CREATIVE LIVE 2012

NEW BORN BABY

PHOTOGRAPHY
/ BY SANDY PUC
Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

There is something magical about capturing that perfect moment. With infants and babies, its that much more rewarding, because there are so many additional challenges to work through during those sessions. Diapers need to be changed, babies need to be fed and kept comfortable, drool needs to be wiped, and so on. I remember when I began holding newborn and baby sessions. From that moment to this one, there have been many discoveries. What was once a frustrating challenge is now one of my very favorite types of sessions.

The best part of all is seeing how meaningful the work is to new parents. The very short time that a baby is small is truly priceless. My clients treasure these portraits, and it means so much to me to be able to give those fleeting moments a sort of permanencenot only in their hearts, but in their homes too.
I am excited to share my know-ledge with you. From lighting and posing to marketing tips and product recommendations, Im hoping to give you some insights into this niche that will help inform, motivate and inspire you. Whether you are just starting out or you have worked in this industry for years, I promise that if you take this information to heart, you will come to see newborn and baby photography as one of the most enjoyable and rewarding ways to use your time and talents.

Sincerely,

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

Photo by Brandon Cox

table of contents

SECRETS OF A MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER .7 MATERNITYONE YEAR OLD 10-11 TRICKS AND TOYS DURING A SESSION .13 BECOMING A BABY EXPERT .14 THE POWER DEMOGRAPHIC 16-17 MATERNITY TIPS .19 7 KEYS TO SUCCESS .20 CREATING ADORABLE SELLABLE PRODUCTS 22-25 SOCIAL MEDIA FACTS 26-27
Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

Secrets of a Master
Share the epiphany, conquer the market.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Every photographer knows that celebrating

Helpful tips:
These helpful tips for handling a mother/ father/baby session are best addressed before the session starts. Posture is everything. Keep your thumbs near your fingers. If she goes . . . just let her go on the floor! Chicken neck elongate your neck. Dont pucker when you kiss.

milestones in a childs life with professional portraits is a great way to add to the bottom line. Not only does it create a memorable photo essay of the childs development, it allows the photographer to develop a lifelong relationship with the family and gives the photographer the opportunity to expand their line of additional products. Each stage in a childs development is suitable for specific poses. The Bellies & Babies program will show you some of the best and easiest poses for this stage of life.

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

TINY TREASURES

Often a client will contact us early in her pregnancy to set up a maternity session. When a pregnant mother first enters the studio, I will review her clothing suggestions and make some recommendations. I usually start with the traditional shots. These are the fully clothed images of Mom that can be shared with friends and family. After that, the session can become more intimate depending on Moms comfort zone. We use everything from a tube top or tank top to fabric wraps. If she is interested, we may provide a complete nude study. These images are very personal and are some of my favorite work to create. You will find that when you work with a pregnant mother, you are likely to become the family photographer for life.

There is nothing more precious than a tiny newborn lying on her parent's warm skin. These types of images not only touch on the core of being a parent, they also capture those fleeting moments of a newborns first few weeks. As long as they are comfortable, I prefer to have my clients photograph skin-on-skin portraits for this session because it provides the most emotional impact. I have tube tops for Mom to borrow, and I assure her that her fears and concerns about her post-partum body are understood. I also provide black mock turtlenecks and explain that they command the focus of attention to the baby and the skin tones, thus making the entire image about the relationship they share with their new little one. The Bellies & Babies seminar explains the proper angles and ways to create images that showcase the relationship between the parent and child without highlighting leftover baby weight.

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Three Months

The Beginning

At three months, the child has usually been smiling for several weeks. He recognizes Moms voice and responds to her cooing. I always try to include the parents for some relationship portraits, especially if they missed the Madonna session. Also, doing little vignettes of the babys hands, feet, tummy and a tight close up of the face ensure an add-on sale that Mom cannot live without. We always showcase these images as a complete framed set.

The Moment

Six Months
Working with six to seven-month-old infants really gets fun. We educate our clients that the portrait session is best if their child is sitting up. Once a child is sitting, the posing options expand. Now you can use age-appropriate props that reflect a childs interest. You can bring personality into your images by posing little boys with a sailboat or blocks (classic looking) and little girls with flower wreaths and beads. Also, the classic nude shot is a must. A baby sitting bare on a blanket, or photographed from above, creates a fantastic image.

