When I was looking for a photographer to write about newborn photography I had a few things in mind. I wanted them to be good (obviously), I wanted someone who had spent time learning and continuing their education to provide the best they can for their clients, and for someone who is new enough to the world of newborn photography that they can relate to the fact that starting out in the world of newborn photography is HARD WORK! Tally’s photos are precious- she is local to the Ramstein Air Base area, you can see more of her work HERE or Facebook
My name is Talita Springer but everyone knows me by Tally. Ever since I was a child, I’ve had a passion for photography. My passion was born watching my mother work as a journalist, and of course, some of my fondest memories are of us looking at her photos together.
As I grew older, I was known as the one with the camera. Everywhere I went I had a camera. I would the one taking pictures of everything and everyone. Soon after high school I married my sweetheart, my greatest support of my passion toward photography. It wasn’t until 2007 when my first child was born that i renewed my love for photography and endeavored to make it more than simply a hobby. I wanted to capture every moment and milestone. I tried the full spectrum of photography including portraits, weddings, boudoir, nature, and landscape. In 2008 I had my first newborn shoot, it was a nightmare and I quickly gave up working with newborns. I was new at this and working with newborn where I had little control of what was going to happen and how the session was going to turn out was not what I could handle. It wasn’t until 2012 when I realized I had a special knack for newborn photography and that is where I belong. Now that I was more confident with photography and learned more about newborns, I Not only LOVED working with babies; I found that I was actually GOOD at it!
Before you decide to specialize in newborn photography I would like you to consider a few things. Possessing great equipment and great technical know-how is never enough. You need to develop skills communicating with parents, and you need to be patient with both the parents and the child. Unlike other types of photography, newborn photography will leave no room for instructing the model, as the newborn cannot take commands. This means you will need to be patient and savvy when it comes to posing the child. For me, this is the genre of photography where the human touch is most important.
Newborn photography may not be for everyone, but if you want to give it a shot, here are some of tips:
1) Know Your Equipment
First and most crucial, you will need to learn as much as possible about your camera, lenses, lighting, and techniques. You don’t need the most expensive camera, but your matching you camera Witt the perfect lens is imperative. In order to use this equipment some photographers choose to attend school for training, while others choose to learn photography techniques on their own through practice and trial and error. Whichever path you choose to help you become a newborn photographer, you will need daily practice and research as much as possible about techniques, equipment, and lighting. Once you have this down, practice working with newborns. A LOT of practice! You may want to consider doing some free work to build your portfolio and learn what it takes to have a successful session.
2) Learn To Manage Your Time and Plan In Advance
The job of a newborn photographer is to capture an infant’s expressions and beauty during the first days of life. Parents will use these photos to remember the way their children looked during this period because infants change so quickly. Newborns are best photographed between 0-12 days old. Remember this because your success on sleepy poses will be decreased as baby gets older. When babies are that tiny they spend a lot of time sleeping and still curl up into very sweet poses similar to the positions they were in when they were in the womb. Plan the session around the due date and be flexible as baby may come early or later. Pictures may be taken in the parents’ homes, with older siblings, or with the parents in the picture as well. However or wherever you decide to take the images just remember the importance of having it all planned ahead, but also the importance of staying flexible. I like to set up all of my props in advance, and have multiple options available so I can switch between shots quickly and efficiently. This is especially important when a little one uses your prop as a toilet.
3) Have Patience, Be Patient, and Make Others Patient.
For newborn sessions I advise clients to book at least 2-3 hours of my time. That way, there is plenty of time to settle baby down when s/he’s feeling agitated, to feed when hungry and clean up when the little (expected) accidents happen. Be prepared to swap props, have extra blankets, wraps whatever you had planned on using may not be able to use, so always have a backup plan. Babies are most likely to pee or poop on you or on your props. ( I always request parents to hold off feeding till arriving to location)
As a photographer, you need to manage the mood in your set, both that of the baby’s and the parents. A stiff shoot plan won’t help you if your subjects are not relaxed. Don’t forget to put yourself in your client’s shoes and understand how they feel. From there, you can sort out what will help them calm down and enjoy the session with you. To calm the baby, make them warm by using a space heater, and soft materials. I also like to use white noise or music to keep the baby calm. To calm the parents, wear a smile no matter what and have snacks and drinks available. Remember it’s all about getting the right shots of the little ones. The session may be hectic but as long as you are focused on the baby and getting those shots it’s all worth it for everyone.
4) Learn newborn posing and composition
Baby’s safety must always be the MOST important thing on your mind when shooting a newborn session from washing your hands before every session to the intricate poses to capture that adorable smile. Remember you are an artist and your goal is to capture an amazing image, but at the end of the day this is someone’s precious new life that they have entrusted you with. No portrait is worth putting a baby at risk. Research a pose before you try it! Use common sense and always make sure to have someone is spotting the baby (even if the baby is on a beanbag). Be gentle and NEVER force a newborn into a pose. Listen to the baby’s cues and only do what is comfortable for the baby; he will let you know when he doesn’t like something! Babies are very susceptible to infections and it is our job to keep them safe. Most of those perfect adorable poses are done through composition, such as Hand’s on chin, baby hanging from wrap/cocoon and so forth. I recommend reading, researching, and joining a newborn posing workshop for success on poses and baby’s safety.
5) Be calm, relaxed and Enjoy
What an amazing experience it is to hold a precious new life in your hands and be able to document all the details of these sweet little ones. Enjoy your time with them, don’t rush through it. Babies are very perceptive and can pick up on our energy. If you are nervous or anxious the baby will sense that and will not settle easily. If the baby’s mom is anxious this can also affect how the baby behaves. I have two comfortable chairs placed behind me so that parents can sit back and watch while giving me enough space to work. (If I don’t have my assistant with me I always have one of the parents stay by the baby) I also offer them snacks; drinks and I have a stack of magazines for them to read. I rarely have moms that hover, if they do, I politely tell them that this is their chance to sit back and relax and enjoy. Don’t stress about it. Go with the flow and trust in yourself. This will help make the session fun, relaxing and enjoyable for everyone!
I hope this has helped some. I would like to share some images to show the difference between someone who just picks up a camera and say I want to be a photographer (me once) VS someone who invest the time, money and effort to become a photographer (me today).
The image below was taken back in 2008 when I wanted to become a newborn photographer. Session was a nightmare, baby was crying constantly. The 3 hours was hell for me, mom and baby. Sadly, the images show. Everything about this image is just wrong. Everything! Shooting a newborn was MUCH harder than I had anticipated and I quickly gave up. Years later, after I have learned much about photography in general I met some great people who helped me very much to grow better. That was when I decided to try it once again and as you can see the results shows my hard work, investment and dedication.
