Welcome to the world baby Elina! Because I know your mom and dad and extended family so well, I know how loved and adored you already are and how full of joy your world is going to be:)
After photographing Stephanie and Hani's Engagement Session and Wedding last year and their Maternity Shoot a few months ago, I was so excited to finally meet their little girl, or little 'piglet' as they like to call her, and can I just say that girl was an ANGEL for me! Usually during a newborn shoot, between feeding and rocking and shhhshing and waiting there is only enough time to do a couple of different poses / set ups. This is fine by me because I personally really enjoy capturing babies just as they are, without a whole lot of extra stuff going on or too much manipulation. During Elina's shoot, however, she was so content that I took the opportunity to try a few different things with the help and careful co operation of Steph and Hani.
Below is a list of just a few little tricks and a few precautions that I take when doing Newborn Photography to ensure the baby's comfort and safety.
1) First of all, I make sure that the studio is really warm and cozy. So warm, in fact, that by the end of the shoot, myself, mom and dad are usually sweating, but baby is happy and that is all that matters.
2) I make sure that baby has JUST been feed and burped before we start, to maximize happiness and sleepiness (the burbing is to minimize the spitting up;)
3) I lay baby out for a few moments, diaper open but still under his/her bum for about 5 mins because usually they will do thier business before we begin. I say usually, that's a lie, SOMETIMES they will before, but the truth is USUALLY they do number one and/or two right in the middle of things, which is why it is extra convenient for me to have a washer and dryer right next to my studio;)
4) While baby is hanging out, waiting for us to start, I work on warming up my hands, because there is nothing worse than the feeling of cold hands on a warm little body. This brings me to my next point ...
5) I use a hair dryer on low heat from far away a) for white noise b) to keep baby warm and cozy and c) to keep my hands warm.
6) When we begin, it is all about the comfort and safety of the baby. I can tell pretty quickly if a baby is going to hate being on his/her tummy or if he/she is not the curling up tight kind of baby and I move on to positions that will keep our little model happy - so high maitenence aren't they?? lol. The important point is that I NEVER force a baby into a position that he/she does not go into naturally, that is just not right.
7) With every shot I take, mom and/or dad are only inches away from their baby in case of any sudden leap frog moves. I too am also only inches away from them, but I make sure mom and/or dad's attention is always on their baby.
8) Finally, for poses that require baby to be lifted off the ground at all, there is always a soft bean bag waiting below, they are not lifted high and there is always more support going on than you actually see in the final images. For example; in the image of Elina hanging in a purple blanket, dad is holding the blanket safely and tightly with two hands. He lifts her only for a few seconds, just a little bit, above the bean bag while mom's hand is rested under Elina's head to prevent her little head from flopping back. I simply removed Steph's hand from the photo as well as created more white space to create the issusion that she was being lifted higher.
When it comes to photographing newborns, sometimes a little creative post production is the key to nailing that perfect shot while ensuring the baby's safety and comfort. Enjoy:)
