Her Father's Hands
His hands will comfort her, soothe her, and warm her when she is cold. They will hold her bottle, and lightly tap her back until she burps. They will change cou...
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His hands will comfort her, soothe her, and warm her when she is cold. They will hold her bottle, and lightly tap her back until she burps. They will change countless diapers, and send airplane after airplane of delicious mushy food into her smiling mouth. His hands will scoop her up when she learns how to crawl away, hold her steady as she stands up on shaky legs, and pick her up each time she falls. They will flip the pages of her favorite bedtime story, again and again, then hold her close as he hugs her goodnight.
His hands will build blanket forts and fasten training wheels on her bicycle. They will place band aids gently on her boo boos, and wipe away all her tears. They will clap fiercely at every school play, dance recital and graduation; they will carry the moving boxes to her college dorm. One day, his hands will hold her tightly as he walks her down the aisle, giving hers away, and wipe a tear from his eye when he remembers just how small she used to be.
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His hands will build blanket forts and fasten training wheels on her bicycle. They will place band aids gently on her boo boos, and wipe away all her tears. They will clap fiercely at every school play, dance recital and graduation; they will carry the moving boxes to her college dorm. One day, his hands will hold her tightly as he walks her down the aisle, giving hers away, and wipe a tear from his eye when he remembers just how small she used to be.
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Sep, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my home studio in Danbury, CT. I am very fortunate to work out of the lower level of my home, which has a separate entrance to the studio and yard. I've worked hard to create a space that is both professional and warm; my clients are my guests and I want them to feel at home!Time
I always recommend that newborn sessions start around 10 or 11am. This seems to be the sweet spot, when babies are most likely to be in a solid sleep throughout the session, which is essential for safe and effective posing!Lighting
This particular image was created using natural window light. The baby is resting contently in the well of a large posing beanbag - safety is always paramount! I placed her with the window angled above her head, and her dad knelt down to place his hands around her, in the window's shadow. This placement is a little different than I would normally use for this kind of newborn shot, but I just adored the detail of his hands and the folds of her fingers and toes. Placing them in a more shadowy area highlights all these textural differences and brings a moodier feeling to the image.Equipment
This was shot with a Nikon D3 and a Sigma 50mm 1.4. The only other equipment used to make this image was the beanbag, a black fleece blanket (I find that fleece absorbs the light more than other fabrics) and the window light.Inspiration
Much of my photography is inspired by photos of my own family that have had a deep meaning for me since I was a child. Among those is a photograph of my father holding me as a newborn. It's a simple shot, taken most likely by my mother, but seeing how small I was in his arms was always a wonder for me. This baby girl was so petite, and her dad's hands so full of character that I had to take a shot that would hold this same impact for their family. Photographs have the power to take us right back to a moment in time. I believe that one day, when she's all grown up and it's time for him to walk his baby girl down the aisle, he will think back to moments like this one: when she seemed impossibly small, her entire future ahead of her.Editing
I use a similar post processing workflow for every "Simba pose." Because the baby's safety and comfort is so important, this shot must be photographed on the beanbag, and not in the air. In order to create this illusion, I have created a custom Lightroom preset that flattens the blacks for a matte-like effect. From there, I go through with a fine tooth comb and spot-remove any specks of lint or areas of the fabric that may have picked up a little bit of the light. My goal is for the viewer to see the black as negative air space, rather than a blanket. Usually, I will remove any distracting dry skin and run a light filter to soften skin for a dreamy glow - but here, because I wanted to highlight both the dad and baby's textures, I left the skin untouched and natural. That extra edge to the image leaves the viewer with a sense of reality, and heightens the emotional impact.In my camera bag
My Nikon D3 body is a trooper, and I use it for everything. I originally selected it for its amazing low light performance for weddings, but it's a great choice for the studio as well. All of my lenses are Sigma, however, because they won me over when I first tried out their 50mm 1.4 Art lens and I never looked back! I use the 50 almost exclusively for newborn sessions, with the exception of my 105mm 2.8 macro for beautiful details of fingers and eyelashes! In most cases, that's all I use for newborns, but I have a ton of other wonderful items to play with for other sessions. My 70-200mm 2.8 is great for family portraits and weddings, and my 24-70mm 2.8 is especially helpful when I have an on-the-go toddler in the studio!Feedback
The key to capturing any moving portrait is to adjust your shooting style to fit the subject. Although I have a standard approach to photographing newborns in this pose, I made several alterations to highlight the aspect of this father and daughter that make them unique.
