photographing in hospitals seems like a daunting task. the light is, well, not the most dependable and the space is usually small. plus, you really have limited opportunity to see the hospital room you will be photographing in beforehand, so you have to prepare for any situation. with all this being said, it’s really not that hard to achieve good photos in a hospital room. you just have to think about light and how you are going to use it. when we had our daughter, i was barely out of the operating room before i had my camera on her. as i was simply gushing over her, i was equally accessing the light so i could photograph every single thing about her. imagine this, laying in a hospital bed, nursing my newborn and look around the room while planning photos in my mind. yes, true photographer here. always looking at a room with a photographer’s eye. no matter the light you are given, keep these things in mind so you can achieve good photos while you are either staying in or visiting a hospital.
are you trying to take your own newborn photos? here are 10 tips for photographing your own newborn.
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Photographing in Hospitals : Achieving Good Photos In Any Light
.jpg "Photographing in Hospitals : Achieving Good Photos In Any Light | Bethadilly Photography")
1. The Bassinet Is Your Best Friend
that hospital bassinet is literally going to be your best friend. why? it moves! you can wheel that little bassinet anywhere, which makes it great for positioning your newborn in ideal light. i wheeled that bassinet around our entire hospital room, experimenting with different light, and even wheeled it out into the hallway as well because there were huge windows in the hall. if you are a new mama, keep your recovery in mind and have someone push the bassinet for you. being a c-section mama, my nurse was fine with me walking around (she didn’t see me squatting and standing on my tippy toes to get good photos, shhhhh! my hubby was equally impressed and not impressed, but the photos are amazing.), but she didn’t want me pushing the bassinet on my own so i had my hubby help me with that.
.jpg "Photographing in Hospitals : Achieving Good Photos In Any Light | Bethadilly Photography")
2. Utilize Window Light Only
here’s the thing, natural light is simply better. if you can, i recommend using window light only instead of the harsh overhead lighting in the hospital. however, please don’t miss a moment because the light isn’t perfect. if you need to turn on the lights to get the photo, do it! an imperfect photo is still perfect because of the moment it contains. all that being said, when possible utilize window light by placing your subject(s) near windows. i love placing my subject in front of windows for backlighting, as i think it gives a beautiful and bright perspective on the moment.
3. Pack The Right Gear
photographing in hospitals is easy if you think through the gear that you bring. i used my nikon d610, which works really well in low light. i brought a 50mm lens with a low aperture capabilty, to capture details of my newborn, as well as a wide angle lens to ensure that i was able to get good photos in a small space. wide angle lenses really help when working in tight spaces and are so appropriate for photographing in hospitals because they allow you to photograph the surrounding details of the hospital room as well, all within one frame.
.jpg "Photographing in Hospitals : Achieving Good Photos In Any Light | Bethadilly Photography")
4. Raise Your ISO
your camera is fancy for a reason, let it do it’s job! when you need more light, be sure to raise your ISO to bring more light to your camera’s sensor. don’t worry yourself with grain or noise, but focus on capturing the moment. you can always apply a tad amount of noise reduction in lightroom during post processing if it worries you. to be honest, you are going to love the subject in the photo too much to let the noise ruin it.
5. Use Lower Apertures
using lower apertures like f/2.8 or lower will also bring more light into your camera. be sure to set your aperture appropriately so that you are maintaining focus, however experiment with lowering it to help bring in more light when photographing in hospitals.
6. Wait For Good Light
i am not telling you to only photograph during bright times of the day because irreplaceable moments happen during good light or not. however, hospital rooms will be naturally brighter during a certain time of day, depending on the hospital and the room location. if you notice that the room is naturally the brightest during a certain time, take that opportunity to photograph. for us, our hospital room was really bright in the mid morning to mid afternoon, and i used that time to photograph. i photographed throughout the entire day, but saved my “must have” photos for when the light was especially bright.
don’t let photographing in hospitals stress you out, it is easier that you think if you just take the time to think it through. be mindful of the gear you pack and keep an eye on the light to make sure you are using it in the best way that you can. if you remember one thing i write in this post, remember this: the moments you photograph are going to be perfect, no matter the light, the composition, the white balance or exposure. the moments you photograph are irreplaceable. focus on the moments and, when you can, photograph them in the best way that you can. and for the moments when the light just stinks, bring your camera out anyways. you will be happy you did.
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i should probably start off this post by saying, i really have no shame and i don’t embarrass easily. photographing in public is something that i was a little hesitant to do in the beginning, but quickly became comfortable with through practice. for some photographers, photographing in public is completely mortifying. they worry about what people are thinking and if they are bothering anyone. they worry about if they are in someone’s way or simply don’t like attracting the attention of others. getting comfortable photographing in public is something that just takes time. in the beginning, it’s a little scary and definitely not as comfortable as photographing at home. but if you remember these three things, you will start to become more comfortable photographing in public in no time. pretty soon, you won’t even hesitate to bring your camera out in a public setting.
it’s so important to photograph for yourself. photography is a way for you to share your passion and outlook with others through an image. are you truly photographing for yourself? here are 5 signs that you are photographing for others and not yourself.
