Meet Baby O

[cobra0469]

Hello all! I'd like to introduce you my families new addition. This is Owen, born on 7/27/12 at a healthy 9 pounds and 20.5 inches. I have more pics and would be glad to post, just ask. The first pic was the first time he looked at me, I was not prepared and had just shut off my flash. As a result I was at 1/50, f1.4, and iso 8000; sounds like a cave! I just love him looking at me! Any CC is appreciated for either pic, but primarily the second.

[EmyB]

Beautiful! I love that deep dark-eyed look all newborns have. Like you can see right into their little souls.

What was the lighting on the second one?

I'd be happy to see more.

[cobra0469]

Thanks Emily! Lighting was pretty basic, 28" apollo with single flash, camera left about 45 degrees from subject, in a very cramped living room. Softbox was about 5 feet high, pointing down towards baby and about 4 feet away. I know nothing about lighting, but do enjoy learning when I get chance to do so.

[cobra0469]

Couple more as requested.

[EmyB]

Love the colours on the second one. Sort of soft and muted - did you fiddle with the colours at all in PP?

Also noticed the low aperture, with that value I find it's such a thin DOF that I can easily miss focus on the eyes. But I love the effect and in the dim baby room it's probably best - did you find you needed to take a burst to get focus in the right spot?

And how did you get directly above the baby in the first one? Were you standing on a chair? Reminds me of a recent youtube I saw where a new Dad was taking an iPhone photo of his newborn and dropped it on the newborn's head - hilarious! I wouldn't want to drop a DSLR!!

Sorry for all the questions, taking the opportunity to pick your brain.

[cobra0469]

Colors may look different as it's a RAW Nikon file just resized, a little unsharp mask, and cropped.

I snapped a few without flash and was forced to use a wide aperture. 1/60, f1.6, iso 3200 with a 35mm lens. I could have bumped iso more, but preferred thin dof to more noise. No burst, one shot. Focus was on his left eye where contrast was low, so it may have missed just a little.

I'm about 6'2 which made the shot possible without standing on something. I had my strap wrapped pretty tight around my hand just in case. Took a few tries before I had framing I was happy with.

I don't mind questions at all. Love discussing methods I use, makes it easy for others to offer critique or advice.