Tips for a Fresh 48
I'm just going to say what everyone is thinking: 2020 is not going as planned. Not personally, or business wise. Isolation is really hard, and staying home and away from family is even harder. As things slowly became more clear, one of the first things to change was hospital policies. While I understood it was to protect everyone, I was devastated for all of the mom's who could no longer have the support team they planned on, or those fresh moments captured. I miss capturing fresh 48's so much, but I want to help expecting parents to capture them with the tools they have at their fingertips. Whether that's a camera they play around with, or a regular cell phone, here are some tips for capturing your babies first days in this wide world:
1. NATURAL LIGHT: turn off those yellow hospital lights. Even if it makes your room darker! It's easier to brighten exposure up in editing then to correct orange/yellow tones from fluorescent lights.
2. Find a window if you can. Open up all the blinds, and place baby as close as you can to the window.
3. Don't force it. If baby is a little fussy, swaddle them up and just hold them.
4. Encourage raw moments. Compliment your partner and help them to embrace this time. It's not pretty, but it is beautiful, and so incredibly powerful what their body just did!
5. Don't forget the details. The tiny details fade and change so quickly. Too quickly. Capture them as best you can.
6. Comparison. I love capturing baby on dad, or their hands with dad's hands. It's sort of a wonder how small we all start.
7. Don't force a pose. If the light is good, take the photo. Candid, natural, laughing, crying, a complete mess, or totally put together. I promise you, one day she will thank you for capturing a moment she cherishes that she can't get back.
8. Get mom comfortable and try using a timer, or even ask a nurse to snap a family shot. Don't make mom move! Also don't be afraid to do a full blown family selfie so you are all in the photo.
9. Keep baby warm. The photos in the bassinet are always some of my favorite. Know that when we come in those photos of babies just in the diaper are a very brief time. Keep an eye on their feet, hands, and lips. If they are having a hard time regulating body temperature you'll see some purple-ing (is that a word?) Wrap them back up and snuggle! Then you can try again if you didn't get the shot you wanted.
10. Use lightroom mobile to brighten up photos, or contact your favorite photographer and see if they'd be willing to help make the photos pop a little more! We are all in this together.
xo,