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Photographing in Public : 3 Ways To Get Comfortable With It
.jpg "Photographing in Public : 3 Ways To Get Comfortable With It | Bethadilly Photography")
1. Think Of The Bigger Picture
no pun intended. but really, think of the bigger picture here. there is a reason why you grabbed your camera to take a picture, as something inspired you. don’t let your fear of photographing in public hinder your vision and your inspiration. if you are getting nervous, thing of the final picture and how you will regret it if you don’t take it. your nervousness will last only a moment, but you will have a picture forever.
that being said, also remember that DSLRs are really popular now and don’t really attract the attention that they used to.
2. Choose Bare Areas
if photographing in public makes you nervous because you are worried that others will watch you, start out building your comfort by choosing bare areas in the beginning. maybe you choose a grocery aisle that nobody is in, or you choose a park that isn’t busy. i promise you, once you pick up your camera to start photographing you will focus more on getting your picture than you will on who is or isn’t watching you. keep the privacy and comfort of others in mind as well. would you want people randomly photographing you? probably not. choosing areas that are bare can be respectful to others and to their experience, especially if in a store.
when you first start photographing in public, try using an iPhone instead of a DSLR. sometimes big fancy cameras are what attract attention, so if you are wanting to build your comfort first, start will a less noticeable camera and build your way up to photographing in public with your DSLR. you definitely don’t have to start small, but it may be helpful if you are really nervous about it.
3. People Aren’t Really Watching You
to be honest, people aren’t really watching you. when people see someone taking a picture of something, it attracts them to look not at you, but at what you are taking a picture of. the act of you taking a picture isn’t what makes people curious, they are curious about what you are photographing. you have peaked their curiosity and they are looking at your subject and not necessarily at you. with this in mind, people aren’t going to stand around and simply watch you take pictures. most people will temporarily glance at the situation and then go on with their life.
as you build you comfort with photographing in public, i promise it will get easier an easier. but to be honest, building comfort is only going to happen if you try and practice doing it. don’t give into the fear and leave your camera in your bag, take it out and photograph. if you get embarrassed, it’s okay! embarrassment lasts moments, i promise you will get over that feeling. when i first started photographing in public, i would take out my camera at lightening speed and snap a picture so fast because i was so nervous about attracting attention. after time, today i have no fear. i will lay on sidewalks, stand on my tippy toes and take my time taking pictures, even if someone is looking. it’s just a comfort thing, and everyone’s comfort level is different.
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in a way pet photography is one of the easiest and hardest types of photography. it is easy because pets are truly candid, each and every time. they aren’t nervous about being photographed, most aren’t anyways, and they are genuine so the photographs are always unique and authentic. but photography pets also comes with it’s challenges because, if your pets are like mine, they get really excited when attention comes to them and move so very quickly. i think one of the best things about pet photography is, like humans, every pet is so unique and different. they each have their own personality that just begs to be photographed. it will be your goal to portray their personality through the image. if you are struggling with pet photography, here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time you have a cute furry face in front of your camera.
here are 4 things to do before you take a picture. are you doing them?
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Pet Photography : 5 Tips For Photographing Furry Ones
.jpg "Pet Photography : 5 Tips For Photographing Furry Ones | Bethadilly Photography")
1. Use Training Treats
yep, i said it. bribe that cute little animal with yummy things. if i am doing pet photography for a client, i have them bring their own treats for a couple of reasons. one, they know what their dog likes. and two, i don’t want to be responsible for any allergies. for my own puppies, i like to use training treats as bribes because they are small enough to give out multiple times throughout the act of picture taking, for encouragement. while i prefer candid pet photography, with pets not necessarily looking at the camera, there are times when i really want to capture their attention. for moments like this, i place the treat near my camera lens so that, when they look at the treat, they are essentially looking right at the camera. click. bingo. winner, winner!
2. Allow Them To Get Their Energy Out
there are times when it will be easier to photograph pets, and times when it will be more difficult. for me, there is no chance on earth of me getting anything i want after i say the word, “walk?” my dogs get all kinds of crazy just seeing a leash. but after the walk? the time is right and the camera comes out. dogs are simple, they like to play and go for walks. if you are truly trying to capture a particular photo, try allowing them to get some energy out beforehand. obviously, you don’t want to exhaust them…unless a sleeping pup picture is what you are going for. but just let them run off that “oh there is a camera, i want to lick it” excitement.
.jpg "Pet Photography : 5 Tips For Photographing Furry Ones | Bethadilly Photography")
3. Be A Ninja
this is my biggest secret to getting good photos of my dogs. i am literally a ninja. if i see my dog doing something cute, i discreetly slide out of the room to grab my camera and quietly enter the room again to attempt the photo. dogs get really excited when you turn your attention toward them, so making slow and subtle movements and keeping quiet is the key here. especially if you want to get on their level. try not to make any sudden movements that will either scare them, make them stop what they are doing, or turn their attention toward anything other than what they were originally doing.
