Ask me what you want.

[4-ever-blessed]

subscribing

[surgeonhawkeye]

WOW, great posts here, subscribing too

[LDS]

Subscribing also!

Siggy - what lens did you use for your shots? They are wonderful! I am shooting my BF's girls next weekend and am unsure of which lens I should use!

I have the 60D and the following lenses: 50mm 1.8, 18-55mm 3.5-5.6, 55-250mm 4-5.6, 18-135mm 3.5-5.6, 100mm 2.5 and a fisheye. No "L" lenses...that'll come after I pay off the 60D!

[Looony2nz]

subscribing

[skhoury]

Hi,

Did you used the flash in these shots or not?
if yes, can you share with us how did you do it?
Regards,

Originally Posted by mercersmoments

Ahhh - finally someone has asked this, OOOh this could be top secret !!! lol

Most baby photogs. use a large round beanbag, but I use a bean chair folded over on it's self to create a ledge - then the blankets are over the top of it.



so then I can position the baby like this :



Her legs are down on the lower ledge while the top part of her body is up on the higher ledge.


I have a parent sitting next to the baby at all times, when they come to my studio I run through the safety rules with them, the main one being that the mum or dad must stay next to the baby and play spotter - to make sure baby stays safe on the beanbag chair.

[skygod44]

Hey Seona, great thread, very generous, and I'm sure your business will go from strength-to-strength!
Regards,
Simon

[kyle_4375]

Great thread, great advice! Thanks so much for sharing all your 'secrets!'

[yanz]

Hi. Thank you very much for the wonderful advice. It's very helpful. I am trying to setup a small studio to shoot my 4 1/2 month old but having a bit of a hard time. I have a follow up question regarding the bean bag. I was trying to find a store that sells them locally in NY but wasn't able to find one. I bought a small bean bag from target but i think its too small to be useful. Would you be able to post a link to the one that you bought. I don't mind spending more but want to make sure its the right one.

Thanks again for your advice,

Yan

I really enjoy seeing new picture that you post on your Facebook Page. Great Work!!!

[PhuongMy704]

thank you soo much.. this is A LOT of help !!! love ur pictures =)

[mercersmoments]

Hi,

Did you used the flash in these shots or not?
if yes, can you share with us how did you do it?
Regards,

With those particular shots, yes I used one 500 watt strobe with a softbox.

The exif for those shots was :

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: EF85mm f/1.2L II USM
Exposure: Manual exposure, 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 100
strobe was turned right down low.

Baby was on the bean chair (above) with a blanket over the top - mum was sitting beside (for safety)

Light was positioned about a meter from the baby, behind me and slightly to my right.

Hey Seona, great thread, very generous, and I'm sure your business will go from strength-to-strength!
Regards,
Simon

Thank you Simon - I found that being self taught, I was very grateful for what ever help others would give me, so I hope I am returning the favor by helping others out

Hi. Thank you very much for the wonderful advice. It's very helpful. I am trying to setup a small studio to shoot my 4 1/2 month old but having a bit of a hard time. I have a follow up question regarding the bean bag. I was trying to find a store that sells them locally in NY but wasn't able to find one. I bought a small bean bag from target but i think its too small to be useful. Would you be able to post a link to the one that you bought. I don't mind spending more but want to make sure its the right one.

Thanks again for your advice,

Yan

I really enjoy seeing new picture that you post on your Facebook Page. Great Work!!!

Hi Yan - and thank you.

I purchased mine from Target, so a homes wares type place -or department store - I have found a few links on the net that I hope Will be useful to you.

I do also use a normal style bean bag, just a large one - I use this for newborns, but the bean chair - I just find much easier & more stable for children who can hold their heads up while on their tummy, be creating 2 levels on the bean chair - I get the perfect pose and it's much easier to photograph them.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LAZY-BEANZ-L-...item4aa50d1227

http://www.mybeanbags.co.uk/bean-bag-chairs/

thank you soo much.. this is A LOT of help !!! love ur pictures =)

[skygod44]

Hey Seona,

Thanks for the "thanks" and I just took a long peek at your website.

Two comments and a question -
1. The main page's scrolling images are fantastic. Those alone took my breath away due to the perfect exposure, expressions and complete lack of distractions which I think distances a natural talent (you!) from people who should stick to their day job and leave photography alone.
2. Your pricing - I did a quick conversion to Japanese yen and was impressed at your modesty. When I do a photo shoot for families, I also charge a "reasonable" fee because it feels "right" to me. I think you could charge more, but if you don't need to, don't be greedy like some POTNers I could mention!!!
Qu. Do you desaturate much? Many of the colour shots seem much less "annoyingly oversaturated" than I see from other 'togs recently. Which I think shows a real ability to separate what's important (ie, the subject) from what technology is able to do (ie, over-deliver).