The Freedom

One Year

The perfect time to photograph a year-old child is as soon as he can stand, but before he can walk. The ideal session would be with the toddler walking forward with one foot off the ground. Good luck scheduling that! If the child is not walking, it is a good idea to have several props for him to lean against. I prefer a vintage look to a modern one. Antique strollers, tricycles and chairs have a more traditional look than a plain block. The one-year portriat session is also a good time to try outdoor photography. A little girl having a tea party or a little boy fishing make excellent portraits and will generally command a much higher sale than a session in the studio. One year of age is also the perfect time to do a series session. The simple birthday cake series (destruction of a birthday cake) will add another product to raise your sale profits.
Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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Capture Every Moment Naturally

The Spiderlite TD5 is a true daylight-balanced continuous light source that offers the natural look of window light. Perfect for both photo and video, it provides over 900 equivalent watts of power at 5500 Kelvin. Daylight uorescents stay cool to the touch Consistent color temperature Includes tilter bracket Visit FJWestcott.com for complete lighting kits, accessories and more.
Spiderlite TD5 #4820

From the day I was introduced to Westcotts Spiderlite TD5, I was blown away by its ability to give my images that extra pop that I was looking for. They allow me to control the shadow and highlight detail while keeping that soft natural light feel that I love so much. They are easy to use, portable and a great price, too. Sandy Puc

Photo Sandy Puc

F.J. Westcott Co. All rights reserved.

CWS

certify.sandypuctours.com
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15 Different Toys, Tricks and Games to Help Your Next Session

The Feather Tickler This little device can actually be used with kids of many ages. From a soft tickle on a six-month olds toes, to full-on tickle torture, it ensures the appropriate smiles. Keep in mind, however, that younger children (six months to four years) can be afraid of it, so take it slow.

Silver pom poms These are attractive to babies and toddlers because of the swishing sound they make and the shine they give off, which helps capture their attention for long periods of time. I usually shake one close to the baby, then slowly move back to keep the babys full attention. Rattles and bells Another great attention grabber, using these items along with a soft voice will bring the babys eyes directly to the source of the voice. Bubbles As a last resort, bubbles have saved me many times. Because they are messy, I try to avoid using thembut when you have an upset child, nothing provides a quicker change of attitude. Funny Phrases Theres always a few phrases that I reserve until I absolutely have to use them to help evoke those great smiles. A couple of my favorites are: Okay, everyone. Look right here and say Mommy is a monkey! and Daddy wears diapers! Give me Five When a child gives me ve, they slap my hand and I bounce back to the camera saying, Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Once they realize that you were playing, they will try harder to get you to cry. Hiding Snacks If youre looking for a subtle expression, consider hiding a snack within an object. If you insert a treat in an open book or inside a ower or prop, your subject is sure to stop and look for it. This will create a thoughtful and serious look as the child focuses on the task at hand. Soft Noises Being a baby photographer often requires making a few cooing noises. Mothers are great at these, so if you need any ideas, dont be afraid to ask your client to jump in. Each parent seems to have their own special noises that their baby responds to. Sneezing Faking a sneeze and following it up with a soft bless you will elicit delightful smiles. Music I recommend keeping a variety of music on hand to soothe crying children, excite toddlers, or even help preteens smile. Baby Phrases Some of my favorite baby phrases include, How big is (childs name)? So big!, Peek-a boo! and Hands up! You can also ask the parents if they have a favorite song or phrase they sing when feeding or changing the baby. Word Games Animal or counting games are a great way to get the excitement going. Asking a child what a particular animal says can get them smiling instantly, as will playing a number-guessing game with Mom.

Whether its a newborn who wont stop crying, a toddler who cant sit still or a stubborn sixyear old, childrens portraiture always presents its own unique set of challenges and obstacles. Simply getting the young ones to the studio can be a challenge in itself for Mom or Dad, therefore its to your benet to go out of your way to make the session a positive and entertaining experience. To help pave the way, keeping a stash of these items and using some of these tactics can really make a difference in your next session involving children and babies of all ages.

The Treat Box There truly is a ne art to bribery. However, its important to never offer a treat until you absolutely need to. Rubber Chicken This goofy toy has saved my neck a thousand times. Its ugly face and loud squawk can settle many wild children. It can also be used to startle a busy toddler. Balls and Toys Have the child throw the ball to youor get him or her to throw it at your feet to make you dance. Remember, the childs eyes will follow the ball, so when you catch the it, be sure to hold it right above the camera.

