| Author | Thread |
|
|
06/11/2005 03:54:47 PM · #1 |
Cade - 6 Weeks Old
I have never done a shoot like this before. A couple of my friends have a 6-week old boy and they don't have any photos and can't afford to get any, so I offered to do them some for free. I went to their house today and shot about 70 photos hoping to get a few decent shots. Since we weren't working in a nicely controlled environment, I had to work with the conditions. I had the baby on the couch and there is a rather large window to the right out of the frame, so some of this light is natural. I also bounced a flash off the ceiling to provide even fill lighting. I set my camera in manual mode at f/8 and 1/125" @ ISO 100 for all these shots, using the Canon 24-70L f/2.8 lens. These are all hand held. The tripod would have been a burden in this particular shoot.
Any comments or critique would be appreciated.
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:00:40 PM · #2 |
I'd burn or blur the background in the shots 5342, 5344, like that. Those are great shots/expressions but the background is too bright. Maybe even a little sponge to desat the colors.
The baby looks a little uncomfortable. Good work on a 6 week old - hard stuff!
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:04:24 PM · #3 |
Looks like you found yourself a willing model. I agree with mavrik that the background on 42 & 44 is distracting but the expression is great! I also liked 82, 62, 48, and 26. I also think you should go back and try to get some better shots of the baby with his parents. The shots with the parents seem too busy and could be improved. The lighting looks good and I especially like the translucent nature of the baby's skin.
Good job, and keep going back to capture this little guy as he grows up. |
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:09:18 PM · #4 |
Great shots, John. I really like these...
//www.pbase.com/jmsetzler/image/44648415
//www.pbase.com/jmsetzler/image/44648435
//www.pbase.com/jmsetzler/image/44648425
The lighting in all of the pics is very nice. He's adorable and I love his little outfit. Too cute! One thing I notice on a lot of the pics is that his arms, fingers, feet, toes, etc. are cut off. I know it must be difficult to capture a moving child, but perhaps you could consciously leave a buffer around all of the sides to prevent a limb from moving out of the frame. You can always go back and crop a bit tighter but it is impossible to add those limbs back in later. Not saying I could do better, but those are my observations. :-)
This one is really cute but feels a bit awkward with the missing arms. It's still a keeper though.
//www.pbase.com/jmsetzler/image/44648400
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:14:05 PM · #5 |
John,
They're all cute! I love the expression on 5344. 5332 is a nice shot. I also really liked 5345, 5349, 5372, 5382, and 5359.
All of the shots looked a bit yellow to me - could be my monitor, or the lighting. Not sure which.
If you get a chance to do the shots again, maybe try spreading a blanket on the sofa for a bit more color to the background.
I don't remember if they're grasping things yet a 6 weeks, but if they are, a toy as a prop might be nice.
Sara
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:23:48 PM · #6 |
| they are wonderful and what a cute model. I think you found a new subject and I bet the parents were more then thrilled. |
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:32:13 PM · #7 |
Any Comments?
Okay-- the first set, with the baby in the suit, he looks really uncomformtable, unnatural, the background (with the split cushions), is distracting..
The ones of him laying on the blanket, facing the camera are real good, his expressions are great.
The ones with the parents look like snapshots..
Remember, you said any comments/critiques-- So dont hammer back on me!!
Love,
Buzzrock.. :) |
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:39:19 PM · #8 |
Some nice work there, Setz, and it looks like fairly difficult conditions. I'm sure you had a reason, but I'm curious why you shot at f/8?
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:40:41 PM · #9 |
I don't know Setz' reasoning, but a lot of professional studio portraiture is done at f8 because lenses are sharp at f8, there's a bit more room for error in focus, and because people normally don't like tiny tiny DoF.
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:42:43 PM · #10 |
f/8 is sharp and i didn't have any reason to use a shallow depth of field in many of these. A lot of the shots are simple snapshots. I was just snapping while they were moving the baby around and changing clothes and stuff like that.
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 04:56:56 PM · #11 |
Great set of pics, a most difficult subject taken well.
One cannot predict how a child will behave in a situation like this smile, frown or even scream. Lighting looks good too.
Well taken John.
