"Baby talk"

Mike McCarty · 08-22-2004, 10:47 PM

A few more baby pictures taken today at my house. I used my Nikon D70 with an ISO setting of 500.

The last image here was a commentary on something, I'm not sure what.

Mike McCarty · 08-22-2004, 10:51 PM

And a few more ...

The first is after I told her there were no bathroom breaks.

Chris Saper · 08-22-2004, 11:31 PM

Wow. Wow. These are gorgeous images. Keep us posted.

Cynthia Daniel · 08-22-2004, 11:52 PM

I love that 2nd one with the leopard and green plant behind. Such delicious lighting.

Mike McCarty · 08-23-2004, 12:25 AM

Thank you ladies,

A couple more then it was time to dance. And finally I said "I'm outa picture juice," and she broke out in applause.

Michele Rushworth · 08-23-2004, 10:27 AM

Gorgeous! I look forward to seeing some paintings based on these some day.

I particularly like the effect you've achieved with the warm light on one side and the cool light on the other. Was she in between a window and a table lamp?

Mike McCarty · 08-23-2004, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Was she in between a window and a table lamp?

Some of these have that going on. I was having a hard time finding enough ambient light. I had the Mom holding a reflector as well.

With the little ones, it's the constant movement that kills you. When the light is low, as it always is for these window shots, your shutter speed drops off to dangerous levels. I am able, with my new wonderfull camera, to raise the ISO to levels that make these shots possible. This is a tremendous help, but still, when you are operating around the 30th of a second range, the slightest movement can cause a blur. So, I augmented with a little bulb light on the ambient side.

I took 84 photos in less than 30 minutes. The shots on the bed were all planned and set up before she got there and the same with the ones on the rug on top of my dinning room table. When she arrived all I had to do was plop her into the set-up and fire away. The quicker you are the fresher they stay. And with the preview, I can get a pretty good idea if what I'm doing is working.

Jean Kelly · 08-23-2004, 11:49 AM

You are the King of photographing ladies. These are wonderful. I particularly like the second one. The lighting is wonderful on her skin, and it has a lot of "heart". I love baby toes. Do you ever make cds for the model (or parents in this case) of all the rejects? I've done that for my clients. Your rejects are too good to just sit on your computer or in a file somewhere.

Jean

Mike McCarty · 08-23-2004, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Do you ever make cds for the model (or parents in this case) of all the rejects?

Jean,

I have a different attitude regarding my rejects. I place their ashes in a lead lined container, weld it shut, and drop it in a Florida sink hole. I make a big effort to only show the very best of my efforts. Your sentiments regarding whether they were "rejects" or "your best work" never travel with the work. The viewer will make the worst assumptions.

The following extreme close up was cropped from the following raw image. This is amazing to me. From a jpeg created with 500 ISO. And this is after knocking it down to 400 x 485 for forum use.

I'm pretty sure I could not have gotten this done using my best ISO 400 film.

Mike McCarty · 08-23-2004, 03:45 PM

Jean,

Maybe you were refering to the shots like the silly ones I posted above. Like the one of her dancing. I would draw a distinction between that one, which could have some value as a photograph, and this other one below which I call a reject without much value at all. At least as I compare it to other more desirable shots within the same context. These I will bury for sure.

Sorry I lept to the wrong conclusion.