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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BECOMING A BABY EXPERT

Helpful tips
Working with multiplesBaby sticks out her tongue-

Sleeping baby-

Have Mom rub her finger on the top of the baby's tongue. The taste will cause the baby to pull in her tongue.
Crying baby-

When a baby is falling to sleep, hold your finger horizontally and slowly slide it down the bridge of the baby's nose. This motion will brush your finger over the eyelashes and cause the eyes to get heavy. In between this motion you can get a sleeping baby shot.
Warmth-

The only real difference between working with an individual child and multiples is having more patience and allowing a bit more time. I also recommend that you try an interactive pose such as having older children read a book with toddlers.Then suggest that for the smiling face shots, you photograph each child individually to create a really great wall collage. This will ensure a wonderful image for each child to have when they are all grown up.
Be prepared!

A pacifier is a handy little tool, but if the baby is really upset, ask Mom to feed him for 5-10 minutes, and most often you will feel like you have a brand new baby.

When working with a newborn, turn your heat up as high as you dare. The warmer the room, the more comfortable the baby will be.

Whenever you work with a newborn that will be undressed, be sure to have a supply of paper towels, baby wipes and hand sanitizer. Remember, you need to help facilitate the clean up. Not only will you save time, but also your clients will know that you really care.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
FREE Videos
Peridically Sandy hosts live feeds from her studio in Littleton, Colorado to bring you the latest education absolutely free. Access the recordings from these live feeds by clicking on the images below. And be sure to sign up to be notified of the next Live Feed

RADIOPOPPERS

MOMPRENEUR
Photo by Erin Jeppson

URBAN KIDS

with BrianaGraham

POSING COUPLES
with Jerry Ghionis

POSING COUPLES
with Jerry Ghionis

VIDEO FUSION

with Shadetree Films

MOTION & STILLS

with Jared Abrams

STUDIO FUN

Sandy Puc, Jack Davis, Mike Long and Jared Abrams

STUDIO FUN

Sandy Puc, Jack Davis, Mike Long and Jared Abrams

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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The Power Demographic

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Trender, Spenders and Recommenders

Its fair to assume that you didnt invest your time and money into the Creative Edge Kids seminar simply to find out that the industry continues to change. You know as well as anyone that the economy is still struggling, and that the services of a professional photographer arent considered a need right now. Unfortunately, portraits are seen by many as just another do-it-yourself project that can be done in order to save a few more dollars. However, despite those ominous trends, there is still one demographic that appears immune to these tough times, at least in terms of spending habits. Stereotypical or not, women between the ages of 30-45 represent the single largest spending demographic in the world right now. Despite the fact that members of this group dont always earn the highest incomes, theyre fueled by a constant need to keep up with the Joneses. As youve probably already gathered, regardless of your niche, this demographic should be at the center of your target market. Not only do these women freely spend in order to have the latest and greatest, but theyre also more than willing to recommend/brag to their friends about where and what to buy. Perhaps best of all, when taking a closer look, youll notice that these clients have several traits in common. They live in the same neighborhoods, drive the same type of cars, shop and dine at the same places, enjoy the same hobbies and watch the same TV shows. Keep those characteristics in mind when designing your marketing and selling your products to this powerful demographic. However, the problem is, photographers have traditionally relied solely on word of mouth referrals to bring business in the door. But like Bob Dylan once said, The times, they are a-changing. Its not that word of mouth referrals no longer work. Its just that theyve evolved dramatically with the advent of social media. As youve probably already noticed, rather than waiting for a chance encounter at the super market, post office or community event, people now share their lives as they happen by constantly updating their Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. Such content is immediately saturated and can often become viral. It goes without saying that your business should have its own Facebook page and Twitter account. However, your social media marketing efforts go far beyond simply creating those pages. You must have a specific plan of action in order to maximize their effectiveness. You must turn likes into loves and followers into fanatics. Everything from your profile image to your Twitter background must be consistent in developing your brand. So how exactly should you use social media to build your business? Take a few minutes to learn from these experts:
10 Dos and Donts for Brands on Twitter from Mashable. com [hyperlink: http://mashable.com/2010/04/27/ twitterbrand-dos-and-donts/] 4 Tips to Maximize Your Twitter Marketing from the Social Media Examiner [http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-tipsto-maximize-your-twitter-marketing/] 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report from Social Media Examiner [http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/socialmedia-marketing-industry-report-2011/] How to Claim Your Business On Facebook Places from American Express Open Forum [http://www.openforum.com/ articles/how-to-claim-your-business-on-facebook-places]

