Is there life after props?
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How to photograph your clients wrapped in Christmas lights (or not!)
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Featured Photographer : Lizzie Gilmour
Located in New Plymouth, TK New Zealand
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<div class='fimage' style='padding:0;width: 80%;border: solid 1px #ddd;margin: 0 10% 50px;overflow: hidden'><img src='https://apnpi.com/wp-content/uploads/formidable/27/hunter-8.jpg' style='width: 100%;margin-bottom: 0px'><div class='overlay'><div><p>Naturally posed in a wooden bowl.</p><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></div></div></div>
“Babies are people not props. Make sure to put their well being and safety above everything else.”
Tell us a bit about yourself. What do you love doing in your spare time? What inspired you to newborn photography and do you photograph other genre’s in your business?
I grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Piopio, New Zealand. I did very well in the Arts, particulary painting and was meant to head off to Art school once I graduated, but put it on hold for a year to represent New Zealand at hockey and work on the family farm. I then met my now husband and went to live with him in Scotland and the Netherlands. I got my first SLR in The Netherlands and I loved it. Once we moved home to Taranaki and had our first baby, I realised exactly what I wanted to do! bAlthough I did dabble in a bit of study, getting my Certificate in Mechanical Engineering. But once i started taking photos of my babies, I never looked back. I now have 3 girls, 5, 3 and 1. My youngest still loves her photo taken, but my other two.. not so much. To be honest, my job is my hobby. So I always seem o have a camera attached to me what ever I am doing and love using it as excuse to get out and explore Taranaki with my girls. I photograph the occasional wedding, families etc as well.
Who has inspired you and how did you first come across their work?
Kristen Cook. Very randomly found her on youtube. She just has this wonderful energy and you can just see how much she loves her job and the babies she works with. She as this incredible connection with the babies, and her use of words never fail to hit me in the feels. Her works reflects this. So natural and honest. I could listen to her talk all day.
Another inspiration for me is the paintings of Charles Marion Russell. I grew up with theses in my home. They taught me how to tell stories and show emotion through imagery. How you should always try to make the person looking at your work want to explore it and find a deeper meaning.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting a newborn photography business?
Patience. Babies are people not props. Make sure to put their well being and safety above everything else. If you don’t get the shot, then you don’t get the shot. If baby is hungry, then stop and wait while they feed. Unsettled, hold them and rock them.
What camera do you use? What are your favourite lenses and what’s typically in your camera bag?
I use a Canon 6d with the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art, except for macros where I have the Canon 100mm 2.8L lens.
What should clients expect when working with you?
A warm and relaxing session, with minimum fuss for mum and baby. I don’t require the use of white noise or a pacifier for my sessions as I like to be able to read babies cues at all times and make sure that they are alway happy, well fed and content.
<div class='fimage' style='padding:0px;width: 100%'><img src='https://apnpi.com/wp-content/uploads/formidable/27/twins.jpg' style='width: 100%;margin-bottom: 0px'><div class='overlay'><div><p>In their own little world</p><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></div></div></div>
<div class='fimage' style='padding:0px;width: 100%'><img src='https://apnpi.com/wp-content/uploads/formidable/27/2017-08-06_0003.jpg' style='width: 100%;margin-bottom: 0px'><div class='overlay'><div><p>Soft and delicately posed</p><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></div></div></div>
<div class='fimage' style='padding:0px;width: 100%'><img src='https://apnpi.com/wp-content/uploads/formidable/27/2017-06-06_0003.jpg' style='width: 100%;margin-bottom: 0px'><div class='overlay'><div><p>Sweet and simple</p><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></div></div></div>
<div class='fimage' style='padding:0px;width: 100%'><img src='https://apnpi.com/wp-content/uploads/formidable/27/Toby.jpg' style='width: 100%;margin-bottom: 0px'><div class='overlay'><div><p>Life after loss.</p><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></div></div></div>
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Session Spotlight: Surrogate rainbow baby
Session Spotlight
This session was very special to me.
A surrogate mother contacted me to photograph the birth of this baby for the biological parents. The parents already had a 7 year old boy and they had lost another child and she couldn’t get pregnant again so they hired a surrogate mother. They had tried for years and just before they gave up on surrogacy, they received good news.
