No Babies Were Harmed In The Making Of This Portrait – A How To Guide

 

How I created this award-winning image using composites, camera angles, and post processing effects.

As a newborn photographer, it is very important to plan every setup with the baby’s safety in mind. The image above was created as an optical illusion using camera angles and post processing. For this infant’s safety, he was never actually lifted up in the air as the image appears.

The set-up:

The first thing I did was lay down a black backdrop on my ottoman. This can also be done using a newborn posing beanbag, the floor, a table or any other surface that is sturdy and safe to set a baby on.

I took the image by standing above the baby, while he was safely laying on the backdrop with his mom’s hands cradling him to create the illusion. She was simply kneeling beside my ottoman and reaching her arms across it to hold him into the pose.

The composite:

I wasn’t able to find an image that was exactly what I was looking for, so I knew I would need to combine elements of 2 different photos to achieve the best result. After making my basic adjustments to the raw files using Adobe Camera Raw, I loaded the two images into Photoshop and combined the baby’s lower half from one image with the baby’s upper half from the second image.

I achieve my composites with a variety of procedures and tools, and I’d be happy to elaborate more on that process in a future post if there is interest. Just let me know in the comment section of this post!

Shaping the illusion:

From there, I just needed to make a few more adjustments to the composited image to finish up the illusion that the baby was being held in the air. To simulate gravity’s effect on the baby, and get the perspective perfect, I used a bit of liquify and puppet warp. This also helped create the perfect squishy pose I was after.

 

 

Finishing touches:

From here it was just a matter of adding the finishing touches to create the final portrait. I touched-up Mom’s fingernails, made some level adjustments, and any other clean up that needed done.

 

Here is a final example of a similar image using a 3 month old baby:

Let me know what you think in the comments. I’d be happy to answer any questions or respond to any feedback. Thank you!

For those interested, here are links to some helpful items for these types of poses:

Newborn Posing Bean Bag

Bean Bag Filler

Black Backdrop

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Romantic and Dreamy Engagement Session by JM Photography

There is a magical time of evening know in the photography world as “Golden Hour”. The time leading up to sunset really is a wonderful time to create natural light portraits, and then you can even catch the sunset right at the end of your session. For this engagement session, my clients and I headed out to a local park/campground that sits right up next to a body of water on one side, sage brush on the other, and beautiful aspen trees on another. I loved the variety we were able to get with just this one location!

**I’ve had some people asking for the location, and these were all taken at Beaver Dick Park in Rexburg, ID**

Here is one of my favorite techniques to create a romantic portrait. I like to have the couple tuck back behind some brush or other greenery that I can shoot through to create the feeling that they are sharing a sweet secret moment away from the cares of the world. In this portrait, I have my camera set up behind a tree branch and used depth of field to create the effect.

Here I used the same idea again, only with the shrubbery directly in from of them, almost on the same focal plane. I love the intimacy of these portraits because they feel like they are in their own little world.

I also love to find natural paths, or man-made walkways between trees and tall grasses. This provides a framing to the portrait that really draws the eye right in to the couple. You can also use the path to have them interact with each other by holding hands and walking.

Here’s a cute little guy that wondered into our shoot and I had to grab a quick shot.

I love to find layers of trees or bushes to create interest and different depths of field through out the image like in this example and the next.

Never be afraid to try out different camera angles. I was laying on my stomach for this shot, just like this couple.

These cute picnic tables caught my attention and I knew I wanted to try to find a way to incorporate them in a picture without being too gimmicky or using it as too much of a prop.

At this point, you can see the sky begin to change color as the sunset came on. Once this moment hits, you have just a few minutes to get some beautiful, vibrant colors before it gets completely dark.

The sunset was just breath-taking on this particular evening.

Happily, this sweet couple was willing to wade out into the water for me so we could capture the sunset in the reflection as well.

For those that have inquired, this entire session was shot using my 70-200mm, 2.8 lens. I also got a lot of use out of my 5-in-1 reflector, which is an invaluable tool to a natural light photographer in my opinion.

I’d love to answer any questions you may have, just comment below!
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25 Gifts Under $25 For The Photographer In Your Life

Whether it’s a holiday, birthday, anniversary or “just because” – here are some gift ideas to bring some joy to the photographer in your life.

1. Camera Shaped USB

A USB thumb drive is not only something useful, but when it’s shaped like a camera, what’s not to love? To purchase, click here.

2. Oh Snap! T-Shirt

Cute, funny and stylish. This t-shirt is sure to bring smiles, to find it click here.

3.Camera Lens Thermos

Coffee, tea, water or whatever your favorite beverage, is sure to be enjoyed when drinking from this cup designed to look like a camera lens. Want it? click here.