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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creative LIVE

A LIVE, WORLDWIDE CREATIVE CLASSROOM

The Bellies and Babies course was an amazing experience! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share some knowledge about this fantastic industry. It was fun meeting everyone and the energy was fantastic. To all those who participated, you and your passion are why we do this. Thank you! ~Sandy

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Maternity Tips
Consultation: It is really important to provide a design consultation before your session. This meeting is your opportunity to get to know your clients better and to prepare them for their coming experience. Unique angles: Many times you will need to move around the client to find the perfect angle. Having your subject on the ground and shooting from a ladder provides great results as well. Pop the front knee: Have Mom pop up her front knee to create a natural S curve with her body. This pose also helps slim her down. Pull the front hand back: Place the hand at the hip instead of under the belly to create a separation between the arm and the body. This will also help mom to look slimmer. Use a two-light source: Light the tummy from behind and light the face in the front. This technique creates a separation between Mom's tummy and the background.

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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$74.00

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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Sandy Puc Studio

K l o i o t T y c n Emerge

TOOLS
Tiny Screw Drivers Pocket Knife 2 Large Clamps 2 Small Clamps Duct Tape Allen Wrenches Pliers Scissors String or Twine Cable Release Grey Card Bungie Cord Flashlight

CLOTHING/ ACCESSORIES
Sewing Kit Black/White Shoe Polish Lens Cleaning Solution Eyeglass Repair Kit Shower Cap

CHILDREN

EMERGENCY KIT ITEMS

COSMETIC
Bobby Pins Hair Spray Hair Elastics Combs Brushes Safety Pins Mirror Skin Lotion Sunscreen Lip Balm Lint Brush Calamine Lotion Nail Clippers Nail File Hand Sanitizer Nail Polish Remover Cotton Swabs Small Tissue

Bubbles Squeaky Toy Child friendly treats/ snacks

MISCELLANEOUS
Insect Repellent Water Spray Bottle Fishing Line Velcro AA Batteries Super Glue First Aid Kit Asprin/Pain Reliever Black Sharpies Baby Wipes Rubber Bands Water Bottle Plastic Zipper Bags Gloves Canned Air Glue Gun Pet Treats

Bellies and Babies Creative LIVE links page

Dear friends,
I so enjoyed my time with you on Creative Live. I have noticed that many of you are asking for specific information on the marketing products I mentioned during the show. I thought I would create a comprehensive list with links to make your search even easier.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK and GOOGLE+:

We have many contests and this is the first place we share anything we are up to. Facebook fans Google Plus

TOOLS AND MARKETING PRODUCTS

Studio Management Building a successful business The Really Big Book of Studio Management is full of my philosophy, every form we use in my studio, my employee manual, and the 50 tips video where I go throughout my studio to show you shortcuts. Pricing The credit system revealed The Really Big book of Studio Pricing is my entire philosophy on pricing. It covers the mistakes I made, provides customizable Excel spreadsheets and the entire credit system is explained. In addition, a bonus CD with tons of price list templates is included so that you can create your own price list quickly too. sandypucuniversity.com This is MY baby! I built the University to give me a chance to work daily with my students. If I listed all of the tools that you get every month for the price you pay, you would NOT believe me. My opinion is you should sign up for a month and try it out. We provide your marketing calendar, REAL usable campaigns, social media outlines and content, videos, webinars, 50% discounts at Ukandu.com and so much more. I would love for you to join my SPU family.

IN STUDIO WORKSHOP (Sold out for 2012)

Our 2012 workshops are sold out and although we havent announced the 2013 dates, we do have a wait list already. If you are interested in being put on the wait list for the 2013 in-studio workshops please email us at info@sandypuc.com.

