In August, I called up my friend Kristy to photograph her baby girl. Her initials are J.A.M., so actually, we call her "Jammers" for short, though her name is actually Jordyn Ava. Our session took a little less than 2 hours; we started in the morning and ended about noon.
Jam was challenging to say the least; she would go from totally happy one moment to totally upset the next! But I learned a lot -- I think that was my favorite part. And after this shoot, I got really excited about shooting children again.
For next time:
*Shoot in the sun! Get more confident & just do it!
*Sometimes the locations I have in mind don't always work out like I think they're going to. I think the best shots ended up taking place in the front yard while we were waiting to go to the park. I had this gazebo at a nearby park all picked out and it ended up being difficult light-wise. Even the duck pond was difficult. Note to self: make more time to shoot at home.
*Invite the parents to get in the shot! It would have been easy to get some nice shots with Kristy and Jam together. Be sure to advise parents beforehand (ie before leaving the house) so appropriate clothing and make-up can be chosen.
*Bring feather boa or feather duster or anything that will keep baby busy! (I'll have to research that for next time...)
*Like the headshots I've taken before, it amazes me how a quick clothing change and background can significantly alter the mood and look of a photo. Make sure to bring along 4-6 outfits minimum and shoot at 3 locations minimum.
*I've been thinking a lot about "backyards" and how to use ours to my advantage-- instead of all the driving around, I've thought about trying to create a studio in our backyard. I already have some props... but I'd be interested in acquiring some other ones too... an antique couch or chair would be cool... an old door or collection of window panes... a wagon wheel... a collection of planter pots... and then I would have to store them somewhere. We have a garage...
