Ella in Spring -- Homemade Studio Set

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6G ED

03/10/2008 03:19:14 PM · #1

Hey guys! I photographed baby Ella last fall. She is such a sweet baby and I loved her pictures so much she's all over my website & even on my business cards. A few weeks ago her mommy called and asked if I would do a Spring / Easter session for Ella. I say: "Heck yeah!!!", then hang up the phone and wondered how the heck I was going to do that! lol That's usually the way of it.

Anyway, after a few trips to Home Depot & Wal-Mart, I built a nice (in my opinion) spring-looking set for the studio that would use my white backdrop as its base. I bought a small green carpet, for grass; a whole-darn-bunch of silk flowers and some flower pots; a really big flower pot that would be big enough for baby to stand in; some bits of garden fencing; and a few other odds & ends.... and there ya go! Oh yeah, I also made a plaster of paris tree truck using an old flower pot. :D I'm so pleased with my little set, I named it Ella's garden.

Anyway, Ella was here yesterday. Mom & Dad loved the set in the studio and Ella was in a great mood. We shot for about 2 hours. I swear this kid just gets cuter & cuter... here are my early favorites...

Sorry there's so many, I'm having a hard time narrowing them down.

gwe21

Nikon D300

03/10/2008 03:22:07 PM · #2

what great shots! thanks for the ideas, I love the flower pot!

Eyesup

Nikon D300

Sigma 70-200 /2.8 APO EX DG Macro HSM II

03/10/2008 03:24:16 PM · #3

beautiful work!!! well done!

gwe21

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6G ED

03/10/2008 03:26:00 PM · #4

This one is my favorite!

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

03/10/2008 03:27:32 PM · #5

Very cute and well done! I have a little girl and this gives me some ideas for Easter, though I am doing a St. Patricks Day shoot with her on Thursday. Would you mind posting your lighitng setup, if it's not too much trouble? Thanks, Trevor~

mpeters

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

03/10/2008 03:29:21 PM · #6

Very nice Cindi! Perfect studio set and props. I'm guessing it was a relative bargain. mark

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

03/10/2008 03:47:59 PM · #7

This is basically what the set looked like when they arrived. As you see everything is easily mobile so I moved things around lots while we shot. Ending with a pure white floor again for the family shots.

I don't have a pic that shows the lights, but can tell ya easily enough. There are 2 lights behind the set, one on each side, both aimed at the background. One 4' softbox in front of the set on the left aimed at the set and one octobox behind and above me, slightly to my right, aimed at the set. The softbox is key light and octo is fill. :)

I usually move my lights around lots during a session, but for this one I only needed to swivel the softbox a few times.

Edit: Cost --- The 2 bits of garden fence were $5 each, the big flower pot was $20, silk flowers $1/stem (maybe $60), $5 green rug, $4 plaser of paris,... Maybe $150 for everything. I can see using many of the same items in differnt ways for other sessions. Way cheaper than the studio sets that you buy as kits.

Message edited by author 2008-03-10 15:52:11.

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

03/10/2008 05:19:42 PM · #8

Thanks for the info!

Pug-H

Pentax K10D

Sigma 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical HF for Pentax

03/10/2008 05:41:05 PM · #9

You should see if you can get one of those old-fashioned milk urns as something to put bigger children in.

FireBird

03/10/2008 06:55:23 PM · #10

Did you use your flash meter to take these shots Cindi? Especially the shots in the story board. It seems the baby only shots look a little hot on her face. Now, that may be exactly what you're aiming for. Just curious. I'm wondering if you're getting some side lighting spill from the background light on the left. A flag might help with this. I love the shot of her with the glasses and her tongue out. That would make a neat business card shot for baby photo business. I love all these images. She has a very strong personality and obviously you had a very strong connection with her. Keep up the good work.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

03/10/2008 08:00:15 PM · #11

Originally posted by fir3bird:

You spotted my one real error! Good eye. The spill you see, that's hitting her cheek on the left is the background light on that side. While moving pots of flowers around I must have bumped that light without realizing it sometime during the shoot. When I went back to check that light after the session, it was facing toward the back of the fence and definitely caused the spill-over. I shot RAW, so was able to easily fix the problem on some of them, others I pushed toward high key and left that side bright.

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

03/10/2008 08:52:04 PM · #12

As usual very nice set Cindi!

magenmarie

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

03/10/2008 09:43:15 PM · #13

They are all wonderful!

All of these looks

are priceless!!! I'm sure the family is very pleased.

Thank you for sharing. :)

Message edited by author 2008-03-10 21:43:45.

sherpet

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

03/10/2008 10:01:52 PM · #14

Again it was a pleasure looking at Ellas storybook in beautiful spring photos.....

You have a wonderful artistic mind and a beauriful set up to create these amazing images.

Thanks for sharing rhem with us,,,,,

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/10/2008 10:19:44 PM · #15

Do you ever see a thread title and avoid going into the thread because, well, it's just "another" one of those and there are only so many hours in a day and you have so much other stuff to do and well ... you know what I mean.

Well... I was avoiding this thread (by title), but I stumbled upon this picture in your portfolio and came looking to see if there was a thread on it:

Wow Cindi! I'm just in awe... this is such a GORGEOUS image! And I'm not even the lil' tyke's parent. I can only imagine their reaction!

kswanson

03/10/2008 10:26:31 PM · #16

Kudos to you.... reminds me when my children were little.....