I had a dry run with someone who's baby is about to turn 2 weeks old. She is a friend, has not seen any of my baby pics, and is real open to whatever direction I should give her as far as posing, etc.

Having said that, I need some pointers. I have searched for posts on newborns, but very few have the settings for the pics. I am really looking for which lens, which f-stop, which ISO, and all that tech info. I use my 70-200 2.8L for all of my senior shoots and love it and was able to get a few that I will post later.

I did use my flash, dialed down to accomodate the ambient light. I will say that I liked the pics where I used my clear lightsphere II as opposed to my stiffon siffuser straight on or bounced.

The feedings and baby having to be picked up quite a few times makes for a LOOOOONNNNGGG shoot. Did I say that it was long? Seniors are more fun. I was able to find in my searches on here that the shoots are longer, so I expected that.

Is there any source for posing, or ideas? I would love to see your pics, ideas. I will post some of the ones I took later when I get to work. I would like to know what lens and settings you folks use for the close ups of feet and hands.~ Chris

newborns are not the best subject - can it not wait until 5 mos - i think that's when they start to hold their heads up...

but for newborns, i know a lot of people do the bottoms of feet, hands in the big parents hands... etc.

Two-week olds can usually hold their head up a little. At least long enough to get a picture. Lay them on their tummy on a posing pillow like a Boppy (great prop, but get a plain white one that you can get covers for -- that way they can be washed easily). Put their arms on the top of the pillow and they'll usually raise thier head up a little. I normally use a zoom for the "posed" images. Normally at f/11 or so at ISO 200. My normal lighting is a shoot-through umbrella at camera left and a large 60" umbrella behind me or slightly to the right of the camera for fill. Babies are down on the floor so the lights should be low, too.

For my Baby Parts images I use an 85mm lens at f/2 or so. Sometimes f/2.8. No flash -- just window light. ISO 400 or so. These are all B&W so don't worry about cranking the ISO much higher, if you want to get more DOF, but they lose their feel at smaller apertures.

Oh, the 85 has a Nikon 5T diopter on the end of it to get close focus. Focus manually. You'll have about a 1/4 inch of depth of field so if you or the baby moves, it's out. I shoot a lot of images. I end up with a quarter (or less) that are in focus -- or at least where I want the focus to be.

I usually do some with the baby looking over the parents' shoulder. Usually the mom doesn't want to be in the picture but still wants to be there -- if that makes sense.

Sleeping baby pictures are fun, too. If you use white towels, put a heating pad under the top layer about an hour before the shoot. Remove it just before you put the baby on them. Make sure it's not too hot -- it's not usually an issue but the heating pad could get really hot. Some people use ceramic space heaters to keep the baby warm. And it does get warm in the Summer, especially.

I hope these help you -- I gave you some settings to start with.

newborns are my favorite subject - the parents are sooo into their little baby that they don't even care about my being there and there's no pressure to get the baby to smile:). The babies are still curled up the first two weeks and have that wrinkly, soft look to them that only newborns can have. Mine don't really take that long - maybe 1-2 hours, but I'm not a stickler for the baby having to be asleep. If the baby's really in a funk (which happens), then you just reschedule.

Here's a link to a couple of newborn sessions Baby Brock
Baby Madeleine

Lots of the photos are the mom and dad holding the baby (usually near a window or laying on the master bed or in the nursery.

Look for little details in the nursery (names on the wall, date of birth posted somewhere) and shoot from creative angles.

Find interesting furniture to put the baby on - ottomans, chairs, dressers - maybe even take one outside if it's warm and there are some interesting textures.

Document even the most mundane things - feedings, the mom walking down the hallway with the baby.
Almost anything shot with the right light and the right composition can be beautiful when it comes to babies.

