Art of Newborn Photography

Melanie East

• Publisher: Crowood
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781785002199
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Photography Techniques

Photographing newborns is a uniquely special experience and capturing the beauty of a newborn baby requires specific skills. In this practical book, Melanie East, one of the UK's leading newborn photographers, shares her secrets, from preparing for the newborn session through to post-production work. Advice is given on posing newborn babies using tried and tested techniques, while emphasizing the baby's safety at all times. Also Melanie gives clear instruction on choosing and using equipment near babies. Supported by her inspiring images, it is invaluable reading for photographers new to the genre, as well as professionals wishing to hone their skills. Contents: Advice on posing newborn babies using tried and tested techniques, while emphasizing the baby's safety at all times; Clear instruction on choosing and using equipment near babies; Tips on lighting, textures and tones, and using props to create interest in the newborn portrait; Ideas for taking beautiful and enchanting images that parents will adore. This practical book will be of special interest to family and portrait photographers and is beautifully illustrated with 153 colour photographs.

Chapter 1

The photographer–client relationship

THE CLIENT

It is a privilege to be asked to photograph a newborn baby, and your relationship with the client is therefore an incredibly special one. That very first point of contact could lead to an established, lasting relationship where you are likely to become the client’s ‘family photographer’ and will go on to photograph siblings, cousins, even grandparents and the client’s friends’ babies.

Whereas all photography commissions are important, a newborn photography commission carries with it the additional responsibility of ensuring that your client is happy with you handling, posing, lighting and photographing their vulnerable newborn baby, who in many cases may be under a week old.

The client needs to know that their baby’s safety and well-being is paramount, and to have full confidence in your ability. After all, they are paying a specialist and will expect a service that is second to none. If you have received specialist newborn photography training then your website should clearly state this.

It is good practice to make a point of explaining to the client during their first point of contact exactly how newborn sessions usually run and what they can expect. This not only helps you in managing the client’s expectations, but shows you have an in-depth knowledge of newborn babies. It is also important that the parents follow several steps in advance of the session to help the session run as smoothly as possible. A ‘welcome pack’ can be sent by email, which explains the session in more detail, advises them what to wear and what to bring, and also includes your studio’s terms and conditions.

It is important to remember that your client is in the first few days with their new baby. With this in mind, if it is their first baby, this will be a totally new, disorientating and exhausting experience for them. In all likelihood they will have had little sleep and will be emotional. Be prepared to make allowances in the way that they communicate with you: don’t expect an email response within five minutes or even five hours! You will need to be sensitive in the way in which you communicate with your client, and understand that this photography session is probably one of a thousand things they have to deal with during the course of one day.

ENVIRONMENT

A calm environment is essential for a successful session. With this in mind, it is very important to remain very calm even if the session is not going as planned. If you become stressed then the baby (and certainly the parents) will pick up on that. Whereas newborn babies don’t speak or interact as such, you will need to develop a skill in being able to connect with older babies, who often respond well to constant chatting and smiling from you.

Always remain patient, confident and as relaxed as possible, and emphasize to your clients the importance of maintaining a stress-free environment. Mothers can become stressed and upset if they hear their baby cry – if the photographer sees a mother become stressed then she should reassure the mother, and ask if they would like a cuddle with their baby.

You should keep your studio or working environment at around 26ºC (80ºF) to ensure that the newborn baby is neither too hot nor too cold (and you should explain this to the client). Babies lose body temperature quickly once unclothed and it is for this reason that the room must remain warm. It is good practice to heat the studio before the client arrives. It is also a good idea to explain that while baby will be lovely and warm, the parents may get too hot and therefore it is best if they wear layers!

You will need to provide comfortable seating and refreshments for the parents, who will be with you for several hours. Having a coffee machine to hand, together with water, juice and snacks will greatly enhance their experience of the session. They will feel looked after and will be able to relax – this may be the first time they have left the house since their baby was born. Cushions should be provided for the mother to sit on to ensure comfort; remember that she may have been out of hospital for only a few days and may be very sore.

Bathroom facilities should be provided.

Finally, it is good practice to ask the parents to bring a book or their laptop, so that they can catch up with thank you letters or other admin, or just to keep themselves entertained. Internet access should be provided, if possible.

CREATING YOUR OWN HOME STUDIO

As a newborn photographer, it is not necessary to invest in a commercial high street studio; many newborn photographers work from home and create a space either in their living room or the spare room.

Some photographers (understandably) do not wish clients to enter their home, preferring to keep this a private space, and consider building a studio within their garden, or making use of an existing outbuilding or garage. This is an excellent idea and one which can be achieved relatively inexpensively. There are many off-the-shelf garden offices, which may be purchase online and then installed. Alternatively you may wish to commission a builder to create a building from scratch. Make sure you are fully aware of local planning restrictions before embarking on building projects.

