East - Art of Newborn Photography

The Art
of Newborn
Photography

The Art
of Newborn
Photography

Melanie East AMPA

First published in 2017 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2017

Melanie East 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 219 9

Dedication

For my gorgeous husband Simon
and our beautiful daughter Amelia.

CONTENTS

Introduction

N ewborn and baby photography is the fastest growing genre of portrait photography in the UK. Many professional photographers are turning away from other genres of photography to tap into the newborn and baby photography market and similarly, many stay-at-home mothers are turning their hand to baby photography, as they feel it is a profession which they can work around their children. The introduction of digital photography, together with the fact that a semi-professional camera can be purchased for under 500, means that photography is now a far more accessible profession than it has ever been before.

There is far more to newborn photography, however, than just taking a photograph; with it comes the responsibility of handling and caring for a newborn baby. The photographer must understand the needs of the newborn and its parents, and should be well versed in safety, as well as maintaining a calm environment while carrying out a session.

The intention of this book is to arm the reader with an initial knowledge of newborn and baby photography. Please note that it is not a replacement for professional training; those who wish to carry out the art of newborn photography should invest in training from an experienced and qualified trainer before attempting to pose newborn babies.

WHY NEWBORN AND BABY PHOTOGRAPHY?

Newborn and baby photography is a very special genre of portrait photography. No other portraiture has such a limited window of time in which to capture the emotional first few days of life; at no other stage do children change and develop so quickly almost on a daily basis. Capturing an image within that narrow window of opportunity ensures that parents memories of their tiny little baby will stay with them for ever. Many parents wish that they could stop time and remember their baby exactly as they were at the newborn stage. As a newborn photographer, you are allowing them to do just that, and the images that you produce will be amongst the most precious that any parent will have.

As a newborn photographer you will need to develop a certain set of skills: endless patience, giving confidence to the parent to entrust their precious bundle to you, and an aura of calm no matter what the photography session throws at you. You will need to handle a newborn baby confidently and safely, and become the ultimate baby whisperer. You will need to learn to be creative with setting up your shots, and you will need to think on your feet: no two newborn sessions are ever the same. You will definitely need to learn to be comfortable with being pooped and pee-ed on this is a hazard of the job!

The results, however, become family heirlooms and the reaction of the parents on seeing their newborn captured beautifully as art is a reward in itself.

This will book will aim to guide you through everything you need to know from preparing for the newborn session right through to post-production.

Chapter 1

The photographerclient 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 clients family photographer and will go on to photograph siblings, cousins, even grandparents and the clients 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 babys 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 clients 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 studios 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: dont 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 dont 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 26C (80F) 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!