# Indoor photography without proper equipment..



## asheeants (Oct 24, 2010)

Here soon I will be doing some newborn shots for a friend of mine.  I do most of my photography outdoors so I can use what I have "the sun, and my reflector." It's a bit too cold for a newborn to be outdoors so I'm a little concerned about what I'm going to do. The only equipment I have is my camera, lenses, and my reflector.  I desperately want an off camera flash but just don't have the extra cash for it right now.  Anyone have any tips that could be helpful for shooting indoors? Settings for my camera, angles and poses close to a window maybe, what time of day to shoot so I'm getting the light I need coming through the window, anything that could aid in getting some good indoor photos for my friend of her new baby?  Anything would be appreciated. Thanks guys!


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

Seriously, how can 50 people read this and no one have any advice?


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## bentcountershaft (Oct 25, 2010)

Don't worry about flash, babies hate flash anyway.  Pick up (or you may already own) a cheap clamp on work light like this and either use your reflector off of it or have someone hold some thin material a safe distance away from it between the light and the subject.


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## o hey tyler (Oct 25, 2010)

bentcountershaft said:


> Don't worry about flash, babies hate flash anyway.  Pick up (or you may already own) a cheap clamp on work light like this and either use your reflector off of it or have someone hold some thin material a safe distance away from it between the light and the subject.



Uh, I'm not entirely sure babies hate flash, maybe if there's flash being shot directly at their face, but for bouncing the flash they probably wouldn't notice it. I actually would tend to think that hot lights are more likely to harm the babies eyesight anyway, and would want to be avoided. But who knows.


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## o hey tyler (Oct 25, 2010)

Also, if you don't have the money for a flash, invest in a cheap prime lens. Nikon makes an affordable 35mm f/1.8 (which will be good for indoors as far as focal length goes) if I remember correctly. Or a 50mm f/1.8 which would be a tighter angle, but that may not matter if you have a lot of room to work with.


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## Robin Usagani (Oct 25, 2010)

if the baby is super young and asleep (hardly moves), dont be afraid to use a tripod and a long shutter with no flash or additional lighting.


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## Robin Usagani (Oct 25, 2010)

Also, if you have translucent reflector, you can use your on camera flash and put the translucent reflector just above the tip of the lens.  It will diffuse the flash nicely.


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## Rosshole (Oct 25, 2010)

Find a spot near a window and during a time of day when you can take advantage of natural lighting.


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## mwcfarms (Oct 25, 2010)

I just did my first ever newborn shoot on Saturday. Now I do have flash but I also used available sunlight through my front windows and a big 32 inch silver/white reflector. You can always go buy a $3 sheet of white foam board too to try and help bounce it. 

I will say that even though the flash annoyed the baby. He got wrinkled little man face when I got in really close and the preflash from my pop up was setting off the bigger ones he did really well. Its not easy shooting a little person lol. He was almost 2 weeks old. If you can shoot them younger, they sleep more and move less lol. 

Good luck, have fun, and can't wait to see pics.


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> if the baby is super young and asleep (hardly moves), dont be afraid to use a tripod and a long shutter with no flash or additional lighting.



I never even thought of that I'll try that, and see how it goes. Thanks


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> Also, if you have translucent reflector, you can use your on camera flash and put the translucent reflector just above the tip of the lens.  It will diffuse the flash nicely.



I don't have a translucent reflector, is there anything I can get at a normal department store and get the same effect.  Wax paper maybe?


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

mwcfarms said:


> I just did my first ever newborn shoot on Saturday. Now I do have flash but I also used available sunlight through my front windows and a big 32 inch silver/white reflector. You can always go buy a $3 sheet of white foam board too to try and help bounce it.
> 
> I will say that even though the flash annoyed the baby. He got wrinkled little man face when I got in really close and the preflash from my pop up was setting off the bigger ones he did really well. Its not easy shooting a little person lol. He was almost 2 weeks old. If you can shoot them younger, they sleep more and move less lol.
> 
> Good luck, have fun, and can't wait to see pics.



If you don't mind me asking can you give me an example of one of your set ups?  Could you explain where the baby was in conjunction with the window, & reflector?  I don't have much experience in working with lighting in doors, so I'm a little apprehensive.  Thanks


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## Blake.Oney (Oct 25, 2010)

Definitely use a tripod. I used to think that a tripod couldn't help me much when shutter speeds got really low (1/8, 1/4) but I was so wrong. People can be a lot more still than you think, and newborns don't really move around a lot. They will inevitably move and screw up some shots, so when you can set your tripod up and set your shot up. When it's setup just shoot away. I check them and zoom in on the lcd for sharpness every few photo's, but that's up to you. I know it's not ideal to set up, shoot and pray, but when you don't have the proper equipment or ideal conditions, you have to resort to it sometimes.


