Newborn Baby Photos, All Black Just Hands

[Panterawhiskey]

Hello everyone I am a long time reader here and slowly trying to contribute more from my limited abilities. I was wondering if anyone could provide me with a tutorial on how to take a photo where everything is black except for the persons hands holding the baby, in a cradling pose. Im not sure if I am allowed to do this and if not I apologize but there are a ton of these types of pictures around flickr. Ive searched but I guess not well enough so I want to tap into your collective minds to see if there is a tutorial out there on this. Thanks again. Thanks to Wazari for the pic. My Son | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[SusanH1970]

This thread should help; I posted a bit of a tutorial on how I do it. If you need more clarification or detail, just let me know and I'd be happy to help.

[Panterawhiskey]

thank you so much this is exactly what I was looking for!!!!

[CBabcock]

Susan,
I've been reading your posts on newborn photos and looking on this forum for tips. Some great stuff out there. I have a newborn shoot coming up and I still can't find the right material for a back drop. I know you mentioned the black vellux from JCPenney's. They don't carry it in black anymore. Are there other materials that would provide the same or similar results? How do you think buying a cream color and dyeing it black would work?

[dpalme]

You can check out JoAnn Fabrics for black felt I have used that on numerous occasions with great success.

Make sure that you get the felt that flat, they carry a brand that has a high sheen to it and that will cause too much reflection and hot spots, turning the background gray.

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by CBabcock

Susan,
I've been reading your posts on newborn photos and looking on this forum for tips. Some great stuff out there. I have a newborn shoot coming up and I still can't find the right material for a back drop. I know you mentioned the black vellux from JCPenney's. They don't carry it in black anymore. Are there other materials that would provide the same or similar results? How do you think buying a cream color and dyeing it black would work?

Whoops, sorry! Didn't see this post till now.

It's a conspiracy - I bought their entire stock of black vellux blankets so no one else could use them, muuaaahahahahahahahahaha!!! LOL! That's a bummer, that blanket works well.

Black fleece works great. As the previous poster mentioned, JoAnn Fabrics carries some great black fabrics. Fleece is awesome. If you can find black velvet at a reasonable price, that works well also. Also as the PP mentioned, avoid shiny fabrics.

I definitely would not dye anything. It's likely to come out splotchy, and I don't think the vellux fabric would take dye all that well anyway.

Good luck finding something! Should be fairly easy.

[jstbcuz]

Hello... I'm so excited I found this site this morning. I'm just starting my photography business and have soooo much to learn still.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has tried this with black muslin? Thanks!

Yesenia

[Chocoholix]

Originally Posted by jstbcuz

Hello... I'm so excited I found this site this morning. I'm just starting my photography business and have soooo much to learn still.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has tried this with black muslin? Thanks!

Yesenia

I have!! I switched to woven wool (or felt) and velour. I also work a lot with a white background. I bought a queen sized blanket, it's very soft like downy fur, washes GREAT (I wash all backdrops after each photoshoot so they don't go from newborn to newborn - remember to use baby detergent, you do NOT want a naked newborn lying on YOUR blanket coming down with a skin allergic rash!) and my blanket was only $20!!! :)

I have literally taken thousands of baby/newborn photos both for my kids and proferssionally (I mean I got paid to do it), I will be glad to help just ask!

Tina

[Sasha Grijalva]

oh this is just what i needed..I've got a newborn shoot coming up and have been breakin my head over what type of material to get! Thanks!

[jstbcuz]

Originally Posted by Chocoholix

I have!! I switched to woven wool (or felt) and velour. I also work a lot with a white background. I bought a queen sized blanket, it's very soft like downy fur, washes GREAT (I wash all backdrops after each photoshoot so they don't go from newborn to newborn - remember to use baby detergent, you do NOT want a naked newborn lying on YOUR blanket coming down with a skin allergic rash!) and my blanket was only $20!!!

I have literally taken thousands of baby/newborn photos both for my kids and proferssionally (I mean I got paid to do it), I will be glad to help just ask!

Tina

Thanks Tina. I did try this with the muslin but no matter what I didn't give me a smooth background like you see in most photos. Do you edit the wrinkles (folds from draping) after? I did but it still didn't quite give me what I wanted. I'm going to order a vellux blanket and give that a try next. Also, it seemed like in order to get the smoothness of the background... I might have to clip it to my background support and have the parent sit behind it... is this what most people do? I tried just draping over the shoulders but again it made too many folds and I didn't feel I had enough time to adjust the blanket while the parent was holding her naked baby. LOL

Yesenia