Home birth photography

[MelissaG67]

Hello. I am new to the forums but have been lurking around for some time now.
I am working on kicking off my photography business to help me earn some extra money for a documentary project I am working on. The project will put me into situations with low light (often too low to hand hold a camera). I am doing birthing photo's with an emphasis on home births. These are low light situations where adding light, flash and even bouncing the light could be cause for disturbing the woman in labor. I want to hand hold my camera so I can get many fixed angles. I've used my Nikon D90 with 50mm 1.4 lens but still struggle to get some good quality photo's. I have some great ones but would like a little less grain and less blur.

I am not one that wants to upgrade a camera every time something new comes into the market but this documentary project is very important to me and to the organization I am volunteering for. I am seeking out people who may have had similar situations and recommendations, if any.

I look forward to hearing your responses.
Best, Melissa

[lputman]

I pesonally don't know the quality of shots with high ISO on a D90 but you'd have to raise your ISO up enough to allow you to have a shutter speed so you can hand hold your camera. Have you considered a monopod? If the quality of the photos with high ISO in combination with your 50 f/1.4 produces too much noise then you might need to run the photos through noise reduction software in post.

[MelissaG67]

HI Lori,
Because of all that is going on I typically find setting my camera to "auto ISO" a little more convenient. The room can be close to candle lit (dimmed incandescent lighting) so the ISO's can get high. Once the birth starts to happen the lights get boosted a little which helps but part of my documentary is the labor and the support or lack of support provided to the birthing mother. Typically for low light I'd use a tripod but cannot in this situation and there is a lot of movement happening. Sometimes blur adds to the effect sometimes I cannot have it.

[MelissaG67]

I should also point out the following:
1. I have a Nikon D90, 50mm f1.4, Tamron 17-55mm, and Lensbaby Composer (fine for DX camera great for FX).
2. I am looking for something to give me maximum creative control for my documentary project. The births I am photographing can take me to; hospitals, homes, birthing centers, incarceration facilities (hopefully including immigration detention facilities).
3. My D90 is a wonderful camera and am very happy with it. I am also in a situation that allows me to upgrade. My current lenses do not dictate my staying in a DX or moving to a FX so I have flexibility and need to decide what is the better direction to go based on my business I am growing and my first love the documentary.

I am seeking out feedback from experienced users on this forum to only help me research the answer to my question. I don't have anyone locally I can speak to about this so am hoping to find help here.
Thank you for your time and consideration in viewing my post.

[lputman]

That's why I suggested a monopod as opposed to a tripod. You could have a head on it that allows the camera to easily switch between vertical and horizontal for your compositions coupled with a quick release plate and you can pop the camera off the monopod in an instant. Knowing that you will need to shoot higher ISOs, I don't know that you will get a lens much faster than your 50 1.4 to use. It really boils down to if you are satisfied with your high ISO photographs from your D90, if not, then you might need to upgrade to D300 or such.

[MelissaG67]

I will take a look into a monopod. I didn't realize the heads could pop off so easily. Hopefully I can rent one. A few births I attended were on the floor or close to it so if I have something easily adjustable then that might do the trick. Yes, I knew I couldn't get much faster than my 50mm. I actually need the capabilities of my 17-55mm because of the wide angle shots I need to get with the doula's in the picture out it is not fast enough. If it doesn't work I will probably need to look into a different body that can give me the ISO's I need and keep my D90 as my back up.

[earthmamaphotography]

I would not even try with a monopod. I have never had a hospital of any type allow tripods or monopods, and honestly, you move around way too much at a birth to make it worth it. JMHO.

Have you considered bouncing a flash? I shoot births for a living and I use a flash at 90% of them. I shoot Canon though, so no help in that area.

If you are interested in a workshop, there is one coming up in June...

The Birth Retreat

[earthmamaphotography]

Just realized that you are referring to homebirth. I would also consider the 30mm 1.8 if you want a wider angle and the ability to shoot wide open. It is a lovely lens. I use the 85mm, 50mm, and 30mm and change them out at births. They work wonderfully.