snap of some sweet feet

[Elaine]

I visited a friend with a two week old today. She also has a 20 month old little girl whose room is painted up really cute. I plan to go back and try and get some more shots in that room, with all the flowers on the wall. This shot was impromptu, but kinda sweet (I thought). The skin tone colors may be a little punched. I think next time I'll use a different lens and blur the background a bit more. Thoughts?

http://e-heasley.smugmug.com/photos/206713455-L.jpg

[ChatKat]

I visited a friend with a two week old today. She also has a 20 month old little girl whose room is painted up really cute. I plan to go back and try and get some more shots in that room, with all the flowers on the wall. This shot was impromptu, but kinda sweet (I thought). The skin tone colors may be a little punched. I think next time I'll use a different lens and blur the background a bit more. Thoughts?



I like the room and I think it has potential - but for a different pose. I can see the baby on it's side or facing the camera with the tulip background and then some low dof. The hand is oof, which causes me to not have one area to focus my attention combiend with the flowers. Or maybe a tighter crop with just the feet framed by the hand....Actually I pulled it and did a crop of the feet and hand vertical - but you did not give permission to edit and repost, so I did not and I deleted it. I liked it with the lack of negative space to the left...

[1220]

I think your on to something here... loads of potential. Although I like this shot, the hand holding the feet killed it for me. Maybe cause its not in that loving holding a babys feet kinda way as it comes off as propping up the feet to take a picture. Chatkat had some good thoughts as well. Keep shtting this one, its gonna be a winner.

[Cuties02q]

I love little feet...so adorable!!! I agree I am not a fan of the hand in the photo and the baby's hands do not look relaxed at all. Also as cute as the flowers on the wall are I find them a bit distracting in this shot.

[nicoleshilliday]

I love baby feet...but something about this shot is not working for me....maybe a tighter crop just showing the feet and hands. I like the idea of the flowers in the back but the baby needs to be in a different position (side, with face showing, etc.).

Thanks Elaine. Baby pictures pull at my heart. I can't wait to have children (and take lots and lots of pictures of them). :barb

[jeffreaux2]

I think that you are on the right track. You might think I am crazy, but I learned during my first infant shoot not to treat it as a portrait session, but more of a still life or abstract type of photography. I think that if the subject(s) were in the exact same positions, and you had stooped down in there and filled the frame with those feet gently resting in moms hand....then everything beyond would be out of focus and you would have a stunner. Someone here gave me good advice with infants....get close and closer. Macro like shots of tiny fingers, feet, wrinkles etc. Get the details....and let them dominate the photo. The BG is unimportant because it will not be in focus. Blanket, sheet, I think Urbanaries uses a curtain panel. Infants are tough subjects because you cannot rely on their personality to carry the photo. Its all in the details!!

[nicoleshilliday]

I think that you are on the right track. You might think I am crazy, but I learned during my first infant shoot not to treat it as a portrait session, but more of a still life or abstract type of photography. I think that if the subject(s) were in the exact same positions, and you had stooped down in there and filled the frame with those feet gently resting in moms hand....then everything beyond would be out of focus and you would have a stunner. Someone here gave me good advice with infants....get close and closer. Macro like shots of tiny fingers, feet, wrinkles etc. Get the details....and let them dominate the photo. The BG is unimportant because it will not be in focus. Blanket, sheet, I think Urbanaries uses a curtain panel. Infants are tough subjects because you cannot rely on their personality to carry the photo. Its all in the details!!

This is great advice. I have a friend that wants some shots of her newborn. Thanks Jeff! **added to memory** :D

[jeffreaux2]

This is great advice. I have a friend that wants some shots of her newborn. Thanks Jeff! **added to memory** :D

LOL lets hope you don't have to pres Esc!!!

Forgot to mention......I have also read that it is dangerous to use direct flash. Setting up near windows and using fast lenses and appropriate ISO will help. Natural available light it beautiful on them anyway, and.....skin tones are tough with babies. Good thing they look excellent in mono tones and as a bonus monotones dont look so bad with a little high ISO noise!

[photogmomma]

How adorable!!!


If you really want to get the flowers in, I'd lay the baby on its side parallel to the side and then shoot directly from the side straight at the flowers. Have it be a little about the flowers, a littel about the whole baby.

If you're doing the feet, go to Walmart and get one of those inexpensive fuzzy blankets in dark brown or black and then shoot as the others mentioned above and get really close - make the feet the big thing with very little to distract from them.

Still a cute shot, though! I love little feet!