Armed with a some tips and inspiration from Digital Photography School, I undertook my first baby shoot this weekend. Jerry and Marlena invited me to photograph their six-week old daughter, Giada. Not only are they friends, but very accommodating parents, which made things a bit easier.
Between a few ideas I had sketched out and the shots they wanted, we found enough to fill the hour of shooting we managed to get. As noted in the link above, babies do add a certain chaotic element that rewards preparation, patience, and flexibility. Though even some the feeding break provided some good photos.
Following Joe McNally’s advice in The Moment It Clicks, I went with soft lighting and choose a shoot-though umbrella and fill card. (The fill cards are actually a new upgrade: white foam board painted black on one side, which made a good backdrop for a few shots.) As I went from shooting my plan to following what Giada wanted to do, it was tough to keep the fill; an opposing umbrella or bounced flash might’ve been good for more general fill. Though I was able to shoot ISO 100 with a 580 EX II at 1/4 power or less through the main umbrella.
Traveling with lighting gear wasn’t bad; thanks to the Strobist traveling light philosophy, it’s fairly light and the 20×30 fill cards are the only bulky item. I actually could’ve left the tripod home, though - keeping up with her movements required plenty of my own.
Processing added a few more learning experiences; I found that orange and yellow filters worked well for black and white portraits and that a gamma vignette helped pop the focal point of several shots. I’m pleased with the end results, and certainly learned a few new things, including a little improvisation!
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