzeanah.com/albums/children/kids1.jpg><p>

 

<img src=http://www.derekzeanah.com/albums/children/mailbox.jpg>

I's afraid I don't agree with Derek's comments above. Children are photographically interesting at all ages. Every week they do something new that you can capture on film.

 

While I shoot mostly in B/W, colour is also very effective for shots of children. Their clothes and toys tend to be brightly coloured and this can make for striking photos. Use the bright colours as an element in your composition but don't let them overpower things.

 

The attached photo isn't technically very good but it's certainly a keeper

 

Cheers

Dave<div></div>

Thanks for all your suggestions. I found the book by Nick Kelsh very helpful. His ideas are very inspiring. I was all charged up after reading his book in one sitting and I went home and shot about 80 snaps of my son. Though I have the 7E and a good macro lens, I decided to use my digital as I wanted immediate gratification, as well as didnt want to waste a couple rolls of film on the first run. With this, I decided to fill up a 32MB card and ended up shooting about 75 snaps. Initially, he was more interested in the camera, but eventually he started ignoring it and going about his play like it wasn't even there. The only problem I encountered with this camera was its inability to focus at close distances and the time lag between the time I click the button and the time it actually takes the photo. It was very irritating, and I ended up losing a lot of opportunities. I have my eyes set on the Canon EOS 10D for my next big purchase. When the prices come down to below a grand, I am willing to jump up to it. I have attached a few of the snaps, please give me your feedback on these.

Nice shot. It's hard to get a shot without the fingers in the mouth isn't it.

 

The only comment I'll make is that the right side is a bit dark. Some fill light would make a big diference there.

 

Dave

Joyce Wilson, who teaches at Brooks Institute, is a great baby photographer. You might look to see if she has published articles or books.<div></div>

I am attempting this for the first time! I shoot with Natural lighting. Even in studio. I photograph kids only and of all ages up to Seniors in highschool! If you would like you can email me.

 

I am attempting to upload some of my images ! Hope they work!

 

Erin Drallos<div></div>

Here is another for baby ideas!

sorry about that link!

 

This is a very small premie baby in his daddy's hands.<div></div>

Even indoors Natural lighting if metered well can give great results!<div></div>

Don't forget to grab those tiny little tushies!<div></div>

as for 6 months old, that link to Brianna up top is a 6 month old. And this little one is too!<div></div>

My best shots have come simply when letting my daughter be herself, whether playing or sleeping. Getting the poses I wanted was much easier when she was "posable" by me (under 6 months) but now I've had more fun - and come up with some fantastic shots - simply by following her around and trying to capture her wonder as she explores and experiences the world.

 

I agree with the earlier suggestion of new toys/objects to play with. You'll capture lots of great expressions.

 

While she was younger I had a lot of fun playing with her size relative to mine and my wife's. The shot is a good example of what I mean.

 

Good luck! You're going to have a ton of fun. I've taken hundreds of photos of my little one since she was born - I never tire of it. (Evidence at http://www.poweredbysteam.com/emma/)

my baby ..<div></div>

Photographic babies is tough, especially when they're to the age of constantly running around. I think your best bet to get photos that really captures the essence of who they are is to watch them and take pictures of them naturally, and don't try and pose them. When they get to the age of noticing the camera, that's when it's REALLY tough.<div></div>