• Photos

  • Level

  • Score

BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Karla J. Cox 		 

Newborn...critique please


 
 
Any comments on my lighting appreciated. Also, does the color look okay?


To love this question, log in above
November 03, 2007

 

Pete H 		  Hello Karla,

Hope you get a lot of useful critiques.

Ok..Brace yourself. I know you don't want anyone pulling any punches; right?

The contrast is quite a bit off in these two photos. You chose a difficult lighting situation, but please don't give up. It is do-able.

1) Infant skin is a VERY difficult thing to capture properly..all sorts of challenges; not the least of which is the anatomical structure of the skin itself. Infants veins and arteries are quite close to the surface at this age causing odd absorbsion and reflection of (DIRECT) light. Lots of color skewing too.

Fear not; there is a better way. First, don't use strobe lighting on infants.
If you are using a softbox or umbrella, use just the modeling lamps and make sure to manually white balance..You'll love the effect! Very soft and appealing. Your shutter speeds will be slower, so watch out for subject movement.

Your two photos are very close to hi-key lighting, so the formation of shadows will be critical. Experimentation will be your best guide.

If you insist on using strobe lighting on infants, then I highly recommend a (srim.) Simply some sort of diffusing material between the strobe and your subject.
Hope this helps a little.

all the best,

Pete


To love this comment, log in above
November 03, 2007

 

Karla J. Cox 		  Pete, Thanks for the comments. I used a softbox on main light. I did desaturate somewhat because of the infants red skin tone. My very first newborn shots!


To love this comment, log in above
November 04, 2007

 

Pete H 		  Well it's a good first effort indeed.

Try the idea of no strobes..you really might like it.

The infant needs a little more contrast and it will look great!


all the best,

Pete


To love this comment, log in above
November 04, 2007

 

John Rhodes 		  Karla (and Pete), I read an article in a photo mag a few months ago warning about the dire consequences of phootographing your children nude--arrest and so on. I know times are hard with all the child abuse, including porn, ad nauseum.

My thoughts are: keeping in good taste as you have done nicely, take the photos. They'll be priceless in years to com and you can always threaten to take them out when they're teenagers and embarrass them to tears if the situation calls for it.

By the way, if images like this were a crime, my mother would have been serving life in prison for a long time now (I'm 65).

As Pete said, you can be encouraged by your first efforts!

John


To love this comment, log in above
November 05, 2007

 
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here

Report this Thread