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

Blake.Oney said:


> Definitely use a tripod. I used to think that a tripod couldn't help me much when shutter speeds got really low (1/8, 1/4) but I was so wrong. People can be a lot more still than you think, and newborns don't really move around a lot. They will inevitably move and screw up some shots, so when you can set your tripod up and set your shot up. When it's setup just shoot away. I check them and zoom in on the lcd for sharpness every few photo's, but that's up to you. I know it's not ideal to set up, shoot and pray, but when you don't have the proper equipment or ideal conditions, you have to resort to it sometimes.



Thanks I will def do that!


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## mwcfarms (Oct 25, 2010)

Blake.Oney said:


> Definitely use a tripod. I used to think that a tripod couldn't help me much when shutter speeds got really low (1/8, 1/4) but I was so wrong. People can be a lot more still than you think, and *newborns don't really move around a lot.* They will inevitably move and screw up some shots, so when you can set your tripod up and set your shot up. When it's setup just shoot away. I check them and zoom in on the lcd for sharpness every few photo's, but that's up to you. I know it's not ideal to set up, shoot and pray, but when you don't have the proper equipment or ideal conditions, you have to resort to it sometimes.




Thats not true at all. Having had um three babies and just doing a shoot with a 2 week old I can say that when they are days old they hardly move when bundled but at 2 weeks they root around for the boob/bottle a lot. Especially with no clothes or minimal covering while awake. Very jerky. 

I will try and post a picture of my set up for you later tonight. And yes you can use wax paper as a diffuser, or parchment paper. It might not be very professional looking but hey who cares if it gets the trick done.


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## KmH (Oct 25, 2010)

asheeants said:


> ... Anyone have any tips that could be helpful for shooting indoors? Settings for my camera, angles and poses close to a window maybe, what time of day to shoot so I'm getting the light I need coming through the window, anything that could aid in getting some good indoor photos for my friend of her new baby? Anything would be appreciated. Thanks guys!


The biggest worry is mixed lighting and setting a custom white balance.

Do you routinely make photos as RAW data files, or as JPEGs?

What direction the window faces and how big it is are considerations for what time of day to shoot. North facing windows offer the most latitude as the light is more constant throughout the day.

In effect, the window light becomes your main light and your reflector becomes your source for fill or secondary lighting.

Newborns spend most of their time sleeping and are very maleable (poseable) when they are asleep. As mentioned the newborn will be quite still when asleep and longer exposures can be used.


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## Blake.Oney (Oct 25, 2010)

mwcfarms said:


> Blake.Oney said:
> 
> 
> > Definitely use a tripod. I used to think that a tripod couldn't help me much when shutter speeds got really low (1/8, 1/4) but I was so wrong. People can be a lot more still than you think, and *newborns don't really move around a lot.* They will inevitably move and screw up some shots, so when you can set your tripod up and set your shot up. When it's setup just shoot away. I check them and zoom in on the lcd for sharpness every few photo's, but that's up to you. I know it's not ideal to set up, shoot and pray, but when you don't have the proper equipment or ideal conditions, you have to resort to it sometimes.
> ...




I meant within a couple days of coming home from the hospital. Two week old babies do move a lot more. I've have 3 kids also, it's a tough job isn't it? The point is, setting up the tripod and just shooting a lot will give some good results. You're going  to have a lot of shots ruined, but with the bad lighting and no flash it will work. Also, do what mwcfarms said and use windows. It's really nice lighting and it works really well. The point here is to take all the information you are given and try it out. You can get some good shots with window lighting, and then go to another pose with the tripod etc etc.


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## sobolik (Oct 25, 2010)

Ordinary bounce flash to fill the room.


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

KmH said:


> asheeants said:
> 
> 
> > ... Anyone have any tips that could be helpful for shooting indoors? Settings for my camera, angles and poses close to a window maybe, what time of day to shoot so I'm getting the light I need coming through the window, anything that could aid in getting some good indoor photos for my friend of her new baby? Anything would be appreciated. Thanks guys!
> ...



I shoot everything in RAW and later make JPEGS after editing. I'm not sure which way her windows are facing, but will adjust accordingly. Thanks


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

mwcfarms said:


> Blake.Oney said:
> 
> 
> > Definitely use a tripod. I used to think that a tripod couldn't help me much when shutter speeds got really low (1/8, 1/4) but I was so wrong. People can be a lot more still than you think, and *newborns don't really move around a lot.* They will inevitably move and screw up some shots, so when you can set your tripod up and set your shot up. When it's setup just shoot away. I check them and zoom in on the lcd for sharpness every few photo's, but that's up to you. I know it's not ideal to set up, shoot and pray, but when you don't have the proper equipment or ideal conditions, you have to resort to it sometimes.
> ...


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## asheeants (Oct 25, 2010)

Blake.Oney said:


> mwcfarms said:
> 
> 
> > Blake.Oney said:
> ...


   I will def work with a window and see how that turns out, and use my tripod.  I'm nervous but got some good advice to work with so I'm sure I'll get a few good ones.  Thanks


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