2nd attempt at newborn photography

This session took forever (4 hours). They baby was asleep for 15 minutes and was peeing and pooping every two minutes. Here's what I got. Thanks for the feedback.

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Second shot is decent, but more light needed to be on the baby for subject separation.
First one's placement makes the baby look dead.

Slap that 70-200 f2.8 on and get some tight shots, perhaps. Snoot a flash and see if you can throw some light on that baby's head in #2, or switch sides with your strobe. Pooping babies can be problematic. I've never done newborn stuff. I have tremendous respect for those that can do it.

First one is stupid. "We put a baby on a chair" kind of stupid. Second one asks to be tighter /maybe/ and, yes, better lit, but is gud.

First one needs a more elaborate, elegant chair to go along with the princess crown. The blacks are also crushed, no detail in the black cushion whatsoever. And of course, the baby's eye...

I like the idea of the second, but as mentioned before, you need better light placement. May also benefit from a larger depth of field to get everything in focus, or a more narrow DOF to put only the baby in focus.

Newborn photography is extremely difficult in my opinion. I was reluctant to pay the premium price our newborn photographer had set, but after a 3 hour session of screaming, peeing, pooping, and vomiting, I felt like she should have charged me double.

I would clone out the lint and debris from the chair.

The second one could use a snoot for some light on the face, and the focus appears to have missed the eyes and is a bit more in front. Even closed eyes, the focus should be the eyelids.

I have a general aversion to this saccharine sweet style of new-born photography. Parents seem to want this kind of shoot, though, and I certainly don't blame photographers for making and selling the images.

Here is one thing I have learned from 14 years doing newborns.... close ups are best. Put your subject in front of a well lit window, make it simple and make it close up. Sometimes parents bring items that are meaningful to them but bot really my style but we make it happen because these are their memories you are capturing. Don't over-think it.

mannetti21 wrote in post #18419724
Newborn photography is extremely difficult in my opinion. I was reluctant to pay the premium price our newborn photographer had set, but after a 3 hour session of screaming, peeing, pooping, and vomiting, I felt like she should have charged me double.

I can't agree more! Haha just went through that myself.

OP I like #2, great idea but with more even light on the baby, especially the head.

Maureen Souza wrote in post #18420674
Here is one thing I have learned from 14 years doing newborns.... close ups are best. Put your subject in front of a well lit window, make it simple and make it close up. Sometimes parents bring items that are meaningful to them but bot really my style but we make it happen because these are their memories you are capturing. Don't over-think it.

100% GOOD ADVICE

I like your creative approaches. My input is that I would like to see more baby. Get closer and find a way to make the baby more prominent in the image. On photo #1, the beautiful wood grain and details on the chair create a lot of interest that it pulls the eye away from your main subject (the baby). Also, each of the baby's eyes look different and she doesn't appear to be comfortable/happy/rela​xed/peaceful which I think is what you might want to convey.

#2 might work better if you opened up the front of the hammock to be able to see more of the baby and added in some fill light onto her. I do like the way the textures of the materials contrast with the smooth skin of the baby. The colors are also working nicely together.

You have some nice concepts and also some nice lighting going on, I think these could improve with some adjustments to really make them shine.