4. Desk Top Organizer

Another gift that is useful as well as fun! This organizer can spruce up a desk, table or shelf while also being practical. If you love this, click here.

5. Camera Leggings

Leggings are one of the most comfortable wardrobe items, and why not have them themed in something near and dear to your heart? These can be found by clicking here.

6. Camera Cuff Links

Perfect gift to compliment any suit. They are small and subtle enough to not draw attention while still allowing some fun self expression. To get them, click here.

These are another design that are worth checking out as well. Click here.

7. Camera Patent Art Prints

These would look great hanging in almost any space and add a nice vintage flare. To see these and more click here.

8. Camera Print Infinity Scarf

This is a fun accessory to spruce up your ensemble, it comes in a few different colors and it can be found by clicking here.

9.Camera Style LED Flash Light

These key chain sized flashlights are inexpensive and fun. They are great to hang on your key ring for when you need a bit of light to find your lock or something in your purse. Check them out, click here.

10. Oh Snap! Camera Mug

This is cute, funny, and should get a lot of daily use. Check it out and other mugs, click here.

11. Wristbands

These are very inexpensive and fun to accessorize with. To see them, click here.

12. Cute Neck Strap For Camera

There are tons of styles available, and these straps can add comfort and fashion to your camera. To browse these, click here.

13. Life IS Like A Camera – Necklace

A beautiful necklace that is beautifully packaged. To purchase this, click here.

14. Stemless Wine Glass

This is beautifully crafted, and offers a fun way to drink your favorite beverage. To see this, click here.

15. Tote Bag

Bags come in useful in so many circumstances, and this one is cute and humorous as well. To buy it, click here.

16. Car Window Decal

Here’s an inexpensive gift and will add some fun flare to your vehicle, window or mirror. To see the different size options,  click here.

17. Beautiful Wooden Music Box

This music box is gorgeous and will be absolutely adored. If you’d like to check it out, click here.

18. Vintage Camera Notebook

Here is a cute notebook for scheduling, not taking, or any other notebook related tasks. To see it, click here.

19. Throw Pillow Case

There are a few options available, check out all the styles: click here.

Don’t forget the pillow insert! Here’s one that will work great, click here.

20. Photography Heartbeat Shirt

The idea behind this shirt will really speak to your photographer friend. Photography really does become a part of what makes us tick! To see all of the colors available, click here.

21. Camera Earrings

These tiny camera’s are so cute and detailed. They are sure to be a big hit! To buy them, click here.

22. Small Camera Bag

This small bag is great for anything from coins to pencils, pens, phone, cosmetics, and hair ties. See it by clicking here.

23. Camera Chocolate Mold

If the photographer in your life also loves deserts, then this chocolate mold will definitely be a great gift! To see it, click here.

24. Camera Ornament

Decorate your tree, home, office or child’s nursery with these cute hanging ornaments shaped like a small camera. Check it out: click here.

25. Camera Necklace

This piece of jewelry is gorgeous, detailed, and meaningful. This camera necklace will be worn with pride. To see it, click here.

If you enjoyed this list, please share! Or send it to someone who could use some direction while searching for some fun gift ideas.

Do you know of any other fun gifts for photographers? Let us know in the comments below 🙂

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Paint Smash Birthday Session

For this sweet girl’s 1st birthday, we did a cake smash photoshoot. This is a fun tradition that a lot of mom’s enjoy and can result in some pretty adorable portraits. For her second birthday, we wanted to do something a little bit more unique and we decided to try out a paint smash!

My setup was simple, using white seamless paper as the backdrop. This made clean-up very easy and also kept the focus of the images on her artwork. I also dressed her in a white onesie, which at the end became a keep-sake to hang along side her painting.

It didn’t take much encouragement to get her to go to work on her masterpiece. We used non-toxic, washable paints. She was old enough not to put her hands in her mouth, but if you do this session with a one year old, you may wish to make your own edible paints. There are many recipes online for this.

After using the paint brushes for a while, we encouraged her to also finger paint so she could add some more character to her art, as well as get a little messy!

When it was all finished, she had had a blast – and clean-up was a breeze! We chose to end her session with a bubble splash at the end where we set up a little tub with bubbles and got a few more cute portraits.

This ended up being a really fun alternative to a cake smash portrait session, and it resulted in a fun keepsake as well.