Tours

And finally, I do hope that if you live near a city that we will visit you join us for one of our upcoming tours. This is my chance to meet you personally and thank you myself. Please check out: CREATIVE EDGE KIDS CANADA: This show is full of tips and tricks to get babies, toddlers and more to give you the expressions and sessions that you desire. WORKFLOW: Finally, we will teach you all of our secrets from capture to delivery. Our goal is to cut your workflow in half, and myself along with special guest Jack Davis will help you get there. FUNDAMENTALS: This show is all hands on with some of the best names in the industry. From studio strobes, continuous, natural light and more. You get to touch, ask and play. This class is limited in size so every show will sell out. I cant wait to shoot WITH you! 26

TOUR VIDEOS

If you enjoyed the Creative Live show, here are hundreds of hours of more education. These shows are 4-5 hours on specific topics that have been taught all over the world. Just like Creative Live, I give 100% of my heart and I even have special guests that will blow your mind. Bellies and babies Tots to Teens Families Weddings Video fusion Pinup tour Creative Edge Kids

MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
Maternity New Beginnings Campaign In Full Bloom Maternity Baby Full Baby Program Baby Mini Branding Kits Bugaboo Button Junebug Lulu Milk Pipsqueak Sugar Plum Sweet Beet Charity Santa Charity Campaign Network Marketing Full Mommy Marketing Program (Teaching Moms) SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Campaigns Facebook Reminder Card & Calendar Facebook Eblast Baby plan reminder e-mails COMMUNITY EXPOSURE Display Kit Everything I know about getting displays into the community including my hospital secrets! Model Search Campaign Newsletters Studio Summer Newsletter Newsletter Template Winter Newsletter Referral Program Referral Program 1 Referral Program 2

ART PRODUCTS Things you can sell! 9 up Collage Baby Steps Pink Baby Steps Blue Quarantine Collection (From Sandys trip to China) Albums Neutral Girl Peaches and Cream Baby Wave book Birth Announcements Collection Brown Daisy Green Dots Retro Mint Lilac Tan Cream and Blue Purple Placemats Childrens Pastel Dry Erase Place Mats Childrens Bright Dry Erase Place Mats Play Date cards View All Bright Green Plaid Cupcake Ice Cream Pink Stripes

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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Continued... POSING GUDES Posing ideas with over 100 images each book- iPad, smartphone friendly Maternity Traditional Maternity Intimate Madonna Parent & Child Droolers Newborn to 5 months Crawlers 6 to 11 months Walkers 12 to 18 months

Free Education Certify with Sandy NILMDTS Ustream ICPC

YOU WANT IT ALL??

THE BIG KAHUNA WAY OVER 50% off! This is the best collection of products covering the vital pieces for your baby program growth!

I just couldnt help it - I had to give you something else! Below is a $10 gift code to Ukandu to treat yourself to something fun. ~Sandy

$10
Can not be used in combination with any other discount codes or on props, backgrounds, memberships or webinars AVC547 3/9/2012 28

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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CREATING ADORABLE
:

SELLABLE PRODUCTS

When I started working for Sandy Puc nearly four years ago, I had little to no knowledge of working with children in terms of photography or video production. I think the closest thing I could call experience was snapping a few images of my niece with my iPhone. During my first few weeks working for Sandyshooting the tutorial videos for the Tots2Teens tour in 2009it was clear I was alongside an expert who could teach me a lot. Over the years I have learned tons of great techniques to get children to smile for the cameraand not just that cheesy, gnarly lockjaw smile, but that unique, tell-a-story-in-one-frame smile. I learned that simple interactions with children and babies could result in amazing, genuine emotions.
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COX

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

After a while, we started implementing video into sales presentations. Due to positive responses, we knew there was value in the moving expression. Seeing a child beam and laugh uncontrollably just warmed my spirit. And I dont even have kids!

I began noticing that the same exact techniques that Sandy used to encourage these lovable behaviors worked just as well for simple video applications. Not only did it give a new element to our presentation that other studios werent offering, but it also added a new avenue of story telling. The subjects were now telling their own story instead of the photographer. The slightest details all of a sudden become an awe moment. The blink of the eyes and a simple turn of the head touched the clients deep in their hearts. After creating many slideshow presentations that included little vignettes of video, we began experimenting with other ideas and concepts. This was quite the learning

Then we started the interview process. One by one, we put them in the hot seat and asked the same questions.

experience. Our first attempt was interviewing a little boy. We were sexcited to do this.We just knew it was going to be so incredibly cute. Not only were the parents going to love it, but they were also going to share it with everyone they knew. So, we had a 3-year-old boy come into the studio, lit him perfectly for video, and attached a lavaliere mic to his little jacket. Then we started drilling him with questions.

Naturally he clammed up and became very nervous. We should have anticipated this reaction. Even adults get nervous when there is a camera in their face and lights in their eyes. Somehow this little boy knew that we were formally interviewing him for something. To him, it probably felt like he was being interrogated. We asked away, and all we could get was single-worded answers. Safe to say, that makes for quite an uninteresting experience for the viewer.

