In this post I wanted to share a couple of portraits from a recent newborn session.

A couple of weeks ago my cousin gave birth to a precious baby girl.  Five days later she texted me  and asked if I had any time to stop by  that afternoon and take a few pictures for her.  We all know that babies are sleepy during their first two weeks of life and this is the best time to capture those sweet sleeping images so I couldn’t resist!  

Tip #1 – Turn Up The HEAT!

I told her to crank the heat up and I would be there in an hour.

Here’s a list of what I took with me for this session.

1. Small white vinyl backdrop (5′x7′) 
2. Large soft blanket
3. Heating pad
4. Few cute props
5. ….and of course my camera

No Excuses…Use What You Have!

I want you to know that all I had was the items I listed above. I didn’t have a big fancy studio or my professional lights. I used natural light and bounced my flash when I need to. So, because I didn’t bring a backdrop stand, I just draped the backdrop up on her bed.  The lighting was pretty good and the bed was high enough that she didn’t have to bend over much.  Anyone who has given birth and has had a c-section will tell you that bending over can be dangerous and not to mention extremely painful!  I like to make sure the Mom is comfortable and doesn’t have to do much bending during the sitting!

Before draping the backdrop over her headboard, we took a large piece of plywood and put it underneath, so when I set the props down they would have a hard surface to keep them stable.  Always remember that safety is your first priority with newborns!

I usually let Mom choose which props she would like to use first.  Since my cousin is a bird lover, she decided to use my  grapevine basket that looks like a little bird’s nest.  I scrunched up a neutral colored blanket that was warmed up in the dryer and put it inside the nest.  

Next…we placed Baby Gianna in her warm nest where she  looked so cozy and peaceful. She was even smiling at times.  I think she must have been dreaming of mamma bird bringing her lunch

Ok…so next we decided to try the distressed green wooden bucket I just purchased.  Once again we warmed the blanket and place her inside. Her cheek was a little scrunched up at first so I took a small washcloth, folded it a couple of times and placed it under the blanket to lift her head.  Mom was standing right next to baby and I told her never to look at me and only focus on Gianna.   

I’m posting 2 more shots below to show you that you are never  limited to what you have. You can use creative cropping to zoom in and get an entire different look and you can also use a Digital Background to give you even more options.

This was so much fun and  I plan on getting together with her again this week! 

I’ll keep you posted and share some more photos from her next session:)

This is an example of how you can create a close-up to give your clients more options. From my experience, the close-ups always sell.

This shot below was done on the white vinyl and wasn’t edited, but I wanted to take this on white so I could create the next shot.

Ok…here is the edited version using a Digital Background. It’s actually from 2 different Digital Creation’s inside the DC Club. I might see if Scott can make this available as a Free download

Now…get out there and take some newborn portraits. It’s so much fun and people will tell everyone about the job you did for them. New parents are always so excited and telling everyone they know. Why shouldn’t it be  you?

As always…leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts!

Hey Everyone, It’s Lisa,

I wanted to share some portrait ideas for Mother’s Day. Believe it or not, Mother’s day is right around the corner and choosing the perfect gift can be extremely difficult.  I always tell people to plan ahead and you should be planning this at least a few weeks before. If you can plan a couple of months ahead….that’s even better. I know where talking about Mother’s Day here, but this applies to any Holiday or special occasion.

Let’s be clear about something here.

Your job as a photographer and a marketer, is to help your clients find that special gift by offering them a unique portrait session and with Mother’s day near as I wrote this…we’ll use this as our example.  Always remind them that this is guaranteed to be the most favorite gift she’ll receive and it will  last longer than a bouquet of flowers!

They can choose from a generation portrait, a family portrait,  a Mommy and me session or simply just photograph the children by themselves. A beautiful portrait that captures a moment in time is a gift from the heart and  will be  treasured forever.  But…you already know that.

Here’s  a couple of unique portrait ideas for inspiration!

Take a photograph of the Mother and child’s shoes or capture a close-up of them holding hands.  Find a meaningful quote and personalize the portrait using Photoshop or create a unique personalized collage.

Photograph a little girl playing dress-up in her mother’s or her grandmother’s clothing or wedding gown.  The client can help you create  this family heirloom portrait by bringing along their mother or  grandmother’s wedding gown.  If they don’t have a gown, they can bring a  favorite dress or outfit and shoes. You can also ask them to bring any  vintage hats,  old family photographs  or other special mementos to personalize their portrait.

Children will  have a ball playing dress-up!   Using their mother’s or grandmother’s clothing, photos and mementos makes it extra special.  I recommend using a vintage trunk that the child can sit on or they may even want to climb inside.  In this portrait, our daughter is wearing her great-grandmother’s nightgown and is admiring  her old black and white wedding photos.  As you can imagine, her great- grandmother was absolutely thrilled when she received this on Mother’s Day.  This unique gift idea is sure to be a hit and will be cherished for generations to come.

So…I hope this gets you thinking of the possibilities that can be created by using some simple props and classic portraiture. Don’t over complicate things when creating these special portraits. Just keep in mind that the Mother/Grandmothers will be thrilled to have a keepsake from their child or children.

