Lighting setup for newborn/infants

My friend asked me to take some pics of her 4 month old. He cannot sit up yet. She has a boppy pillow that I was going to use as a support for his upper body. My questions is... I have just recently been trying studio lighting. I am wondering where to position my main light for a subject that is laying down. He will be turned slightly to me. Here is an example. I have a 580ex2 a 430ex2 (i have been using as background light), two reflectors, and softliter II.

In the first one I had the light low and at a 45 degree angle (as soon as I took the pic I saw the issue). I think I moved the light more center and over top on the second one.

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This is a problem I have recently been asked to tackle myself. Not having kids myself and not being used to photographing ones that can't sit up yet etc... I started looking around for ideas.

The shot blow was taken with a single light at 90 degrees to camera right, in a Westcott 28" softbox, I was using a Sunpak 120j at about half power (can't quite remember) so your 580 is more than capable of doing that. I also had a silver reflector just off camera left providing a bit of fill to the baby's chin.

I found this quite easy to shoot to be honest, I've had to darken the backgound in Photoshop but the parents seem quite happy with the results. I know it doesn't really answer your question but maybe it will give you a different angle to try?

Cheers

Cris.

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You can shoot from side

AB400 in a strip box

leahmt47 wrote in post #8037115
My friend asked me to take some pics of her 4 month old. He cannot sit up yet. She has a boppy pillow that I was going to use as a support for his upper body. My questions is... I have just recently been trying studio lighting. I am wondering where to position my main light for a subject that is laying down. He will be turned slightly to me. Here is an example. I have a 580ex2 a 430ex2 (i have been using as background light), two reflectors, and softliter II.

In the first one I had the light low and at a 45 degree angle (as soon as I took the pic I saw the issue). I think I moved the light more center and over top on the second one.

I was in a similar situation a month or so back. A neighbor asked if I'd take some photos of her 5-month old. Definitely not my comfort zone nor something I would normally do. Anyway, I found a shoe-mount flash (Sunpak 120J in my case) mounted on a 46" Softlighter produced a very soft, flattering and *very* forgiving light. Positioning was generally camera right and elevated with the Soflighter shaft pointing more or less at the infant. The only additional "help" the Softlighter needed on occasion was provided by a 48" white collapsible reflector which filled the shadow side nicely.

This is one of the outtakes but it does illustrate the type of light the Softlighter and opposing white reflector will give you:

CrisUK wrote in post #8043670
This is a problem I have recently been asked to tackle myself. Not having kids myself and not being used to photographing ones that can't sit up yet etc... I started looking around for ideas.

The shot blow was taken with a single light at 90 degrees to camera right, in a Westcott 28" softbox, I was using a Sunpak 120j at about half power (can't quite remember) so your 580 is more than capable of doing that. I also had a silver reflector just off camera left providing a bit of fill to the baby's chin.

I found this quite easy to shoot to be honest, I've had to darken the backgound in Photoshop but the parents seem quite happy with the results. I know it doesn't really answer your question but maybe it will give you a different angle to try?

Cheers

Cris.

I actually love this effect. I never knew how to acheive it though. I am not great with photoshop but I am learning. What method do you use for darkening the background?

bobbyz wrote in post #8043700
or above with them lying flat on their back, like this

AB800 in a medium SB

Look at this photog, really amazing shots.

http://capturedbycarri​e.com …art-may-newborn-workshop/

I like these overhead shots. Are you just standing above infant? What focal length are you using?

tetrode wrote in post #8043988
I was in a similar situation a month or so back. A neighbor asked if I'd take some photos of her 5-month old. Definitely not my comfort zone nor something I would normally do. Anyway, I found a shoe-mount flash (Sunpak 120J in my case) mounted on a 46" Softlighter produced a very soft, flattering and *very* forgiving light. Positioning was generally camera right and elevated with the Soflighter shaft pointing more or less at the infant. The only additional "help" the Softlighter needed on occasion was provided by a 48" white collapsible reflector which filled the shadow side nicely.

This is one of the outtakes but it does illustrate the type of light the Softlighter and opposing white reflector will give you:

Dave F.

Thank you for the detailed description. Are the catch lights from the reflector?

leahmt47 wrote in post #8045786
I actually love this effect. I never knew how to acheive it though. I am not great with photoshop but I am learning. What method do you use for darkening the background?

It's shot against a Lastolite black background, so that helps to start. I then just use a selection and the curves tool to take the background down. I bet there are loads of other ways of doing this but this one works for me.

There are lots of other similar setups you can try here too, but unfortunately the parents have asked me not to put them up on the internet so I can't show you. Have a play around, you may find a 4 months old is a little big already for this exact shot, but it is worth it. My client ordered one blown up on a 40"x30" canvas and it does look mighty impressive

Cheers

Cris.

Here is another example similar to Cris'. I used a black cloth at background, have both parents holding the sleeping baby, and used available window light. Darkened the background in Photoshop same way as Cris.

Another one of my favorites. I also used available window light with very similar set up. Parent(s) wearing black adds some dramatic affect to the shot.

I actually have a few newborns to shoot so I will definately try this out. Thanks so much for the examples.

leahmt47 wrote in post #8045813
I like these overhead shots. Are you just standing above infant? What focal length are you using?

Yes. I am on the stairs in my home. I think I used 28-75mm f2.8. Exif is present in the shots.

bobbyz wrote in post #8047896
Yes. I am on the stairs in my home. I think I used 28-75mm f2.8. Exif is present in the shots.

I wasn't sure how to access exif info. I saved and opened DPP and clicked info but all it gave me is that you were shooting at f 8.0 in Av mode.

So you just put the baby on a blanket on the ground below you and look over a banister or something?

leahmt47 wrote in post #8049161
I wasn't sure how to access exif info. I saved and opened DPP and clicked info but all it gave me is that you were shooting at f 8.0 in Av mode.

So you just put the baby on a blanket on the ground below you and look over a banister or something?

I use program ViewExif wich is integrated with IE. You just right click and select show exif.

Anyways, first shot was at f3.5, 54mm using my old 10d. The 2nd one was with 1dmk2 f8, 64mm.

I put him on a crib mattress with white mattress pad and shot from above. I think my wife was holding the SB from above.

Here's a recent 3 month old, one AB up front, reflector on the other side and a light blowing out the BG. Baby on boppy and spend a lot of time making strange noises to get them to look up!