Baby Trice

Yesterday I had the privilege of photographing the newest addition to my extended family, Trice Reddick Elliott. Trice is my cousin Megan and her husband J.J.'s son. Megan and JJ are huge Cyclone fans, so obviously ISU photo's were a must!

This session took right around three hours. We found that the space heater was magic for little Trice! He wasn't too sure at the start of the session, but with a little patience we got some great shots.

One shot in particular that I've been wanting to do is a shot with scales. I've had this idea for a fairly long time, but wanted to use a baby of my cousins. Megan was the first cousin to have a baby that I could photograph as a newborn since getting the studio. My grandpa collected tons of scales throughout his life. When he passed away last year, all the cousins took a scale in memory of him. There were over 200 scales, but only 11 of us, so there are still plenty left over :).

The photo with the scale was a bit challenging. I wanted the baby in a hanging scale, but obviously didn't want to put the baby in harms way. So, I took a series of photographs and only had Trice in one. The photo Trice was actually in didn't have any other scales in it, and the scale he was laying on was setting on a box being held by his dad. Here is a behind the scenes look on the making of the scale photo.

1) The first shot I took was one of JJ holding the scale to Trice's actual weight. 

2 and 3) I took shots of of the set up with JJ on each side. That way, I could combine the two photos and the full set appear in the final.

4) The photo of Trice was taken with no scales. I replaced the scales with a wooden box set up to about the height of where I wanted him to end up. You'll see JJ is holding the scale so the chains would be up and is also super close to keep Trice safe. The baby was never really hanging. 

After taking all the photos, I combined them all in Photoshop. The red boxed area is what I used from each photo. Here is the final product:

Now, this was my first composite image, so I know it's not perfect. I'm not usually big on extreme Photoshop manipulation, but this was a shot I wanted to get in honor of our grandpa. 

Here are a few more photos from the shoot:

My favorite so far! 

Introducing: At Home Sessions for Baby!

I am happy to announce that in 2012, customers will now have the option for a comfortable, laid back session at home with their new baby. I have a new portable studio perfect for babies up to 9 months in age. At home (indoor) sessions are not recommended for babies who are able to walk, as they will no longer fit on my new backdrop set up. As always, you may have an at home outdoor session for kids/families of any age.

These at-home sessions are available with the $100 baby package. (See below for details on baby packages) The package includes one consultation, one however- long- a -session- needed, multiple outfit changes, and travel up to 20 miles from either Des Moines or Jewell ($.50 per mile after). You will receive unique, personal images of your baby that last a lifetime.

With at home sessions, you have the comfort of your home, but the professional look of a studio. You have the ability to utilize aspects about your house that are special to you and create one of a kind images. Being a new mother is exhausting; photos shouldn't add to that.

Baby Photography Changes for 2012

Let's give this blog a try :) I have some major changes coming in 2012. I figured the easiest way to convey them would be to "Blog" about it!

The first major change I want to talk about is Baby Photography. As you all know, I am new to owning a studio. Due to the extreme cost of business set up, I have been gradually adding new stuff each year. It's an ongoing process! 2012 is the year of BABIES. I love babies, and I want to photograph them the best I possibly can. Different people have different expectations of what they want out of their baby's photographer. Some people want to just come in for a quick, easy session, get the shots they need, and be on their way. There is NOTHING wrong with that.

This year, I am making a significant investment in baby props, backgrounds, posing tools, etc. I don't think it is fair to jack up all of my prices to accommodate for these new props, because as I mentioned before, some people just want simple. This is the reason I have decided to not change my existing sessions fee, but rather add a new option.

Standard Baby Session:

This is basically what I've been offering all along; black, white or brown background, between 20-25 shots, some close ups, some full length, and some 3/4 length. You may bring in a few of your own props and 1-2 outfit changes. This session is all about baby, not about fancy, artistic type shots. Nothing is changing about the price of the session, it holds steady at $30.00. This session gets you 30-45 minutes of session time. Because there are now two options available, that time frame will be strict.

Baby Art Photography

This is going to be a much more extensive session. This will be your opportunity to not only have photos all about your baby, but also to get some artistic shots. We will take advantage of both natural light and artificial studio light. You will get close ups of feet, hands, eyes, lips and belly button to be created in an artistic collage. We will use a variety of unique props (still focusing on baby) and backgrounds. You will also have the opportunity to get some artistic photos of you with your baby.

This session will last as long as it takes. Sometimes babies require feedings in the middle of sessions, sometimes they need time to acclimate and ease into their surroundings. This is a very laid back session which will allow time for all of that. You will also have the opportunity to set up a consultation so we can determine exactly what you want out of your photos. Because of the added time, added use of props/backgrounds, and added amount of final images, this session is $100.00 flat session fee. As with all sessions in 2012, you will get a free proofbook of ALL images with $50.00 print deposit. Session fee does not count towards deposit.