Here's my favorite newborn image:Oh, I forgot to add my lens recommendations - I usually use my 24-70/2.8L on my 5d and also have my fisheye on my 20D for a few nursery and other shots. Depending on how much light there is in the house - my ISO will be 400-1600, shooting wide open.Also, you might want to bring a little bean bag and a black cloth to drape over it (or ask them to use an heirloom blanket).Kill the flash - it's distracting, unnecessary, and sometimes bothers the newbies. Look for good light.Good luck!

I ADORE newborns! They could be my favorite creatures to shoot! Here's what I say:

Appreciate and celebrate that they are VERY new! Don't try to make them hold their heads up, or sit up, or do any tricks that older babies do. Newborns like to cuddle and snuggle and stay warm. We always make sure that the shooting room is WARM for babies. (Mom and me will be sweating and wanting to pass out, LOL!) But the baby will love it, and relax! Hold a newborn close and secure, but not too tight. Make sure that they feel that you are comfortable. Newborns are AMAZING indicators of nervous adults! If you or mom is freaking out, the baby will too. (Creepy, but true!)

Ok, here are some of my favorite recent shots from babies age 4 weeks and younger...



...hope that helps?

Tami, Adam, Karen: Thanks for the leading. I really appreciate it. We are going to shoot some more. I know what you mean about if baby moves its out. Even with my fastest lens and ISO 1600, some of the images were a blur.

Carrie: Absolutely gorgeous!!! What lens and what settings, if I may ask?

I had a sharpening question aslo. In PP, what setting do you use for sharpening? When do you use unsharp mask and what do you set it to when you do? I have seen posts on here that mention some of the settings but I can't seem to find them now and have forgotten what I was searching for then.

Chris..
Thanks!
I generally shoot with a 24-70mm f/2.8L Canon EOS series lens for babies. For the studio shots, it's usually 100 ISO, with a shutter speed of around 125, and an aperture of 4.5ish. For the location shots, I like to keep an aperture of about 5.6.

(And my camera body is a 5d.)

Still, I think the most important part of shooting babies is your bedside manner, and the awe that those little critters inspire!

look at this

here's the blog

some of the best newborn work I've ever seen

if you want to get better at newborns, get their book when it's done.

Excellent site and the blog is awesome as well.

OMG, that first picture on the splash page of the two babies hugging. That is the CUTEST photo I think I've ever seen! Wow! Thanks for the link!

Oh, yeah, and Carrie, you ROCK. You're the baby QUEEN!

Thanks for that site--I've got a mama carrying twins right now. Those first two pictures are divine.

And Carrie--WOW. Especially love the third shot from the bottom.

omigoodness!

I was just going to suggest Britt (who is so young, and SO good!) and then I saw that this was Britt and Carrie! How very cool! They will be so successful. So pleased you linked there.

But back to the original questions, I do want to say that it isn't about camera settings. Camera settings are such a small piece of the puzzle, and without knowing what the light was like, where the window was, whether there was additional light, etc, they are essentially meaningless. All the same "rules" apply to newborns as to any other portraiture - a wider aperture for narrower depth of field, lower ISOs for richer color, etc. You can study the numbers all you like, but the only way to learn how to shoot what you want to shoot is to do it.

But if you really want to know that information, download any of the above examples, or blog images of work you like. Keep an inspiration folder with your favorites and it is likely that the info you seek will be in the exif info of those files.

Thanks for the site those are awesome. I have a client who just delivered last friday and I am going to shoot the baby this weekend. I am SO excited. She will be my first newborn I cannot wait to see her and that little softspot.

Here:
Michael 2
Michael 1

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Alex - you're images are always so sharp - I am so jealous

carrie I LOVE all those baby pics, awesome!!!

I think up to four weeks is MUCH easier then anything after three months until they can actually walk! I'd rather do 3 newborn shoots then babies just before they can sit up! That's just my two cents because the advice above, letting them just be, catching the parents loving on them, not making them do much is perfect!

I didn't realize this thread was still getting press! LOL

Alot of time has passed since I took that session and I wanted to post a few more recent.