our little new born

[rx7speed]

Our little girl aurora was born this monday at 9lbs 4oz and of course took just a few pictures :)

looking at them though I was wondering for future reference what I could do here to make them a little better. my goal of course is to take great pictures for as time just goes by too quick here, but also as a side thing I'm also trying to learn to take and modify pictures for stock photography. Even more so now that I realize that babies eat and poo a LOT! By no means do I believe these are top class shots here, these are more just to get some ideas with what I have to figure out what I can do different as I'm still new to this.

1)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/2894480812_7349ea07ae.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/2894480812_fa2267698d_o.jpg


2) with this one I know of a few problems at least that could of better been done. less background clutter, and getting both eyes in the frame. Also the shirts highlights are blown out that I tried to touch up as well as the bad shadow next to her head and down her back. it looked too cute to me though so I snapped what I could as I'm sure you can imagine stock was the last thing on my mind right then.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2893706379_478f47c81d.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2893706379_57bdf304da_o.jpg


3) was trying to do a slightly soft desaturated look though I'm not sure if it works out here.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2894587654_43275c875c.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2894587654_bedcc2d277_o.jpg


all files have links to the original size there as well. Any help here is welcome and don't worry about hurting my feelings as I want to get better here.


EDIT: on that last picture maybe something a little more like this
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/2894012575_0319f19c7f.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/2894012575_94a2204377_o.jpg

[kbreit]

You're already doing one of my favorite suggestions which is to make sure you're filling the frame with your subject. When you aren't doing it, you are acknowledging there's too much going on in the background. The third is my favorite as it has the best detail, although the socks on the feet give a chuckle for the second one.

I have two slightly negative comments. First, watch your white balance as that is off on a few of the shots. Second, I don't know if her eyes even open yet (I'm 25 and single as can be, no kids) but if you can get photos with her eyes open, that would add a lot as they often provide a lot of emotion from her.

Keep up the good work and congratulations on the new born.

[milorad]

two major tips from me are *white balance* which would have helped the first image a lot... and more importantly, even babies aren't flattered by being shot from below the chin.

I understand they're lying down most of the time, which puts them on a different plane to you, but if you want better pictures, learn to hover :)

I actually *really* like #2, if you crop down as far as that blue fabric (jeans?)... that pose and expression are awesome. Little baby studio headphones would have made that a prize winner, I reckon :)

[rx7speed]

I'm not that good at telling where the white should be here or how to adjust properly. any tips on what I should of done for that? Also I admit I don't have much of an eye for it yet. only thing I can kind of guess is number 1 is a little yellow. could the white balance issue also be caused by having the picture as saturated as I do? number 4 looks a little bluish to me but I can't tell if that i just from being desaturated or if I have the whole thing off there. 2 and 3 I can't tell for sure if there is or what the problem would be with the white balance.

Thank you for the heads up with shots taken too low. what would make it a little more flattering as far as the vertical angle? straight on or slightly above the head?

Her eyes are open :) I believe most are born that way but I'm fairly new with newborns myself so I can't say that with 100% certainty there. I will try to get some more pictures of her with them open if I can. There are a few already but a lot of those have some other bad flaws mostly to do with lighting. You sure are right with the sleeping all day though. Night time though is another story as she sure likes to stay up during that time.

As far as number 4 goes though since there has been no comments on that yet and I find that there is something with it that just doesn't sit right what would you point the biggest finger at?

[Skid]

Congratulations on your baby! I really like #2, but are the socks on her hands for any reason? (Don't have kids of my own, just curious).

[FlyingPhotog]

Congrats on the new addition... :)

[BBrat]

Congratulations on the new bundle of joy.:)