Here’s a few portrait ideas so you can see exactly what I am suggesting you create.

This portrait above was just simply a Mother and Child’s shoes with a nice poem. Simple, but yet very nice.

This portrait was created using the child’s Great Grandmother’s wedding photos on the floor and leaning up against the chest. She’s also looking at one of the pictures to add some connection to the portrait.

This shot was created using one of our Digital Backgrounds and props from our Digital Creation’s Club called “Attic Treasures”. This gives the feel of the past and just an overall happiness with the children smiling. How can you not smile and love that portrait. I know most Mothers would love this as a keepsake.

So…there you have it. There some real examples so you can get a better idea of what you can offer your clients. Like I said, this could be  easily used for any Holiday or Special occasion.

All you have to do now is let people know about your promo and snap the picture

In this video I’ll show you how I create more than one portrait from the same shot. It’s super simple to do and it only takes a few minutes to complete.

Watch the video below to see me in action perform these simple tricks.

Here’s the link to check out the Digital Creation’s CLUB!

I wanted to share a very simple way to create more than one look from the same image. I recently created these two shots for our Digital Creation’s club. and wanted to share these on the blog.

Here’s the original portrait (Golden Mountain View) in a horizontal shot.

Then I decided to create a close up of the two girls that would give the portrait  a completely different look. I wanted to go with a vertical layout and still keep some of the foreground elements in the final crop.

Here’s the simple steps I used to crop this image and keep the detail and quality to enlarge into an 8×10 and all the way up to a 20×24 inch portrait.

Step #1: Make sure you set you size and resolution before you crop the image.

Step# 2: Select your area by clicking and dragging with the crop tool

Step# 3: Use the “Thirds Grid” to give your crop the best site lines.

Here’s a few tips for cropping:

1. Never cut off hands or fingers
2. Never crop just below the knee
3. Cutting into the top of the head can be a nice touch

Few more examples….

Full Horizontal Original

Cropped Vertical Version

Extreme Close-Up From Same Portrait Session – Different Pose

I hope you can see that by cropping your images in a vertical or another site line…that you can create an entirely different look to offer your clients. It’s a simple technique that many photographers don’t use enough.

I hope this has inspired you and got your creative juices flowing

Club Members Login HERE!

I noticed this on our Digital Creation’s Private Facebook Group and I needed to share it with all our blog and NPB subscribers. It was submitted by Lori Register Burlew of Forget Me Not Photography and she was asked …Is This A Digital Background?

The answer is YES!

This set is from our Digital Creation’s Club and it is called “Comfy Basket Set”

You Can SWIPE This Idea!

Yes…you could recreate this very easily with a hard wood floor, baseboard molding, solid backdrop or wall, wicker style basket and colorful blanket. But…most people don’t want to spend the money on all these components and would rather we create it for them.

So…just keep in mind that if done properly, Digital Backgrounds and Props can be a HUGE asset to your business and help offer more options.

I also would like to say that not all Digital Backgrounds and Props are created equal and there is some bad stuff out there. I’m not bashing anyone here…just stating the facts.

It’s the old saying…Good Quality In…Good Quality OUT!

I hope this post has helped inspire you and also given you some ideas that you can use in your Photography.

Here’s the original post from our Digital Creation’s Facebook Group.

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Here’s another simple idea for the Holidays that can be done using real physical presents and backdrops or using Digital Backgrounds & Props.

These examples are from our Digital Creation Club’s new set called “Holiday Happenings“.

It’s gonna be a BIG HIT :-)

Here’s the breakdown of this shot and what makes it so GREAT!

1. Use Simple Presents (Stay away from busy wrapping paper and patterns)

2. Have child or the children dress accordingly. If they come in a bad outfit…your shot will pay for it. Usually simple clothes are the best and adding a hat gives it a nice touch too. You may even want to start collecting hats to offer at your sessions.

3. The background or backdrop also needs to go with the theme and should not be distracting.

That’s basically it for this shot. You can create this set very easily and your clients will love it.

TIP: Try to surround your subject with the presents like in this image. The kids will have fun and the portrait will show.

No Presents – Older Subject

Here we used the same background and just skipped the presents. Once again…look at the clothing and see how it’s simple and goes very well with this background.

The other thing you should also notice is that posing also helps create your professional portraits.

Feel Free to swipe these ideas and study the clothing and posing to help make your images even BETTER!

Sometimes it’s the small things that make a BIG difference.

I decided to create a list of some past blog posts that I created for Holiday Portraits. I wanted to put them all in one place to make it easier to locate…so you can spend less time searching and have more time Taking Pictures!

Enjoy!

Tip #1

Here is a Digital Background Portrait Idea For The Holidays.

This can be done with or without using a Digital Background or Digital Prop when creating this portrait. The Holidays are the busiest time for most Photography Studios and….Read More Here!

Tip #2

The Holiday’s are one of the busiest times for portrait photographers and their businesses. That’s why you need to take advantage for these busy times and be creative in your sessions.

I wanted to share 5 new portraits we just created for…Read More Here!

