What should I buy for a baby portrait shoot?

Going the strobist way I would recommend you first read his 101 and 102 on lighting. You can find links to them on his blog, which isn't really a blog anymore, but now an even better ressource.

For a picture like this:


Liva

you would probably need a third flash, white shoot-through umbrellas or soft boxes (could also be brolly boxes), light stands and umbrella brackets.

I don't remember the light setup, but I use studio strobes which in this instant would have been set below 75 Ws, probably even below 40 Ws, so speedlights will be powerful enough.

Your flashbender could perhaps help you with the backlight I used here, but a small softbox, preferably with a grid, would be better.

I failed to expose the background to pure white, which is something I have later worked on.

If you want a white background, you can use a bed-sheet taped to a wall. Use gaffers tape which will not destroy the wall paint. I was lying flat on the floor perched on my elbows for this shot.

dpyy said:

A friend of mine asked me to do a portrait shoot of his anticipated new born. What kind of equipment will I need to buy? I already have bodies and lenses. The only thing missing is the lighting pieces. I have two flashes and a Rogue flashbender but I would imagine I would need some more serious lighting equipment.

What would be your shopping list? Budget is fairly flexible. The only thing is, it can't be too massive as I don't have a big studio or anything. It'll just be setup in someone's house.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

A friend of mine asked me to do a portrait shoot of his anticipated new born. What kind of equipment will I need to buy?

Will your friend be paying for this equipment ?

Depending on what Rogue flash bender you have you might be able to get a soft box cover for it.

dpyy said:

A friend of mine asked me to do a portrait shoot of his anticipated new born. What kind of equipment will I need to buy? I already have bodies and lenses. The only thing missing is the lighting pieces. I have two flashes and a Rogue flashbender but I would imagine I would need some more serious lighting equipment.

What would be your shopping list? Budget is fairly flexible. The only thing is, it can't be too massive as I don't have a big studio or anything. It'll just be setup in someone's house.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

It shouldn't be so difficult and all you need to buy and look for is something cute, soft, and supportive to put on the floor.

New borns CANNOT stand up by themselves, if you or their parents try that, the poor new born's head will land somewhere on the floor. I've seen it myself. So, what you need is something with some sort of cushion to support the baby in some way that you can get a nice shot. Most likely the baby has to be either sideways or facing up. I am not an expert in baby portraits, but all i know is that new borns cannot support their head almost in any way. Parents usually wait when they are close to one year old because it is much easier, and it is easier for them to smile more

dpyy said:

A friend of mine asked me to do a portrait shoot of his anticipated new born. What kind of equipment will I need to buy? I already have bodies and lenses. The only thing missing is the lighting pieces. I have two flashes and a Rogue flashbender but I would imagine I would need some more serious lighting equipment.

What would be your shopping list? Budget is fairly flexible. The only thing is, it can't be too massive as I don't have a big studio or anything. It'll just be setup in someone's house.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Hey guys, so I got a bit more specific with my friend. He's looking for something like this









Do you know how many lights, and what kind of modifiers I would need to create something like this? Also, how do I create a background like that?

Keeping in mind again, budget is flexible, but portability is crucial (i.e. we don't have a huge studio!)

Thank you!

dpyy said:

dpyy said:

A friend of mine asked me to do a portrait shoot of his anticipated new born. What kind of equipment will I need to buy? I already have bodies and lenses. The only thing missing is the lighting pieces. I have two flashes and a Rogue flashbender but I would imagine I would need some more serious lighting equipment.

What would be your shopping list? Budget is fairly flexible. The only thing is, it can't be too massive as I don't have a big studio or anything. It'll just be setup in someone's house.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Hey guys, so I got a bit more specific with my friend. He's looking for something like this

Do you know how many lights, and what kind of modifiers I would need to create something like this? Also, how do I create a background like that?

Keeping in mind again, budget is flexible, but portability is crucial (i.e. we don't have a huge studio!)

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Natural window light and a large reflector, if you have natural light.

Why not check out some of the lighting setups on youtube.

dpyy said:

dpyy said:

A friend of mine asked me to do a portrait shoot of his anticipated new born. What kind of equipment will I need to buy? I already have bodies and lenses. The only thing missing is the lighting pieces. I have two flashes and a Rogue flashbender but I would imagine I would need some more serious lighting equipment.

What would be your shopping list? Budget is fairly flexible. The only thing is, it can't be too massive as I don't have a big studio or anything. It'll just be setup in someone's house.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Hey guys, so I got a bit more specific with my friend. He's looking for something like this

Do you know how many lights, and what kind of modifiers I would need to create something like this? Also, how do I create a background like that?

Keeping in mind again, budget is flexible, but portability is crucial (i.e. we don't have a huge studio!)

Thank you!

Click to expand...

DPYY,

For backgrounds and props, I have had good results purchasing products from www.BackdropOutlet.com. I shoot weddings and family portraits, not infants, but they have several items that you may want to consider. Here are a few links:

• Baby Props: http://www.backdropoutlet.com/BABY-PROPS/products/1049/
• Posing Props: http://www.backdropoutlet.com/POSING-PROPS/products/1046/
• Baby Drops: http://www.backdropoutlet.com/BABY-DROPS/products/1776/

Explore the site and you should fine a number of background and props at a reasonable price.

But before you purchase anything, though, I advise you to STUDY, STUDY, STUDY various online articles for details on photographic lighting and lighting equipment -- Rembrandt lighting, side lighting, back lighting, umbrellas, softboxes, beauty dishes, white/gold/silver reflectors, flags/gobos, etc.

Next, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. Each tool has its purpose, and there is no instant formula or overnight way to teach lighting techniques.

Read the excellent DPReview primer by Sailor Blue, entitled "Equipment Guide for Setting Up a Small Office / Home Office Studio". It is found on the DPRreview Article section > Buying Guides. Here is the link:

• http://www.dpreview.com/articles/36...setting-up-a-small-home-portraitglamor-studio

This primer covers basic lighting principles, has suggestions on lens choices, the minimal amount of space needed, etc.. It also has a decent summary of commonly used professional lighting tools, their uses, pros and cons. To me, this primary / buying guide / article is one of the little known GEMS that makes the DPReview website to great! I cannot thank Sailor Blue enough for writing it!

As has been stated, check out the Strobist website for a couple of lighting tutorials. On that site, you will quickly see that you do not need to spend tons of $$$ to obtain good results.

The beautiful sample that you provided above is a very clean and uncluttered scene that seems to be lit with only ONE light source, a Softbox to the left of the camera. From the size of the reflection in the eyes, the softbox is positioned very CLOSE to the infant, not far away. The relative large, diffused light source creates a soft, smooth transition from highlight to shadows. Softboxes require more skill than umbrellas to use effectively, but some photographers prefer them for the level of control they provide compared to umbrellas. Also, the photographer seems to have used a lens with a Very Shallow Depth Of Field. (Looks like f/2.0 or wider, maybe f/1.8 or 1.4?). So PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE with the equipment you have. And CREATIVE POSING is very important, too!

I hope the childbirth goes well for your friends! They are putting a lot of trust in you to photograph their child, and there is no shame in saying that you do not feel you have the experience to produce the images they want. If you do go thru with it, please ask for their their permission to post a couple of the final images on this site.

Thank you!

DQ

www.quallsphotography.com