I think this image would make a great enlargement with a little more blurring of the background.
//www.pbase.com/jmsetzler/image/44648415
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 05:27:32 PM · #12 |
Particularly enjoyed this shot
You know how sometimes babies can look older? I got that sense from this particular frame. The combed hair, maybe, or perhaps the look on the face. It's a glimpse into what the baby might look like a few years down the line. Nice.
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 05:48:07 PM · #13 |
| I normally have great respect for your photography, but I get the feeling your heart wasn't in this shoot. I think a good portrait session demands empathy with your subject, and I'm not sure it was there for this one. |
|
|
|
06/11/2005 08:02:05 PM · #14 |
babies are just never the same :) I just love them to bits. I really love the last one, the one were he is yawning and the one where he is falling on the lounge (no shirt) mainly cause that is just how babies are. They are unbalanced, always tired and just plain cute.
Gorgeous photos. It shows how babies really are and thats a good thing
LIsa
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 08:35:03 PM · #15 |
Very nice! My favorite: Determination!
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 10:26:35 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by BobsterLobster:
I normally have great respect for your photography, but I get the feeling your heart wasn't in this shoot. I think a good portrait session demands empathy with your subject, and I'm not sure it was there for this one. |
I don't know what would give you that impression. I have simply never done this type of photography before. It's a first attempt. I had as much empathy as possible for this shoot, or I wouldn't have shot it to begin with. When I do something like this, I do it wholeheartedly or I don't do it at all.
The results don't look professional for several reasons mentioned here. My environment was not as controlled as I would like for it to have been. The lighting was a mix of ambient window light and my flash units. My lack of knowledge of posing and composition for simple portraits shows also. I believe that an assumption of a lack of empathy is a bit rude and presumptuous at best.
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 10:46:31 PM · #17 |
| What a wonderful gesture on your part. Something the parents will have forever. Great shots too. |
|
|
|
06/11/2005 10:48:47 PM · #18 |
You did a good enough job for a first shoot. The lighting is good. There have been comments on most of the things you could improve on. My only suggestion is to watch the background. The texture of the sofa and the gap between the two cushions maybe could have been avoided by using a cloth or blanket. The two on the blanket that include all of his arms are the best but then all that stuff is in the background. I guess with babies it might be better to zoom in less so you have room to crop in pp.
Did you use anything under him to prop him up in the ones where he was on his belly? I have to shoot a baby girl in a couple of weeks and would appreciate any advise you can provide. I'll have some neat props to use but as far as their behavior, I haven't a clue. |
|
|
|
06/11/2005 11:02:35 PM · #19 |
It was a very nice thing of you to take some baby photos for them. I think they came out really well. I agree with some of the comments said already about blurring the backgrounds in some of the shots. Also I agree that in some of the shots the baby looks unnatural and a bit uncomfortbale. But there are definetely a few keepers in there, and with some photoshop work blurring the backgrounds of some you should be able to get a few nice large prints which the family would most definetely cherish.
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 11:06:30 PM · #20 |
| I like the gobbler shots....... a controlled environment does not necessarily make for better pictures only different... some dramatic effect could be added with a typical strobe two or three light setup with a painted rainbow backdrop, but then your pictures would look not much different from the local Walmart studio. My view is - if any thing the crop might be too tight. Allowing a bit more environment in this type of situation might be an option to consider. However I think the close ups are quite good.... an assistant just off camera to gain attention of the child often helps, with a rattle and some coochie coochie to get some smiles...... |
|
|
|
06/11/2005 11:09:14 PM · #21 |
John, My faves of the bunch are 83,42 & 44. He's pretty adorable and it was wonderful of you to offer to take some shots for them. I feel for you, babies are so hard ... but at this age at least they can't crawl away on you. Be thankful for that. :-) Not the best models though, unless they're laying down, cause they just look like little rag dolls. I think the best baby shots are when the clothing is minimal and simple, even just blankets or my fave, nothing at all. :-) That's why the first set doesn't really appeal to me, but that's just a personal preference. Parents want what they want. And at that age smiles and expression can be difficult to get in most infants. Props are wonderful in helping with this, long feathers, big colorful objects and things that make noise... but best of all, MOM. She's what they know best at that age and who they're most likely to respond to. Given the environment you were working in and the inexperience with the subject, I think you got some nice shots for them to remember the moment. Time moves fast with infants, they change so quickly and you were able to capture that time for them and I'm sure they appreciate it.
|
|
|
|
06/11/2005 11:30:27 PM · #22 |
Hi-ho...
