all the help i can get

[garymicheal]

many thanks for reading this . a mates just dropped me right in it just phoned me an just says can i come round and take some nice pics of his new baby grandson :shrug: yes no problem i said, be round Friday afternoon. so get me outa the brown stuff guys an girls where do i start :shrug:i got a 50d tripod nifty fifty 24 -105 mm 100-400 mm if the nappy's full lol looks like baby will be on a chair /settee with a throw over do i get down with baby's eye level how far away etc f stop shutter speed the list goes on

 

[Anorakus]

Get in close and take some shots of the baby as it's playing, with Mum and Dad etc. You never know when you'll get an eye-catching shot..

I did a similar thing a few weeks ago.. took the camera along when we went to see our friends with their new-born. At one point the nipper was put in a play-pen with a mobile hanging over him, and I got this:

24-70mm on a Canon 5D mk II

A.

 

[Deleted member 25799]

do i get down with baby's eye level how far away etc f stop shutter speed the list goes on

Its hard to answer these questions because obviously we don't know the lighting, how close you are to the baby, if you are using flash, and so on.

Best thing is to give it a shot yourself and find out what does/n't work

 

[phototuition]

And remove the colour in post processing so the babie's smile (in both the eyes and mouth) dominate the image rather than the distracting colours that so often surround the little loves!! John.

P.s when shooting over baby ensure camera strap aroud your neck and any speedlight locked in place.

 

[Anorakus]

I forgot to mention, some think that a flash wouldn't be good for a new-born baby's eyes - and in any case they'd be particularly prone to red-eye. Our friends requested that we didn't use a flash.

I shot the above pic in window light, ISO 3200, 1/200 sec @ f/2.8

A.

 

[Yv]

50mm is fine. Get in close, keep back grounds as simple as possible, preferably a plain blanket of similar. like most portriats, focus on the eyes for head shots. Use natural light, and take/make a reflector for some fill. Also use the wide open end of the lens to do some detail shots of hands and feet, which are very popular and will remind family how tiny they were.

Most of all, relax, take as many shots as you need to, have loads of patience, babies will not always perform the way you want, but give them time and yoy should get a nice mix of shots

fwiw, these were taken in a tiny bedroom with a tiddly window, on the parents bed. Baby is 2 weeks old, a plain white blanket and a very cheap net curtain to hide nappy [we tried sans nappy, but he kept ...err...making a mess ]

these were with a 24-70 f2.8 but a 50mm would have been better tbh, but I dont have one



edit: should also say, if little one is sleeping, you might be able to get the classic dad holding naked baby tummy down in hands shot...or other such stuff. Also, shots of parents gently kissing baby on head are often appreciated

 

[Keith W]

I had 5 mins to get some shots of some little ones this morning before I had to head off elsewhere.

These were all shot with a 50mm f1.8 and no flash

 

[On the Huh]

Wow! Really nice pics Yv.

OP: Despite having two children myself and a good number of fostered babies, never been able to get any good shots of litt'luns.....sorry! Too busy changing diapers etc. Well that's my excuse.

 

[Yv]

thanks Nigel. Pretty much the only new born I have done and a bit more editing happened before parents saw them, but they give an idea of what the simplest of kit can achieve if you have some patience. .... and like you, I never had the time to do this when my own were that little

 

[garymicheal]

thanks for the help i will do my best and i will post a few for you to see watch this space

 

[garymicheal]

50mm is fine. Get in close, keep back grounds as simple as possible, preferably a plain blanket of similar. like most portriats, focus on the eyes for head shots. Use natural light, and take/make a reflector for some fill. Also use the wide open end of the lens to do some detail shots of hands and feet, which are very popular and will remind family how tiny they were.

Most of all, relax, take as many shots as you need to, have loads of patience, babies will not always perform the way you want, but give them time and yoy should get a nice mix of shots

fwiw, these were taken in a tiny bedroom with a tiddly window, on the parents bed. Baby is 2 weeks old, a plain white blanket and a very cheap net curtain to hide nappy [we tried sans nappy, but he kept ...err...making a mess ]
if my photos turn out half as good as these ill be well pleased

these were with a 24-70 f2.8 but a 50mm would have been better tbh, but I dont have one



edit: should also say, if little one is sleeping, you might be able to get the classic dad holding naked baby tummy down in hands shot...or other such stuff. Also, shots of parents gently kissing baby on head are often appreciated

 

[jimmy83]

50mm is fine. Get in close, keep back grounds as simple as possible, preferably a plain blanket of similar. like most portriats, focus on the eyes for head shots. Use natural light, and take/make a reflector for some fill. Also use the wide open end of the lens to do some detail shots of hands and feet, which are very popular and will remind family how tiny they were.

Most of all, relax, take as many shots as you need to, have loads of patience, babies will not always perform the way you want, but give them time and yoy should get a nice mix of shots

fwiw, these were taken in a tiny bedroom with a tiddly window, on the parents bed. Baby is 2 weeks old, a plain white blanket and a very cheap net curtain to hide nappy [we tried sans nappy, but he kept ...err...making a mess ]

these were with a 24-70 f2.8 but a 50mm would have been better tbh, but I dont have one



edit: should also say, if little one is sleeping, you might be able to get the classic dad holding naked baby tummy down in hands shot...or other such stuff. Also, shots of parents gently kissing baby on head are often appreciated

Wow, those are great. Ive just become an uncle and ive been using a flash the whole time...which hasnt worked out that well. Doesnt help that the baby is always asleep!