After that shoot, we went back to the drawing board, feeling defeated. We concluded that maybe he was just a little shy. If we got a client who we knew was talkative and confident, we were sure to get our amazing interview. We asked a 2 -year-old girl to be our next guinea pig. Once again, we set up the studio for a perfectly lit video. However, the girl 32

was wearing a dress, so we had nowhere to clip the lavaliere microphones battery pack to. Sandy found a quick solution, saying that we could just clip it to the back of the little ones diaper. Turns out the little girl didnt like cold pieces of metal in her diaper. She exploded into a fit of rage. We quickly aborted that idea. (See video one) Sandy and mom began calming the child down as I watched from a safe distance. For some reason, though, this girl was still not having anything to do with this mic. We tried everything. We ended up having to distract her while Sandy clipped the mic on her shoulder

strap of her dress. We couldnt clip the belt pack to her because she would know and flip out, so we hid it on the back of the chair. Once again we should have anticipated the repercussions of this decision. What is the first thing a 2 year old does when you tell her to sit still? The child goes running, the mic pack gets caught in the back of the chair, and the whole thing hits the ground. Youd think that would be enough for us to learn. But instead, the mic hit the ground about four more times before we called it. We asked the same questions as the boy. And we were right! She wasnt shy and she was very confident in her answers. However, they were still singleword answers. Defeated and deflated again, we analyzed the session to see why we couldnt get it right. After careful consideration of the previous experiences, we determined that age was definitely a factor. Although 2 and 3 year olds are super cute and automatically funny, formally interviewing them is too challenging. The other big factor hindering us was the audio. We quickly learned that small children shouldnt be expected to handle foreign objects like wireless microphones. A boom mic is more reasonable, as it can be set at a height that is out of the way and not required to be attached to the child for crying out loud.
Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

Play Video

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Literally! Lastly we decided that the interview setting was too formal. These are kids we are talking about. We needed to make the environment more suitable for them to feel comfortable. My mom always told me that the third times a charm. I was totally banking on that when we decided to try this concept one last time before completely bagging it forever. This time, though, Sandy called a family of seven into the studio: five children, who were all 5 years old, and a mother and father. Dad tells Sandy that he would like to use this as a Mothers Day gift for mom. So now the heat is on. We need to get it this time. Its not just a Frankenstein experiment anymore. Dad already wants it, and its not even done. Luckily we had total creative control. Sandys first idea was to get the kids to loosen up with some good ole jumping on the bed. She has the kids jump on a comfy couch one by one.

The kids loved this. I dont think they were allowed to do this at home, so extra points for us already. Then Sandy printed out some signs that read I LOVE YOU MOMMY! We gave the signs to kids out of order, and then filmed them as they tried to sort out the message, simultaneously capturing stills the entire time. The idea worked brilliantly. Next Sandy asked the children to sing a song. Together they all sang the song that their mother puts them to bed with. Then we started the interview process. One by one, we put them in the hot seat and asked the same questions. We used a boom mic this time so we didnt have to worry about broken equipment or switching the mic out every time we changed subjects. This made it very easy to get them in and out. For the most part, we got the answers we were looking for.

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It worked wonderfully. All along the way we captured tons of great video of the kids playing, singing and being silly. To finish the project, we asked the father to sit and say a few words to his wife. We set the camera up, pressed record, and left the room. We told him to take as much time as he needed, and to just speak through the camera to his wife. We knew that leaving him alone would put him in a very comfortable place. We didnt want him holding anything back. It worked wonderfully. We captured his raw emotion. Anyone can feel how much he loves his wife just by watching the clip. Success. We got our amazing interview. (See video two) The bottom line: applying video to your sessions may not be easy. You may fail. It may take you a few stabs at it before you really get it. Who cares? The beautiful thing is that its so new there are no rules! You can try anything you want. You make the rules. As photographers, you already know how to create laughter and capture moments that people cherish. You have the gift of getting people to forget about the camera and reveal their unique self to the world. You already know how to create a beautiful image. You know how to expose and compose. The hardest part is done!

I feel that photographers are backwards learning this whole video thing. You have the advantage here. Its the videographers of the world who should be worrying about their jobs, not photographers. Its their industry that is changing now, changing because photographers are now offering more services, using better cameras, and creating better imagery. Be bold. Get out there and experiment. Who knows? You may create the next big thing that every client wants.
Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc

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By: Sandy Puc

Sandys Favorite
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