We made the pin-able graphic for fun. But if you prefer read text on screen…. the below area is for you…
7 Tips for Your Next Outdoor Photography Newborn Session
1. TIMING
The best time of day to shoot a newborn session is one hour prior to sunset during the “golden hour.”
2. EXPOSURE/METERING
For proper exposure, shoot in manual mode. Set your ISO and aperture. Then get very close to the baby’s forehead and use center weight metering. Adjust your shutter speed while watching your in camera meter, and do not let it go below 1/125. If it does, increase your ISO.After setting your exposure, go to your shooting position.
3. HELPING HANDS
Be sure to have plenty of back up so that someone is always an arms reach away, spotting the baby.
4. WEATHER
Make sure you do not take a baby out unless it is at least 80F but no warmer then 90F. If you do decide to shoot in the middle of the day be sure to find shade or to make your own shade to protect the baby’s skin.
5. NOISE
Bring a portable white noise device (there are some great iphone apps for this) so that there is plenty of background noise.
6. COMFORT/SAFETY/FUN
Make sure that the baby has a full belly and is posed safely and comfortably before you begin. And have fun!
7. EDITING NEWBORN IMAGES
Whether your images just need a little boost or require more extensive retouching, MCP Newborn Necessities actions for Photoshop and Elements, make editing easier.
Need more help photographing newborns? Check out our Online Newborn Photography Workshop.
As a photographer, my personal style is bright and colorful so I love when spring rolls around and color starts to emerge! We’re starting to see the grass and trees turn green in Idaho and I use a few tools to really enhance that color.
My workflow is pretty simple and I keep it consistent so when clients view my site, they immediately see my style and whether or not we’re a fit.
Here’s a quick overview of my workflow with my outdoor sessions:
1. I shoot in RAW, so I make any necessary adjustments. I’m an obsessive gray carder, so I didn’t need to make any initial adjustments in my color balance.
2. With a curves layer, I do a very slight s-curve, raising my midtones and deepening my shadows.
3. I then use the Magic See Saw action from MCP’s Bag of Tricks to do a check on my color. My color values told me that I needed to lower my cyan a touch, so I made those adjustments.
4. Next, I use the Color Finder action from the same set of photoshop actions, MCP’s Bag of Tricks, to really enhance all the color in those trees! In this photo, the sun was behind my client and I was really able to bring out the yellows and oranges caused by the sun. I loved the effect of it because it really tied in the mustard yellow color in the little boy’s pants. I did just a tiny bit of color enhancement on the grass. Saturating the color too much made it look fake to me and I prefer a more natural look. I reduced my opacity to about 40-50%.
5. Finally, I use the free Photoshop action, MCP’s High Definition Sharpening, to sharpen the picture, erasing back the hair so it is not over-sharpened.
These simple steps really made this classic family portrait pop and enhanced the spring colors beginning to show!
Melissa Gephardt is a military wife and mom of 3 who specializes in children’s portraiture. Currently residing in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, she looks forward to their next adventure in life as they move to another military base this summer! Her work can be found at www.melissagphotography.com or on Facebook at Melissa Gephardt Photography .
The Contest is now OVER.
The lucky winner of this incredible $1,299 Tamron lens is: #2367 – Mira Crisp.
Congratulations. Make sure to check out the Tamron 24-70mm lens. This fall for another great lens contest – this time for a telephoto lens. You never know when your number will be the lucky one. The chances are a lot better than the Powerball 
You have the chance to win a brand new Tamron 24-70mm lens {$1,299 estimated street price}
I love this lens for its flexibility, sharpness, and vibration compensation. I used it in Australia, Alaska and in Michigan on images of people, landscapes, and product shots. And I’ve used it while standing still, as well as on a moving boat, in a float plane and even in a helicopter. Tamron is showcasing the work of a number of photographers using this lens, including mine in a gallery of images here.
So are you ready to try to win a Tamron Lens?
Start by doing one or more of the first three entries. Once you do that, you can do as many bonus entries as you want of the remaining four. Remember to qualify, we do need to know that you did one of the first three though.
Shortcut links for Entries 4-7:
Details….details…
The Prizes:
Tamron 24-70mm VC Lens (for full frame and crop sensors too). The winner picks their choice of a Canon, Nikon or Sony mount (Sony cameras have image stability so there is not vibration compensation built into that mount).
Contest Rules:
The contest ends Sunday, May 19th at 8pm eastern time and winner will be picked via random drawing, and announced on the top of this post on the MCP Blog. You can enter between 1-7 times based on how many entry items you participate in. Odds are winning are 1-7/# of entries. Valid only where permitted by law.
Tamron USA Inc, the sponsor of this contest, is responsible for sales and marketing in the USA, therefore, they cannot ship outside of the USA. BUT if you reside outside the United States, the lens will ship to MCP Actions, and we will ship it to you. In this case, you will be responsible for the international shipping costs as well as any duties, taxes, or tariffs.
