Award-winning photographer offers top tips for photographing babies
Award-winning photographer Karen Gray of ‘Karen Gray Photography’ knows a thing or two about photographing babies. She has managed to achieve the almost-impossible and capture two sets of twins perfectly in one shot within her Twyford-based photographic studio.
Of the double twins image, which has subsequently been awarded “Highly Commended” by the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photography, Karen says, “I set myself a personal challenge to capture a brilliant image of multiple babies as I wanted to go beyond what most other photographers do, and demonstrate my skills in children photography; in lighting, composition as well as creativity. Getting all four of the children to cooperate was certainly a challenge, but they loved the different props that I used throughout the shoot and were great fun to work with. I was delighted with the results!”
Karen Gray offers her top tips for photographing newborns and older babies.
Top 5 tips for photographing newborn babies:
- Planning. Plan your shoot. Know what you are going to do in the session. Have hats, blankets and props all prepared.
- Safety. Always make sure baby is safe and will not fall from any height. When using props always make sure they are safe with secure wheels and no sharp edges. Remember a lot of newborn images you see are composed from different images using an editing programme such as Photoshop. This procedure is called a composite. Always use a ‘spotter’, which is someone close to hand to help you ensure the baby is safe while you set up your equipment.
- Newborns under the age of 14 days are the easiest (but not always!) to photograph, so capture them early. At this age when they are often in a really deep sleep and they will let you move their little arms and legs into different positions when asleep. After two weeks old, they like to tell you where they want their arms and legs!
- Keep your working area nice and warm. Warm babies sleep! Play an app on your mobile phone for white noise. I use the ‘Sleepy Sounds’ app and particularly the ‘nature sounds’.
- I always ask the mummies to bring an extra feed or be around to breastfeed. Again a full baby is a sleepy baby! You have to be very patient as babies can pick up on stress. My newborn sessions last four hours as getting the baby to sleep can be time-consuming.
Top 5 tips for photographing older babies (6/7Months up)
- When you first meet your ‘little subject’, whether it’s in a studio or out on location, put your camera away! Some children can take a moment or a little while to warm to you and a big camera shoved in their face can be intimidating. Most children warm to me straight away because I’m relaxed and friendly. I ask for their favourite cuddly toy to be present. I will ask the teddy or bunny’s name and get it involved in the shoot. Sometimes the toy will take the photos!
- Get down to their level. Lay on the floor. Make that connection with them and you are also at the right height for the perfect shot.
- Act like a child! Be silly, make funny noises… high-pitched noises normally work and tell your mini-muse silly stories. You might even jump toys up and down on your head! Do anything to get those little giggles that the parents know are their natural smiles.
- I always ask the parents (politely) to try and not get involved in the shoot, or make silly noises, as the babies tend to look at the parents and not at me. That means you then get images with babies looking off in all directions and not straight into the camera.
- Get your lighting correct. Correct lighting will give you a lovely round cuddly baby rather than a ‘flat lit’ baby! For my newborn images I keep it simple and use just one medium-size softbox to light my babies. If you do not have a studio set-up window light is fine. Just use a reflector to bounce some light back onto the baby.
For more information about Karen Gray Photography visit www.karengrayphotography.com and www.facebook.com/KarenGrayPhotography.