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What One Member and Her Clients are Saying about the QNP Certification
Written by: Heather Glude – Owner/Photographer of Itty Bitty Bug Photography
This article first appeared on the Itty Bitty Bug Photography blog.
CERTIFICATION AS QUALIFIED NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHER
The world’s first international newborn photography association, Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International, has just certified Heather Glude of Itty Bitty Bug Photography in their second group of Qualified Newborn Photographers. Heather is honored to be selected to be part of this elite group of photographers dedicated to elevating the art of newborn photography. APNPI was founded to help clients discern the difference among photographers and build a comprehensive educational curriculum to continue to drive excellence in imagery and safety.
“When looking for a newborn photographer, there were so many choices, but skill level seemed to vary a lot, and I didn’t know how to assess their ability to work with newborns. I’m so glad I found Heather anyway, but something like this would have been so helpful!”
In today’s over-saturated market, parents are faced with an overwhelming amount of choice, but have few tools to determine who to trust with the most precious thing in the world – their newborn baby. APNPI’s certification program evaluates the quality of the photographer’s images, their business practices, and their knowledge of and dedication to newborn safety, giving parent’s peace of mind that their baby and their memories are in excellent hands. Jennifer Johnson, a new mom, explained, “When looking for a newborn photographer, there were so many choices, but skill level seemed to vary a lot, and I didn’t know how to assess their ability to work with newborns. I’m so glad I found Heather anyway, but something like this would have been so helpful!”
Newborn photography has been on the rise since the Anne Geddes calendars and books in the 90s. Today, it seems like everyone is booking a photographer to capture their babies’ first moments, and now there’s a photographer for everyone, whether you want documentary-style in your home, whimsical themes and costumes, or fine-art studio style. What has been missing is an organization to evaluate and ensure quality. Amy Kenny, a Snohomish mom, noted that a certificate like this would “make me feel assured that the photographer is well versed in working with newborns, who are so fragile and special.”
“make me feel assured that the photographer is well versed in working with newborns, who are so fragile and special.”
As part of the recognition process, Heather submitted images from dozens of recent sessions for evaluation by a panel of judges, who . Her clients agree with the judges’ assessment. “Heather was kind and patient with my newborn, and has a wonderful eye for composition not all photographers possess. She really listened to what I wanted, while also creating beautiful memories that will last a lifetime,” said Ms. Kenny.
FINDING YOUR STYLE!
Written by: Heather Clemente
It sounds like a rather massive task, finding your style! Well, in actuality, it really doesn’t have to be!
Finding your style begins with recognizing what draws you in to a photograph. There are many different elements, and so, deciphering those can be a good starting point. A few questions to ask yourself are:
Do you prefer broad or short lighting? Is it the creamy tones or heavily saturated tones that appeal to you most? Do you like to see a shallow or deep depth of field?
Another place to look is within your own personal portfolio. Here you can pick out certain re-occuring elements such as, the time of day your favourite photos have been taken. Is there a tonal range that is re-occuring in your images? Are the majority of your photos close up, or do they tend to include negative space?
See which of these elements are making the most impact on you and continue narrowing your focus there.
One of the most important steps in finding your style is to shoot everyday. Keep that list that you’ve spent plenty of time compiling in your mind when shooting. By doing so your style will simply start to emerge. You will likely be forced to use many different light sources, and will shoot at different times of day. This, in turn, will help you determine whether you like natural or artificial light, whether you prefer morning or evening light, and will also make you a master of your camera.
During this time I also encourage you to try new techniques. Fail at some, conquer others. Finding your true style doesn’t have to be a daunting task. If you stay true to yourself, and what draws you in, it is only a matter of time before it starts drawing others in too!
You may come to a completely different conclusion of what your style actually is after this journey, and that is okay. You may have started out posing your subjects and are now finding that you prefer movement in your images. Or maybe you previously loved those high key portraits and now enjoy a more moody, short lighting.
See, the beauty part is, your style can be anything you want it to be. Rather then finding inspiration from others, study your own body of work, learn what naturally guides you, be inspired by yourself. You became a photographer likely because you have a love of photography. Simply ask yourself this, what is it specifically that you love?
In the end I’m certain you will find that clear indicator of your style, and the artist within will simply shine through!
