Have you ever wanted to sneak a peek at a photographer’s original images? Well today you can! I am going to show you 3 original images, straight out of the camera, to compare with my final images side-by-side. My hope is that this will give future clients confidence that I will accurately capture their sweet newborn that is curled up so artfully and peacefully on my beanbag or in a scene set-up 🙂

What changes do I make most often in post-processing? For newborns shot in studio lighting, the most common culprits may not be what you think. The top four most common corrections have to do with Baby’s skin: jaundice, baby acne, stork bites, and diaper rash! Sometimes I wish I could perform Photoshop corrections in real life; especially when it comes to diaper rash! Also, although I try my best to perfect the shot in-camera, I often tweak the exposure and white balance in post-processing.

The top two images were taken with my studio lighting set-up on the posing beanbag, and the bottom image was taken in my (messy!) bedroom, which has two small windows in the corner. I really like the look of studio light for newborns posed on the beanbag because I think the shadows really bring out the folds in their skin and the wrinkles in their little hands and feet! Alternatively, soft shadows in a natural light setting are more flattering for adults who might not want their wrinkles accentuated haha!

In a future post I’d really like to compare the same shot in a studio lighting setting and in a natural light setting. This is tricky with tiny, sleepy clients because I would need to relocate them in the middle of a session! I have some older babies lined up, though, so I might give it a go with one of those sweet cherubs.