look at or respond to. This is also the reason Stacy does
not like to turn on music.
- Toys are Concealed.All toys and playthings,
whether they belong to the parents or the studio, should
be out of sight during the photo session until the photog-
rapher gets them. In advance, Stacy will ask the parents if
they have brought any of baby’s favorite items and if they
wish to have them photographed. Most parents bring a
favorite toy that always makes the baby smile, but they
do not want it photographed. Also, most parents will
bring the baby’s “lovie,” such as a teddy bear or blanket.
Baby’s favorite toys or “blankies” are great to have
around, but they aren’t Stacy’s first choice, because they
represent something too familiar for the child. Favorite
“lovies” should be out of the child’s view until chosen by
Stacy when the timing is right.
Tips by Age Group.
Newborns.Newborns have not yet become very alert at
any time during the day. They sleep and barely eat for the
first few days, sometimes weeks, after birth. Stacy’s unof-
ficial definition of a newborn is up to eight pounds or
three weeks—whichever comes first.
Ideally, a session is scheduled to begin about the same
time that a scheduled feeding begins. Stacy recommends
that mom put her sleeping baby in the car and feed the
baby at the studio just prior to the session beginning.
Stacy cautions, “Before handling a newborn or any
young child, wash your hands carefully in front of the
parents. Have your assistant do the same. Pay special at-
tention to your fingernails. Not only is this the right thing
to do with a new baby, it is an important step in getting
a parent to trust you.”
Naked Babies.When a baby comes into the studio for
a “naked baby” session, Stacy or her assistant takes off
the baby’s diaper and socks immediately. These items of
clothing produce red indentations on the baby’s skin and
are not fun to retouch. Stacy also suggests that mothers
bring their babies to the studio in full-length pajamas or
something else that minimizes marks on the skin—these
can take up to twenty minutes to go away.
During the session, cloth diapers—which the studio
uses by the dozens—are placed under the baby to avoid
changing the set too often during a session and to keep
the parents, photographer, and assistants dry. With nude
sessions, Stacy also turns on two heating units, one on
each side of the set. Her assistant constantly checks the
temperature around the child’s head and body.
Babies are fully swaddled to start these sessions. New-
borns have just come from extremely tight quarters. As a
result, the startle reflex—when the baby’s arms flail out
from their bodies—is strongest in the first few weeks of
life. This creates a feeling of free falling for the baby, so
keeping their hands pinned and tucked under their bod-
ies or within a blanket makes them much more comfort-
able. Once the baby is asleep, Stacy slowly unwraps the
blanket. During the shoot, Stacy’s assistant stands a few
inches outside of the set with a blanket ready to re-cover
the baby.
Many babies that Stacy photographs straight down are
actually sunk down into blankets that keep them in a
curled-up position. The way she sets this up, you can’t
tell that the baby has been placed lower than the sur-76 CHILDREN’S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY HANDBOOK
Stacy has devised a number of techniques designed to effectively
stimulate this age group (six- to eleven-month-olds). This little
guy’s expression is priceless.