The Baby and the Watermelon

[CanadianKitKat]

When some good friends had their baby shower, I gave them a newborn session as well as 6 months and one year pics for a present. He just turned one last week, so we did the final session yesterday. It was a lot of fun, especially with the juicy watermelon :) even though I did have to sacrifice some seamless to get it :lol: Anyhow, here a few of the pics.

1.
http://kitkat987.smugmug.com/photos/539300953_K7APG-L.jpg

2.
http://kitkat987.smugmug.com/photos/539305208_PtGK5-L.jpg

3.
http://kitkat987.smugmug.com/photos/539304910_WdEjo-L.jpg

4.
http://kitkat987.smugmug.com/photos/539303528_ma6iP-L.jpg

5.
http://kitkat987.smugmug.com/photos/539302453_85nch-L.jpg

6.
http://kitkat987.smugmug.com/photos/539306095_RToS5-L.jpg

[Playm]

He looks relaxed and natural. The parents ought to absolutely LOVE these! They're really cute!

I was struck by how much I like the innovation of your pose #3. It's different.. and I really like having 'mom and dad' in the photo like that!

[swimchic]

#2 & #6 are so cute!!

[Tigerkn]

another set of pictures as my inspiration. very nice!!

[DesignsbyJessie]

these pictures are awesome. I love the prop you used!

[blondine]

#2 is fantastic!

[4mykids]

These are so cute. What lighting did you use?

[bobbyz]

#2, very nice.

[brennasg]

I LOVE 2!

[Photos By Katie]

These are great. Love the watermelon ones the best.

Care to share your white seamless lighting set up. I get so jealous when I see perfect photos taken on white seamless. And, your editing to get the whites so white....

Thanks
Kathleen

[azpix]

# 2 is a great capture.

[Kimmy T]

#2 is incredible!!!

[Grimlock]

Chalk me up as another fan of number 2.

[CanadianKitKat]

Thanks everyone :D I was pretty happy with how they turned out. He's a pretty easy going kid and he knows me well enough that it made it easy. I agree that #2 is the winner ;)

These are so cute. What lighting did you use?

These are great. Love the watermelon ones the best.

Care to share your white seamless lighting set up. I get so jealous when I see perfect photos taken on white seamless. And, your editing to get the whites so white....


As far as lighting, it was pretty simple, one AB 800 about 3/4 of the way to the back - used primarily to blow out the background and provide a touch of side lighting and another AB 800 front and centre with a small brolly box on it.

[James D]

Great pictures, I think they all look really good! I agree too that picture #2 is the winner and for me it’s the fact that little guy is able to hold that huge piece of watermelon up in the air and you were not only able to capture it but that you also captured the drop of juice dripping off of the melon and the fact it is apparent that the large piece of watermelon is about to slip out of his hand.

I also like #6 but that’s because you used one of my personal rules when photographing toddlers, having any baby in nothing but a diaper just adds that innocence and beauty to any picture and makes the picture that more precious.

The only issue I have with any of your photographs is the large size of your signature logo. I say this not to offended you, or be negative but more as a personal observation to maybe help you out. You might even ask others what they think about your signature logo size, but in MHO your large signature logo distracts from the beauty of the pictures.

It’s as if the subject and the Logo are competing for the same attention and the subject should never have this competition issue within a photo. The picture should be about the subject within the photo and not about the person who took the picture. This over sized signature logo tells me the actual photographer is more concerned with their name recognition and “vanity” than the actual subject and for me this is a turn off regardless of how good the pictures are.



I sure hope what I said didn’t come across wrong as I didn’t mean it that way, but rather as constructive criticism.

[CanadianKitKat]

I sure hope what I said didn’t come across wrong as I didn’t mean it that way, but rather as constructive criticism.

No worries. It isn't a signature, it's a watermark. I have had a few people go off on me about the size of it (you were much nicer about it than some ;) ) , to each their own. I honestly don't care if people don't like it. As a sports/event photographer it is second nature to me to have it on there to somewhat deter people from grabbing images (I know it is certainly not a be all end all to image theft, but every little bit helps). But it is meant to obscure part of the image on purpose. It isn't put on prints that people purchase at all, only on web images, and it goes on automatically.

Thanks for your thoughts on the pics. I rarely photograph children or any humans that aren't doing some form of sport, so I appreciate the feedback on the pictures themselves.

[James D]

Once you explained the use of your watermark is only for your internet photos to help prevent against piracy I completely understand your position and totally agree with it. I am glad to learn you do not include that watermark on your actual prints because your pictures are so beautiful.

I just visited your web site for the first time and I have to say I am very impressed with your work. You really take great pictures! These baby pictures you posted here are great! I can only encourage you to do more studio photography like this as you are natural for it.

[AdamC]

Love #2. #3 isn't showing up for me.

[kenettson1]

Yes - I'm a fan of your work. In this set #2 is very neat. great idea.

[CalebG]

I like the number 2 pic the best.
As I'm new to this forum I'm not entirely sure if I am supposed to add more pics to this thread. If I should start a new thread just shout out. I took these two about two nights ago after dinner. My youngest son eating watermelon. Let me know what you think. I shot in raw+jpeg in B&W pulled the raw file for the color in the melon and used the B&W jpeg for the bulk of the picture. I like the first one best, the shifty eyes just captured the personality perfectly.