Whether you decide to build your own studio, use an existing room within your home, or convert, say, a garage, careful attention must be given to the kind of light you would wish to shoot in. I designed my studio around my wish to shoot in both natural and artificial light. It has a light, airy feel that is welcoming to clients, with a sitting area and a shooting area. When building the studio, careful consideration was given to insulation and ventilation. The building was then painted a dark brown colour and cleverly planted with trees and shrubs so as to blend in with its surroundings. My business model is built on low-volume, higher-spend clients; as such there is not a marked rise in traffic, meaning that there is minimal disruption to neighbours.

PACING THE SESSION

It is a good idea to pre-inform the client regarding the length of the session. That way, the client knows to expect to spend a good few hours with you. Three hours is the average time for a newborn session, but you will find that this will differ depending on the baby and how easily they sleep. Managing the client’s expectations in advance means that the client will not be looking at their watch wondering why you haven’t yet started photographing their baby when you are still trying to get the baby into a deep enough sleep to be able to create newborn poses! The session is set at the baby’s pace and will take as long as necessary to allow for feeds, cuddles, and rocking to sleep. That said, I do cap my sessions at three hours for single babies and four hours for twins.

A lot of photographers are put off by parents watching their every move during a newborn photography session. This is something that you will need to expect and get used to. You are handling a parent’s special bundle of joy who is just a matter of days old. If you have not met the parents in advance then remember that they do not know you – it is therefore to be expected that you will feel their eyes boring into your back!

You should never ever rush a newborn session. Remember that safety is paramount; rushing a session could mean you make mistakes, and the baby is more likely to wake up.

STYLE

Newborn photography is a creative industry and with that in mind it is important to create your own style in order to stand out from your competition. I am known by my clients not only for my use of rustic woods, textures and props, but also for creating images which are timeless and clean, with the focus always on the baby. This style came about because I live in the countryside and love all things rustic, taking inspiration from the colour palettes around me and developing my style from there.

Developing your style can take time, and it isn’t something you can rush, so don’t be concerned if you don’t have a style straight away. Take a look at your surroundings and consider whether you are drawn to colour or to neutrals. Consider whether you are drawn to modern imagery or more traditional imagery. Will you be shooting lifestyle natural images of a newborn or posed images? Do you absolutely love pastel colours, or are you more drawn to bright colours? All these are elements that can help you define your style. You could even create a mood board of colours or images that inspire you.

When you are starting out, it is hard not to stare at your peers’ work and wish that your work were exactly like theirs. Really though, you should be aiming to be you, with your own distinct style. You will find that your clients will book you because they love your work and your work will take on a style that can be recognized by others. Clients will be drawn to the look of your images, whether that is bright and airy, or lower key imagery – or a mix of both!

Once you find your style, it is important to stay true to it. That said, as a photographer you should constantly evolve and push yourself. Those who push themselves creatively and out of their comfort zone become the more successful photographers. Pushing yourself also ensures that you never get bored with your work.

Fig. 1
The rustic nature of the wood tones beautifully with the chosen fabrics in this image.
ISO 160 1/160 ƒ/4

Fig. 2
Muted brown tones complement the baby’s head of dark hair and provide a beautiful contrast to the baby’s skin tone.
ISO 160 1/160 ƒ/4

Chapter 2

Lighting

An understanding of light can make your work stand out from that of a mediocre photographer; without the proper use of light, however, it is possible to ruin what could otherwise have been a super photograph.

If you are a photographer who works in the clients’ own homes, then you will need to decide whether you will photograph using available natural light, or artificial light. Many photographers who shoot out on location take their own studio lighting with them to ensure that they will be able to light the shot exactly as they wish. Essential artificial light items for a mobile photographer include a lightweight light, a sturdy light stand, a portable soft box and a flash trigger.

If you decide not to take your own lighting with you then you will need to shoot with whatever available natural light there is. This could mean that on a dull day in a house with small windows, there is very little. This can be overcome by using a fast lens (a lens with a wide aperture) and increasing your ISO. Always be aware, however, that increasing your ISO too much will result in grainy imagery.

If you are a photographer who works in a studio environment then you will be able to control the light exactly as you wish using artificial light sources such as flash or continuous light.

NATURAL LIGHT

Photographers who shoot in clients’ homes, or in their own studio using natural light alone, will need to make use of window light. The quality of the light may be hard or soft and this depends on how large the light source is (for natural light indoor photographers this will be the window). The light from the sun on a sunny day is hard light as it casts deep shadows and is stron...