So, a HUGE thumbs-up from me, and again, thanks so much for sharing the details of something you're clearly a "natural" at. My fiancée and I are going to start building a home/studio/concert venue (she's an opera singer!) next year, and I think I'll have to visit your site/thread again then, to give me some true inspiration for tweaking the house designs.
Take care for now,

Simon

[mercersmoments]

Wow Simon ! Now before I start, I'll just pick my huge head up off the floor and come back down from that high you just gave me - lol - Thank you !

Re: de saturating - colour etc etc :

I don't add or take colour out of my colour photos. I keep what is there, what comes out of the camera.

Then I adjust the WB, contrast, exposure & blacks.

I like "real" colour, I'm not a fan of colour pop or over saturated images.

When I left school back in 1994 aged 16 I worked as a photographic printer for Kodak - I was trained on colour printing, printing 35mm film.

There was no over saturating, or any kind of photo shop - it was all true colour, nothing extra.

So I have taken what I learnt there & used it. I like real black and white - not muted or sepia, not blown out or too dark, I like "just right" - same with my colour - I want my photos to look like the scene I captured, I like orange, not bright orange, I like blue, not bright blue.

Just a happy medium - is me ! Well I like to think so anyway ! You know, not too much, not too less. (Bit like my prices) My packages do start at $550 - for prints and high res files, it's enough for me, but alot less than my colleagues charge



All the best with your venture next year - sounds wonderful ! Oh and to be able to sing - my shower voice is as good as it gets in this house !

[skygod44]

Originally Posted by mercersmoments

Wow Simon ! Now before I start, I'll just pick my huge head up off the floor and come back down from that high you just gave me - lol - Thank you !

Well...sometimes I think it does us good to be complimented, no matter from whom!

Re: de saturating - colour etc etc : I don't add or take colour out of my colour photos. I keep what is there, what comes out of the camera. Then I adjust the WB, contrast, exposure & blacks. I like "real" colour, I'm not a fan of colour pop or over saturated images...

Me too, but I'm competing with companies like "Studio Alice" here in Japan (their homepage is here -> YUCK!) and they LOVE the over saturated, get 'em in-and-out, always-the-same approach. Look at a "great baby photo" here -> SHEESH! and you'll see why 99% of my challenge is to re-educate the entire country!!!

...I like real black and white - not muted or sepia, not blown out or too dark, I like "just right" - same with my colour - I want my photos to look like the scene I captured, I like orange, not bright orange, I like blue, not bright blue.

Again, try this page for a few bright colours! -> NOTHING GOOD, IMO!
And you'll see the problem is deeply rooted here.

...My packages do start at $550 - for prints and high res files, it's enough for me, but alot less than my colleagues charge.

Prices?
Try this -> 22,100 yen! = about AU$280!!! That's 3 photos, stuck in crappy Disney display cases, all over saturated and just like everyone else's kids' pics.

SO.....our challenge after the studio is built is to attract customers who want REAL photos! Of course, I teach English too (otherwise we'd starve!), but your website has really got me fired up again to bust the monopoly that Studio Alice has down here in southern Japan.
Thanks again, and catch you soon!
Simon
PS: I fell in love with my lady's voice the moment she first sang! A real gift, which I'm very proud of! There's a pic of her here -> Yuko (post #821) but I can't post video of her singing for various contractual reasons.

[yanz]

Originally Posted by mercersmoments

Hi Yan - and thank you.

I purchased mine from Target, so a homes wares type place -or department store - I have found a few links on the net that I hope Will be useful to you.

I do also use a normal style bean bag, just a large one - I use this for newborns, but the bean chair - I just find much easier & more stable for children who can hold their heads up while on their tummy, be creating 2 levels on the bean chair - I get the perfect pose and it's much easier to photograph them.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LAZY-BEANZ-L-...item4aa50d1227

http://www.mybeanbags.co.uk/bean-bag-chairs/

Thank you very much for your response. I will look into these bags and see if i can order one of the L shape bean bag chair..

Have a great day and Keep up the great work !!!

Yan

[kyle_4375]

Hi Seona,

Any chance you could post up a "before and after" example of a photo? I'd be interested in learning what your typical post processing workflow looks like. And if it's a secret, then I understand as well