Firstly, this is my opinion... :-). (You can tell what's comming...)
I don't really like 'forced' baby pics like the ones in the tie etc. They are cute, but do nothing for me at all.
The ones on the blanket feel most natural to me, but the background is distracting as someone else said.. In this situation, when the baby is so young, you can ask one of the parents to whip around behind the baby and hold up a white sheet, or lump of posterboard. Shooting wide open with fast lens will help too, and make the background less obvious.
Also I think your lighting is a bit harsh for a 'soft' subject. Babies are, in general, soft & cudly creatures. They work well with soft or moody lighting.. Shallow DOF works best as well, trying to get just the eyes, or another feature sharp. Babies grow up fast, and loose their 'soft' edges. Parents will treasure photos that capture that 'soft' feeling and mood. Bright, evenly lit shots don't capture that.
You said the light was mixed, which makes it difficult for sure.. I've got a live-in baby model (Well, she's 21 months now) and I found that using strobes/flashes only works if you have obviously short or broad lighting (obviously to one side). Chasing a baby around while he/she plays in window light can get some great results as well.
You've got some nice shots for the parents though, my opinion asside. :-). You can probably see why there are specialist baby photographers out there. I know a girl who does that type of work, and it's an art in itself.
Cheers, Me.
|
|
|
|
06/12/2005 04:13:49 AM · #23 |
I think the results are excellent given your restrictions. The neck muscles are not really developed enough at that age for good looking seated shots. The lying position, facing the camera is best for a natural looking head shot at that age, although the lifted head (from belly) shots are most excellent. The curled sleeping baby (from the side and above) should be also be possible at that age; naked works well in that case.
If you visit again in only a short time (1-4 weeks), smiling will come easier; he may not yet be social smiling and you want to wait until then before another shoot. I would recommend revisiting after at least a month (two is better) when the neck muscles are much stronger (two or three if you want semi-stable to fairly stable sitting). By then, stimulation can elicit smiles and head turning, possibly even looking up without the early infant empty gaze. This is an ideal time for capturing babies, since they are not yet mobile enough to leave your field of view, but active enough to yield pleasing poses and expressions. Also, the parents can participate as more dynamic subjects without necessarily being there as props to hold up baby and/or the baby's head.
On the other hand, babies are still sleeping many, many hours at this age, so it's a good opportunity to capture a sleeping baby with/without mom and/or dad. They can often be posed without disturbing them much, although you have to be careful with lighting/flashes. Head on chest shots are good at that point, naked or not, sleeping or not, standing or not. Now is also a good time for baby's clasped hand on mom/dad's finger; I can't recall how long that lasts. Parents sometimes like group shots of the feet.
Examples:
1 month. rudimentary neck control, focuses at short distances, nearly no neck control (except on belly), (subject lying down, but rotated for presentation)
3 months. good neck control (still requires support when carried), turning to stimuli, voluntary smiling, seated position not perfectly natural, semi-involuntary limb movement
6 months. ideal neck control (turning an dlifting while seated), full body reaction to stimuli, voluntary limb movement (for balance in this case), semi-stable (but natural) seated position, smiles and giggles easily
I know you don't like floating subjects. My samples are just to illustrate some developmental milestones as they relate to babies as photo subjects. 6 weeks is much too early for attempts at most of the poses parents and grandparents want, but there are poses (rather relying on the natural positions at that age) that can work well. |
|
|
|
06/12/2005 04:39:12 AM · #24 |
| Thanks Dale. That is very good information. |
|
|
|
06/12/2005 06:29:16 AM · #25 |
Originally posted by pcody:
Thanks Dale. That is very good information. |
ditto, that! dale's tips were worth bookmarking the thread!
Message edited by author 2005-06-12 06:29:36. |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/25/2024 03:30:34 PM EDT.
