Recently, I was approached by several new parents interested in photographing their newborn babies. They asked for tips, advice and guidance around using Point And Shoot and SLR cameras with infants.
From a pediatrician's standpoint, it is not recommended using direct flash in a newborns eyes as the eyes are weak. The musculature of the eye as well as the nerves of the eye need time to strengthen and develop.
When you hire a professional photographer he should know what kind of light sources to use and how, but if you want to practice yourself, here’s what I recommend:
1. Learn the see the light. Identify where the light is coming from (direction), what kind of light is available to you (direct vs shadows, parallel vs diffused) and how many sources you have (ie: window, lamps, flash)
2. Try to isolate the strongest source (usually the sunlight coming through windows) and position the child so that the light paints the subject uniformly. I recommend avoiding direct light and working in the shade.
3. Disable the flash on your camera if you can. For those of you that use DSLRs – I highly recommend investing into an external flash that can be directed at the ceiling and use ceiling to bounce the light.
4. Enjoy the process but thing about the end result. You want quality photographs that are in-focus, well framed, well exposed and create a living memory of those first days and weeks.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me through my website at www.stanleynov.com or find me on facebook.
Sincerely,
Stanley Nov
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