The Illusion of Danger in Infant Photography

   Newborns are tough to photograph. When they can’t hold themselves, much less their own head up, how do you pose them? One trend is to wrap them up and put them in different situations that look dangerous, and control their body movement. I love to use a net suspended from the the ceiling of my studio to photograph newborns in, as one option. It’s an adorable shot, but often, people cringe thinking about what may happen to the baby. Here is a finished photo from a shoot today, and on the right, a behind the scenes shot. I have a table that I built with several inches of padding on top. Then, a large, filled pillow is placed on top of that. The baby is then suspended only inches above the table. Mom holds him steady and pulls her hands out of the shot as it is taken. She is never more than a foot out of reach should the little guy start to lean forward. In the end, the table (and sometimes mom’s hands!) is either cropped from, or digitaly removed, and you have a unique shot to hang on your wall. Quite a conversation piece, I’m sure. Mom probably spends a moment every so often explaining the whole process while showing off her little bundle of joy!

Best Laid Plans….

   You can plan everything out and sometimes, life throws a knuckleball at you. Lance and Molly’s wedding went perfect! We then went out to a park to get their photos. It turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year, and if you’ve worn a wedding dress, you know they don’t come with air conditioning. We had to get them out of the heat much earlier than planned. We still had an hour or two before they were supposed to head to the reception and Razzles Pub was chosen as a close spot to get into some air conditioning. After relaxing and cooling off for awile, Lance took his boys over to the pool table. With his oldest holding a rootbeer, his youngest just clearing the table and Lance leaning down to line up a shot, I had  a opportunity to make one of my favorite shots. The kids really pulled off the look and gave Lance and Molly an unplanned shot they will always treasure!

Through the Lens

    This shot was made in Kirtland Ohio under the ruins of a Pergola at the Mooreland Mansion. One of the most beautiful places I’ve had the privilege to shoot at! The mansion had fallen into ruins until a group started to restore the grounds. There are manicured gardens, fountains, sweeping grounds, and stone structures like this that stand in defiance of time. Wysteria grows over the top creating  the shadowed area underneath to contrast the bright skies behind, shining through Amy’s dress. Stephen and Amy were married there this summer and this is one of my favorite shots of the year. This sepia technique I’ve created brings some color back in, while further highlighting the bright background against the shadows falling on the couple. The photo speaks to me as an intimate, quiet moment for the newlywed couple after the rush of the wedding day leading up to the ceremony. When I pose two people together, I like to position them and let them interact with each other. It’s my way to take a pose and make it look natural and unforced. I will be posting some of my favorite shots of 2010 over the next few weeks and the story behind them!