Monday, December 21, 2015

The Art of Minimalist Style Newborn Photography

"The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple" -Albert Einstein




When I first began photographing newborns in 2012, my style was very typical of what you would find from a newborn photographer. I posed the baby with complicated, intricate poses, used an array of bright colored backgrounds, incorporated props such as baskets, buckets, boxes, nests, bowls and different colored sheepskin and mole hair rugs.  Occasionally I would try a theme or dress them in cute little outfits and hats, but I found that my favorite images were always the ones that had less clutter and were more simple and minimal in nature. My images have always had a natural and organic feel to them. I tend to be drawn to earth tones and natural fibers and textures. I typically didn't go overboard with crazy props or headbands, but somehow I still felt like I was overdoing it and the constant pressure to purchase new props, wraps and backdrops just become too overwhelming. 



Examples of my work prior to minimalist style: 































I've gotten to that point in my life where I realize that the time spent doing and exploring our world is much more important to me than the things I possess. My husband and I follow a couple of different minimalist blogs: http://theminimalists.com http://www.becomingminimalist.com, http://www.everydayminimalist.com and are making an effort to create significant changes in the way we live our lives and how we teach our children to live. Our family dream is buy some land out west, live in a "small house" (I say "small" instead of "tiny" because lets face it, 2 kids, 3 dogs and 2 adults cannot really function in 160 Sq feet in my opinion). Our dream home would be a log cabin about 1,000-1,200 Sq feet, free of clutter and excess material things.  Our goal is to give our kids a place where they can grow up in nature, surrounded by the great outdoors, have the ability to travel and see the world around them, and live a life free from debt and the pressures of our go go go and work work work society.  

As I began reading these minimalist theories and applying them to my own life, it struck me that I can also apply them to my style of photography. I'm already very organic when it comes to my family photos. I rarely use props or create "styled shoots". My sessions take place in beautiful natural settings, where I use natural grasses, leaves, trees, and streams as texture and color. I always shoot at the golden hour of sunset so I can create that soft, rich, saturated color without having to use filters or a lot of photoshop actions. So the jump to minimalist style newborn photography was really not that far of a stretch for me. 

To create a minimalist style of newborn photography, I shoot on simple backdrops of creamy white and black. I use simple wraps and elegant headbands. I gravitate toward natural newborn posing and I love to utilize the negative space around the baby. The results are timeless, clean images that allow the baby's natural beauty to shine through. 


"Minimalism is not the lack of something. It is simply the perfect amount of something." -Nicholas Burroughs











Negative space is a large part of minimalist photography, especially with newborns. It emphasizes how delicate they are. The empty space around the baby can help evoke emotion and increase the dramatic impact of the image. In essence, it enhances composition by reducing the clutter, allowing the eyes a place to rest, and letting the subject (the baby) have breathing room in the image. There is nothing competing for attention and all of the focus in on the tiny, sweet newborn. 

My posing is simple and I love the more natural posed images. Each baby is different and they all tend to have poses they prefer. I try to let the baby tell me what they are comfortable with and then I pose head, hands, fingers and feet for the camera. 

The wraps I use are very simple and are meant to add texture and creativity to the image. My headbands are also very simple and elegant, not to distract from the baby's delicate features or overpower the photograph. 

I only use natural light in my studio. My studio is the room in our house where our master bedroom should be, but I use it solely as my studio. I have two large sliding glass windows and I also use a large polystyrene reflector to bounce light where I need it. The studio is a warm and inviting space for a newborn. I keep the temperature around 85 degrees during a session. I play white noise to help sooth the baby and I also use aroma therapy to help everyone in the room relax and enjoy. 

Sessions can last as long a 4 hours depending on how much time we need to break for feedings and awake babies. I tell all my moms to give the baby a nice warm bath the morning of the session and make sure the baby is well fed. Put them in a car for a bit of a ride and you have the makings of a sleepy baby and a great session. The other important thing that I tell my clients is that the baby will feed off of their mental state. If mom is stressed or uptight, the baby can sense that. The session is meant to be fun and a time for parents to sit, watch, and relax for a bit. 


"Minimalism is not subtraction for the sake of subtraction, it's subtraction for the sake of focus." -Anonymous






To find out more about my newborn sessions or other services I offer, please visit my website at http://www.cyndipalmerphotography.com 


Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Little Jonny Goes Looking for Christmas



     A little over a year ago, I got a call from this family that won my mini session in a raffle. I was able to meet them and their adorable 6 month old son Jonny for the first time last spring. We had a great session at Queeny Park. Jonny was just learning to sit by himself and we had fun playing with bubbles and watching the sun set on a nice warm spring day. 





      Our second session took place this summer on a hot day in June for Jonny's  first birthday. It was really warm out so I suggested we put him in a sudsy bath at the end to see if we could get some great expressions....wow was that a hit!




     This was my third session with Jonny, so I've gotten to see him grown and change about every 6 months. It's so important to be able to capture these milestones and I feel honored that this amazing family has chosen me to help document his life story. Its was a cold, dreary, rainy Sunday right after Thanksgiving, but we decided on shooting at a local Christmas Tree Vendor. They brought an antique sled, which was so cute in the photos. Jonny, did not sit still the entire shoot. He wandered down row after row of christmas trees, trying to take it all in. After a bit of corralling on dad's part we finally snatched a few good shots. 








     Although it may be getting colder outside, it's still a great time to have professional photos done. Consider having a lifestyle session to capture your kids playing in the leaves or snow, baking cookies, playing board games by the fire, or decorating for the holidays. These unscripted moments are sometimes the most treasured. 

     Please visit my website http://www.cyndipalmerphotography.com for more details or give me a call 636-222-8754 or email: cyndi@cyndipalmerphotogrpahy.com