To check out any of the items used in the photo session, click on their name in the list below:

White Seamless Paper
Paint
Paint Brushes
Easel
16×20 Canvas
White Onesie

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10 Cool Photography Gadgets That Can Add Some Fun To Your Next Session

Whether you are a hobbyist or a pro, photographers can sometimes run into a creative rut. Here are some ideas or hacks to add some fun into your next photoshoot or personal project. These gadgets are mostly just for fun, but I have found some to be quite useful and have actually added them to my camera bag. Here are 10 cool – and inexpensive – photography gadgets to play around with when you are feeling the need to add some fun to your sessions.

1. Bokeh Kits

Bokeh can really add a lot of interest to a photograph, especially when done right. Bokeh is usually circular in shape as it takes on the shape of your camera’s aperture. With this fun accessory, you can turn your bokeh into whatever shape you’d like. Use this to add some whimsy or subtle magic to your work. Here’s a fun example using a heart shape:

To learn more about this bokeh kit click here.

2. Shutter Huggers and Camera Creatures

These little guys are actually super useful! I use them in almost every session that has a child from the age of 4 months old and up. This is basically a little stuffed creature that sits around your camera’s lens, giving your subject something to look at. These are also great attention grabbers for pets as many of them have a built in squeaker.

To check out all of the cute styles available, click here.

3. Right Angle Spy Lens

Besides being really fun, and kind of ridiculous, this gadget can actually be a bit useful as well. If you’ve ever tried to capture a candid moment, only to have your subject notice you and immediately pose, you will understand the appeal of this right angle spy lens. This attaches to the end of your lens to help you capture an image in a completely different direction that you are pointing your camera.

To get one for your Canon click here. For Nikon click here.

4. Shutter Release Upgrade

Definitely the tiniest item on this list, this gadget can still add quite a bit to your technique. These shutter buttons stick right on top of your shutter release, making it easier to find by feel and giving you better grip and control. click here.

5. These Cute Hot Shoe Covers

These little hot shoe covers are absolutely adorable! They come in several different styles. Besides decking out your camera, these can also double as an attention-getter for your younger models, as they make intense eye contact trying to see the cute tiny critter on your camera.

To see all of the styles available, click here.

6. Decorative Neck or Shoulder Strap

I don’t really need to explain this one do I? Who wouldn’t want to add a bit of style and comfort to their next photoshoot? Lots of variations exist of this cute accessory, click here to see what’s available.

7. Hot Shoe Level

A very useful little tool that sits right on top of your camera. Slide this level into your hot shoe to help keep your camera level. This can be especially helpful when creating panarama shots.

To check out this simple little gadget, click here.

8. Macro Extension Tube

This one takes a bit of playing around to get just the effect you are after. But for the price, it has been really fun to play with. This camera attachment essentially turns your lens into a macro lens for those close up shots – without the hefty price tag. Not bad if macro is not something you primarily shoot and just want to experiment with.

To see the details of this gadget, click here.

9. Macro Ring Light

Another Macro aide, but this one can sure add a lot to a photo. Capture jewelry, glitter, or other small items that could use a nice light source. In this shot below, I used glitter scrap book paper as a backdrop for these rings to create this gorgeous bokeh effect. Imagine pairing that with the effect of the bokeh kit listed at number one on this list.

Check out this cool ring light by clicking here.

10. Knee Pads

Ok, I know this isn’t really a photography gadget, but hear me out. As a photographer, especially one that works primarily with newborns and babies, I spend a lot of time crawling around on a hard studio floor. Pair that with how much kneeling I do while setting up my props, and this suddenly seems like a pretty handy thing to keep around.

If you often find yourself getting down on the floor to take pictures, click here.

 

Do you know of any other fun or strange camera gadgets? Let us know in the comments below 🙂

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Newborn Puppy Session

As a newborn photographer, I was thrilled to hear that my brother and sister-in-law had a dog that was expecting a litter of adorable little puppies. I begged them to let me play with some ideas I had and I love how everything turned out!

For the most part I tried to recreate traditional newborn portrait poses similar to ones I’ve used on babies in my studio. I kept their momma very close by and took feeding breaks frequently. Just like babies, these little ones were sleepy, cuddly, and liked the environment to be warm. It was nice to have a few extra hands on set as well to make sure the puppies were always safe, supported, and happy. For that reason, a lot of these images are composites. I am happy to share in another post how I achieve composites, just comment below if that’s something you’d like to read about.

The little bows were attached using a small pinch of dental wax. This is an easy way to get the bow situated exactly where you want it, and keep it in place!

Little puppy snuggles are so cute, and I actually found it was pretty easy to achieve these poses because they loved to cuddle together already.

And don’t forget the macro shots!

Sweet dreams little pups.

Questions? Comments? I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below and will do my best to respond to each of you.

For those that are interested, the stretch wraps pictured in these portraits can be purchased here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.