Photographing Babies For Baby Modeling And Baby Photo Constests
May 17th, 2010When photographing babies it is very important to be particularly careful about lighting, because it is quite difficult to get it just right. This is what baby modeling is all about. It takes some experience when it comes to adjusting the lighting for baby photographs. You must familiarize yourself with every thing that is involved in providing the right lighting for any kind of photography.
Once you have got the basic set up in place, you can make whatever adjustments that are necessary to get the lighting just right for any situation. If you have to use diffuse light you can either use an umbrella or a softbox.
Personally, I like to use the softbox when photographing in the studio, but when I have to photograph the subject at home, I like to use the translucent umbrella through which I can take the picture. The softbox is superior to translucent umbrellas in that it directs all light forward without allowing any of it to escape.
The umbrella on the other hand allows some light to escape through the edges and this light is reflected on to the camera. This would cause a flare. You would therefore be well advised, when shooting through a brolly, to take a few trial shots, making sure to always use the lens hood.
You can get a very nice effect using a see-through umbrella if you make sure that you use your flash gun into umbrella, and get the light to reflect on the subject. If you use this method you must make sure that you are quite close to the subject.
If the flash is too far, it will create harsh shadows that will spoil the lovely effect of diffused lighting. Reflective umbrellas provide lighting that is too harsh for portrait photography.
For portrait work, translucent umbrellas through which you can shoot are far better. Reflective umbrellas are good for lighting the background. You can use them portrait work if you prefer harsh light.
But I can assure you that parents will much rather have their babies photographed in a soft light because these portraits produce a charming image. It will be very difficult to keep a baby still, posing for the photograph.
For this reason it would be best if the lighting is not fussy and complicated. If you require the lighting to be positioned in a very precisely, and focused on a particular spot, you may find that by the time you are ready the baby has moved from the ideal position for the lighting to be effective.
For this reason it is best to keep the lighting simple. You can give yourself a lot of room for maneuvering by using two large softboxes. You will also find that a more or less flat and uniform lighting will give you excellent results when photographing babies. I like to use a main light situated at about 35 to 45 degrees to one side of the baby.
This main light is usually a reflective umbrella or a diffused light through a softbox. In addition, I would have a fill light, which would be a diffused light beside the camera at 1/3 to ½ less exposure. Finally, I adjust the light to produce a flattering picture of the baby.
This will depend on the facial features of the baby. For example, a baby with very fine features will require a harder or less diffused light. You can get this by moving the main light closer to 45 degrees.
If on the other hand the baby has large, sharp features, or has a rash or blemishes on its skin, you can produce a more flattering photograph of the baby by moving the main light to be at a 35 degree angle to the subject. The main light will now be closer to the camera at the back, and would decrease the difference in the intensity of the main light and the fill light, giving a softer effect.
You must never overdo the use of harder light when trying to produce a dramatic effect. When I use harder light I move the main light to between 45 and 55 degrees, while keeping the fill light close to the camera.
If you wish to deepen the shadow areas you might reduce the intensity of the fill light. However, I find that with baby photography it is best to keep the ratio under one stop. If you are planning on joining a baby photo contest.
