Porter's Camera Blog

When it comes to baby portraits, getting good pictures is like taking candy from a baby, right? But — is this really true? Some baby sessions are easy. Others…not so much. Keeping baby awake, attentive, and happy can be challenging. Thus, we offer a two-part post on the basics of baby portraits! In Part One, we’ll discuss preparations, posing, props, and equipment. Later, you can check back for more on expressions and editing.

Preparations

When booking a baby shoot, I find it’s wise to ask Mom and Dad exactly what they’re envisioning. Often, parents have their own vision of the “classic” baby picture in mind, and it’s in your best interest to understand their interpretation of that image.

Also, see if they want pictures of Baby in more than one outfit. If time is a concern, suggest they stick to one outfit, or a single outfit plus “naked baby” pictures. Some babies cry during outfit changes. To avoid shots of a red-faced infant, you’ll need to schedule time for tear-drying, or just keep things simple.

Lastly, remind Mom and Dad to be mindful of scheduling around feedings and naps. Sessions run smoother when Baby is well-fed and alert (unless Mom and Dad are looking exclusively for “sleeping baby” images — in which case, as long as Baby is handled gently, naptime may be the perfect time).

Posing, Props and Equipment

What do you need on hand for a Baby shoot, besides your studio basics? For “naked baby” or “diaper” images (lots of parents want these pictures), be prepared with a space heater or a hair dryer to keep Baby warm.

You’ll also want a noise-making toy to lure Baby’s eyes to the camera. And, to keep your hands free for grabbing Baby’s attention, you may want to set up a tripod and shutter release. This way, you can lean close to engage Baby without having to bounce back to the camera.

Once prepared with these items, you’ll want to consider posing. For younger infants, parents may want to see Baby lying on his or her tummy, head propped on the fists or lying against Baby’s arms. But be mindful of Baby’s capabilities. If Baby can’t lift his or her head, don’t push to the point of tears. If Mom and Dad are set on this pose, come back to it at the end. In the meantime, capture other cute shots. With proper encouragement, Mom and Dad will often abandon unrealistic visions, once assured you’ve got other adorable pictures.

In most cases, Mom and Dad are tracking Baby’s growth and abilities. If Baby just learned to sit up, focus on sitting poses. Likewise, if Baby can stand with support, you may need a posing block, small chair, wooden chest, or other sturdy item to show off Baby’s feat. Which brings me to my last point: props. Stuffed animals, flowers, blocks, and birthday cakes can enhance an image, particularly if Baby is restless or inattentive. Parents will like these images more if they bring sentimental props from home. So, try capturing candid shots of Baby engrossed in these props.

That wraps up Part One. Be sure to check back for more information on facial expressions and editing tips!

So yeah, last week I’m sitting at the hair salon place waiting to get my hair chopped off and I become instantly bored (my mind wanders) so I start flipping through the magazines in the waiting area. Of course there were TONS of hair and makeup pics splattered throughout, and while my friend that was with me (pictured above) was checking out all the hairstyles, I (being a complete camera nerd) found myself trying to figure out the lighting setups for the shots! I noticed that the majority of what i saw was the glamour style headshot done with a basic clamshell lighting setup. It’s a totally simple technique I haven’t had to use in a little while that requires minimal setup and produces really really cool results, so I thought I would revisit it and show you how it’s done!

First you need to find a head to stick in the frame. At my home studio I used myself (using an intervalometer) and grabbed my friend. When I got back to the shop I was lucky enough to pull Allea out of the lab for a quick shot.

For all of these shots, I was using a DSLR with a 85mm lens (my personal favorite for headshots in tighter rooms). The nifty50 works really well also but you will be a bit closer to your subject. The idea is to fill the frame with the model’s head. You don’t need or want too much “dead space”. With a compact camera, just zoom in a bit.

Set up the lights with one ABOVE you and the subject facing down at them at about a 45 degree angle. This will be your main light. You can use any light source really, but a constant photographic light, speedlight, or strobe in a softbox works best. For these shots I was using a speedlight in a ProMaster Easy Fold Softbox.

Now we need a secondary light UNDER the subject facing up at them, also at about a 45 degree angle. This will be your fill light, but for glamour shots we do turn this light up to nearly as much power as the main light. Something as simple as a reflector will do just fine but an additional light does allow for even better lighting. It’s easier to dial in the perfect amount of light.