4. Use A Fast Shutter Speed
just like kids, dogs are fast! be sure you use a fast shutter speed like 1/125 or faster to capture their movement and freeze motion.
5. Be Willing To Improvise
patience is key here. if you didn’t use your ninja skills and you have distracted your pup, ruining the moment, be willing to try again. sometimes this means encouraging them to continue doing whatever they were doing, or it may mean coming up with a new photo all together. sometimes leaving the room and entering (like a ninja) again, may help push a reset button and you may find that they are placing their focus back on their original task, instead of on you. should your original plan not work out, be willing to improvise. some of my best pet photography was achieved because an original plan didn’t go as planned and i just went with it and let my dog direct my photography.
pet photography can really be fun, especially because the subjects are so darn cute. in ways, pets are like small children in that, if you want to get the photo, you better get it before their patience is out. let them direct your vision, be patient, and be sure to utilize treats in the moments when you want to capture their eyes looking at the camera. and don’t forget to capture their unique personality as those are the photos that are truly authentic.
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creating depth in my images is one of my favorite ways to create interest. i find that depth intrigues the viewer and pulls them into the image, as their eye explores what is in focus and what it intentionally out of focus. as i picked up my camera for week 4 of the bethadilly 52, i found myself wanting to create depth for a whole new reason. i am always stumbling upon learning moments with my photography and today i found that depth is a great way to minimize clutter or distracting elements. not that these toys aren’t absolutely beautiful. i mean, lets be real, every toy i buy has to be photographable as well as educational. however, sometimes no matter how pretty the toy, toys can be distracting to the viewer. by using depth in this image, i allowed the viewer to still understand what was going on in the image, but kept the focus on my baby girl. while bright color isn’t something i normally have in my photographs, i like the subtle pops of color that is in the image, yet softened through the blur.
to join in on the bethadilly 52, where we take one photo a week using the hashtag #thebethadilly52 on instagram, check out the prompt list.
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The Bethadilly 52 Week 4 – Depth
.jpg "The Bethadilly 52 Week 4 - Depth | Bethadilly Photography")
this photo was achieved using : nikon d750, sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens.
my settings were : ISO 125 | f/1.4| 1/50ss
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to learn more about creating depth, be sure to read 4 easy ways to create depth in photos.
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i am all about working smarter, not harder. and batch editing is a wonderful way to edit smarter, if possible. batch editing can be done when you have taken a series of images in the same light and with the same white balance. for example, i took a series of photos of my daughter and i in her nursery, moments apart from one another. because the light and white balance are the same in all the images, i am able to batch edit these images. batch editing means you can edit one of the images in the series and then, essentially, copy + paste those edits onto the remaining images. it’s a life saver when it comes to editing and, while i don’t do it all the time, i do when the situation allows. here is a step-by-step guide to teach you more about batch editing.
need some help learning more about lightroom? check out how i learn to edit in lightroom + photoshop.
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Batch Editing : A Step-By-Step Guide
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Step 1. Edit The First Image From Start To Finish
this does not have to be the very first image in the series. you can choose any image to edit first in lightroom, whether that be the first image or the last image. i tend to edit my favorite image first from start to finish, not necessarily the first image.
Step 2. With the Edited Image Selected, Click “Copy”
once your image is completely edited, you will save all those edits by clicking “copy” in the develop module of lightroom.
Step 3. Modify the “Copy Settings” Pop Up
when the “copy settings” screen pops up, be sure to click on all of the edits you want to copy. i usually leave the “local adjustments”, “spot removal” and “crop” boxes unchecked, as i find those edits don’t streamline well onto every image. for example, if you used an adjustment brush on the top right corner of your original image, you don’t necessarily want that same brush used on all the images, especially if your composition changes through your series of images.
Step 4. Select All Images To Batch Edit
use the “shift” key to select all the images you want to batch edit, including the image you originally edited.
Step 5. Click “Sync”
a “synchronize setting” box will reappear, allowing you to again choose what edits to copy. verify the appropriate boxes are checked (same as you did in step 3) and then click “synchronize” to complete the batch edit.
Step 6. Check All The Images
once the batch edit has been applied to your selected images, scroll through the images to ensure that you like the results. even though the images seem to be taken in the same light, sometimes light can change in a nanosecond, making the exposure different in each image. sometimes you may need to adjust edits, as needed.
and there you go, you just edited a series of images in seconds! again, batch editing isn’t always appropriate or successful if your images aren’t in the same or similar location with comparable light. but for the times when batch editing works, it is a great tool to remember when editing to help save you some time in post.
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5 Hacks For Taking Your Own Hospital Newborn Photos - bethadilly - […] are you worried about the limited hospital light? be sure to read photographing in hospitals : achieving good photos in any light. […]