Tip #3

I received an email the other day asking about Holiday Portrait Ideas for families and small groups. So…I wanted to share some portrait ideas and posing tips to help you create Amazing Shots this Holiday Season.

Here’s a portrait we just created…..Read More Here!

Tip #4

In this post I wanted to show you how one of our  Digital Creations Club Members created (3) Studio Portraits with just (1) shot. This is why Digital Backgrounds and Props are so Amazing and so….Read More Here!

Tip #5

Here’s a few shots that Becky VanPeeren posted from our Digital Creation’s Club. She did a great job creating these portraits and took the time to plan before the actual shot. This made the final image look flawless and….Read More Here!

[VIDEO] Creating Holiday Portraits That SELL – How To Lesson

Tip #6

This video lesson was never posted on the blog…but I sent it out to our NPB Subscribers and students. I wanted to include it here inside this tips guide to help with your Digital Cut Outs and see me actually take you through every step in creating these portraits.

Click Here to Watch!

I received an email the other day asking about Holiday Portrait Ideas for families and small groups. So…I wanted to share some portrait ideas and posing tips to help you create Amazing Shots this Holiday Season.

Here’s a portrait we just created for our Digital Creation’s Club and it’s called “Home For The Holidays”. Remember what I said before? You should always name your sets and themes that you advertise.  Go ahead and swipe our new name “Home For The Holidays”

Pic #1 – Home For The Holidays Theme (Family Pose)

Posing Tip: Try to always group subjects tight together avoiding gaps. Use the children as bookends to complete the pose.

Pic #2 – “Home For The Holidays Theme (Children Posing)

Posing Tip: Have the children look at a present or a book. This will help create a more natural pose and the parents will love it!

Pic #3 – Presents By The Tree Theme (Children Posing)

Posing Tip: Have your subjects touch hands and lightly touch heads. This will create a sense of closeness and bring the image together.

Sometimes it’s the simple things that make a great portrait. It can be a certain pose or a new portrait idea that inspired you to create a unique shot.

Feel Free to study these images and swipe these ideas to use in your own photography sessions.

The Holiday’s are one of the busiest times for portrait photographers and their businesses. That’s why you need to take advantage for these busy times and be creative in your sessions.

I wanted to share 5 new portraits we just created for our NPB Digital Creation’s Club. You are free to use these as inspiration and put your own spin on them for your upcoming sessions.

Portraits #1 – Peaceful Holiday Night

Pro TIP: Always try to name your portraits or themes. This makes it unique to you and your style.

Portrait #2 – The Train StationPro TIP: Using Trains as a theme or a prop are usually a big hit with clients.

Portrait #3 – Elegant Evening

Pro TIP: Old Victorian furniture adds a classy look and can be used for the Holidays or anytime of the year.

Portrait #4 – Christmas Eve

Pro TIP: Capturing cute poses or expressions will help sell your portraits. Try this one!

Portrait #5 – Hat and Mittens

Pro TIP: Use fun props to be creative, but don’t over do it. Simple is sometimes better.

So…there’s 5 unique portrait ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Study these images and see how you can add a unique flare to your Holiday portraits.

It doesn’t matter if you use our Digital Backgrounds or not…you should have some fresh ideas for you to…BE Unique!

Now…if you want to take a short cut and add portraits like these almost instantly and you’re not currently a Digital Creation’s club member…you can get started HERE!

Good Luck and I look forward to seeing your unique portraits this holiday season.

Happy Shooting

I want to share these 3 new portrait ideas that were created for our Digital Creation’s Club. I wanted to give you some ideas that you could use in your photography.

It doesn’t matter if you use our Digital Backgrounds or not…you can create similar portraits like the ones I’m about to share with you.

All it takes is sometimes is a few creative ideas and inspiration to get your creative juices flowing

Portrait #1 was an idea for people that “Love” Motorcycles and that Freedom Type Feel. Remember…I’m sure you’ll have a client that’s into motorcycles and would love an image like the one we created here.

You could always offer to shoot their motorcycle if they have one and use it as your prop.

We named this one “Born To Ride”

The 2nd one we created for The DC Club we named “Flower Pot Surprise”

This can be created using a large Flower Pot that has some type of unique look to it. Usually you can find these at Home Improvement stores or even Garage Sales. Then…choose a backdrop or background that will compliment the Flower Pot with blending…non distracting colors.

The 3rd portrait we created we named “Stylish Stacked Bowls”.

This is all about simplicity with some bold colors. All you need is some large wooden bowls and a white backdrop to create this shot. These don’t have to be bold colors, but with a white background…it looks really good.

The bowls can be found at stores like Target, Walmart or any other Home Department store. These can be expensive…but well worth the investment.

Side Note: I added the light blue background in Photoshop using the vignette technique and erasing the bottom portion.

So..there you have it!

3 New Portrait Ideas that you can use in your photography. I hope you use these or something similar and offer to your clients.

Remember…as photographers in this competitive market we need to be unique. Creating portraits that people will talk about and can only receive from you.

If you would like to find out more about our Digital Creation’s Club…CLICK HERE!

Have Fun and Happy Shooting

Scott

P.S.

If you like these new portraits…Click The “LIKE” button and spread the LOVE