HELP!!!

[tomasek]

(free shoot - i offered everyone in my parents group a free shoot because they are young parents and probably dont have enough money for newborn/baby pictures that are better than what they can take on their own... + for my own experience and ive gained atleast 5-6 paying customers from it!)

Today i did one of these shoots for a baby, NOW, i know that all babies are beautiful, but this one really isnt attractive and i tried all different angles and lighting and even got out my reflector to create warm light etc, but i come home to over 200 pictures and i have like 5 of him that look DECENT.

ive never had to shoot such an 'unfortunate' looking child.

i was wondering if there is any tips anyone can give me for future reference...
i dont want to give her sub-par pictures, i mean ive got a couple of REALLY great shots of him but compared to the ones ive given to the others they just dont quite seem up to par! i know that the parents will think he is cute regardless. but yeah

help?

thanks in advance!

[ricktas]

I moved your thread from the New To Photography forum, as you are an intermediate member and if you are shooting for others, you are not New To Photography.

Welcome to the world of providing photography services to others, either paid or free.

Now you might think the baby is ugly (and some are), but you can also bet 100% that the parents love him to death and do not think he is ugly. Look at the best photos you have, not from an 'is he ugly or what?" point of view, but from a technical one. If the photo is well exposed, well lit and nicely done, then edit it as you would any other baby photos. Get past your point of view, that the baby is ugly and concentrate on providing the parents with some well taken, sharp where they should be, and nicely edited photos.

It is not your job to say the baby is ugly, it is your job, as the photographer, to take the photos and present the parents with some beautiful photos of their bundle of joy!

[tomasek]

oh whoops i didnt realise i had posted into new to photography... i thought i was posting in the general help must have just gone into the wrong tab! but thanks!

thats a good way to look at it. i know the parents wont think he is ugly or anything but im nervous about giving it to them because i feel there could have been something i could have done. because ive seen pictures of him that they've taken and he doesnt look bad. (he wouldnt really smile for me.)
the family ones i took of him and his parents are great. its just the ones by himself.
maybe after i edit them i'll feel better!

[kiwi]

its pretty hard to offer advice without seeing examples.

[rowdy23]

i too would like to see the devils spawn

[tomasek]

you guys just want to see if the child is actually ugly... but here
http://i43.tinypic.com/a7ez7.jpghttp://i39.tinypic.com/2qa0iys.jpghttp://i44.tinypic.com/sfywph.jpg

(i havent even started editing them yet!)

[tomasek]

his mother put oil on his face before the shoot for some reason, so his skin looks reallly oily! :s

[jim]

He looks adorable, if a little cross-eyed, and his parents will no doubt think the same.

[Beth H]

He's still cute. Any other profile pictures ?

[Nanny]

I think he is lovely the wide bridge of his nose makes him look cross eyed as most babies do

[sufran]

The crops on these pictures all draw attention to his face (as the face dominates the frame) and his eyes (which appear somewhat cross-eyed). As part of a mix of photos (e.g. macro of fingers, wider angle shots which show him interacting with his environment), these would be OK; but I wouldn't want most of them to be like this. The two suggestions I would make for future reference, would be (1) to vary the baby's poses: his shoulders looked bunched up around his ears; and (2) to mix up the lighting a bit so as to give variety to the facial expressions.

[tomasek]

those were some of the best ones... and the better ones were few and far between.

thats what i suggested to them sufran, but they insisted getting them right up in his face. so there really wasnt much i could do about the crop... they didnt want any from further back. although i did take some, which i dont think are much better.

maybe its just me. maybe im being too hard on myself. wanting to make the baby look to what i think is attractive?

even the 'family' ones i took i feel arent very good. but again maybe thats just me.

[sufran]

When photographing babies, I always want to capture what makes them so special. So I can understand your desire to do your best by the parents. If there were any concerns (and they may love the images), perhaps you could do another shoot (if you wanted to do so and had the time) on the basis that you could try some other poses and arrangements now that you have had a chance to consider how these have turned out. I would be interested in seeing your processing on one of these and finding out the parent's reaction...

[rowdy23]

um... i asked and im sorry i did lol
very hard to get cute pics from a kid pulling faces..

light isnt very flattering which adds to issue i think

[Mark L]

.... but they insisted getting them right up in his face. so there really wasnt much i could do about the crop... they didnt want any from further back. ......
Free or not, who's the photographer. :confused013
Good on you for doing what your doing. I couldn't 'cause I don't have the "people skills" to get people to do what I want (without offence).

Tom says "Here's the photos you asked for. I'd love to try some more."
Dad looks at mum, then says "Thanks Tom. that's exactly what we wanted!" :D

[Epicaricacy]

1 and 3 are fine, just need some softening to reduce the harshness of the light. The hands in 2 are not in the most flattering position.

[tomasek]

i get what you mean guys! thanks for your help!

im editing today so she can have a look tomorrow when i go to group. so ill add some up when im done

please feel free to pass on more advice if anyone has it.

[tomasek]

so yeah i edited and looked at themfrom a technical aspect and im actually feeling alright about them.
the left eye is slightly out offocus and there is still some glare around the focused eye and nose that i didnt see before (i should find my glasses before i edit) but shall fix before i give them to her in #1, which was due to the oil she puton his face, but it was their favourite. i also feel like the whites are blown... is that just my computer?
http://i40.tinypic.com/vhq3o2.jpghttp://i43.tinypic.com/2w72sur.jpghttp://i39.tinypic.com/11j9kio.jpg

i offered them a reshoot because i wasnt entirely happy but they didnt want to. they loved them and didnt want to take up any more of my time.
in the end, he's cute cause he's a baby. and not all of them can look like i want them too. so i have to get over myself.

[Epicaricacy]

He's a big lad too looking at the third one there!

[tomasek]

hes huge! 4months and7kilos! forcomparison mine is 8 months and only 8 kilos!