Suggestions needed: How to photograph twin babies

kd2

I've reviewed info on how to shoot infants, but haven't come across anything on how to photograph twin babies. They're about two months old. Suggestions for how to pose and place them with their parents? Or one parent at a time? The mom particularly wants a photo of the dad holding them. I can picture him cradling both of them in his arms, but what else?
And other ideas for posing/placing them? Or any other tips at all?

ChatKat

kd2 wrote:

I've reviewed info on how to shoot infants, but haven't come across anything on how to photograph twin babies. They're about two months old. Suggestions for how to pose and place them with their parents? Or one parent at a time? The mom particularly wants a photo of the dad holding them. I can picture him cradling both of them in his arms, but what else?
And other ideas for posing/placing them? Or any other tips at all?

Two month old twins are hard. You could put them on two boppy pillows, Or you could pose them on the floor so they're safe and shoot them laying on your belly or shoot down with them on their back. A couch is helpful they can be propped up for "sitting" but they will likely flop over. Parents are the best props at that age.

My favorite image of twins is me with my newborn granddaughters when they were born and the cycle was feed, burp, change and sleep - next! It was constant. Anyway, I had one in my arms and one across my lap. They're 12 and now they're 5'8" so now it's that pre-teen rolling of the eyes at everything you say except "How much money do you need?"

Travis

Be patient and plan a long session. At 2 months, the babies will not sleep as long and as soundly as they do at 2 - 4 weeks. One will invariably be crying while the other is smiling or sleeping.

The most important aspect to photographing infants at this age is their safety. Be sure that if you are using any elevated surface or they are being propped up, that at no time will they be outside of arms reach of a responsible adult that is prepared to catch them. Emphasis on responsible because all it takes is someone not paying attention and you end up with an injured baby and potential lawsuit (even if its just a friend's children). It is shocking how quickly they can move when you least expect it.

Babies react different to strobes. Some it doesn't bother and some will immediately start screaming. If you can find good, soft natural light, it will be your friend. An assistant with a reflector will be valuable. It is also easier for the assistant to move the reflector than to wait for the baby to position correctly for the strobe setup.

This age is also good for capturing the babies while beeing held. Ziser had a good tip on having the parents dress in black turtle necks. They make a perfect background when the baby is cradled in their arms.

Shoot a ton of photos. Use a higher ISO so that you can increase your shutter speed to capture any sudden expression or movement clearly and try to use an aperature that provides enough depth of field to allow for backward/forward movement.

Get on their level. If you position them on the floor, then plan of spending a good deal of time sliding around on your stomach. It helps to have someone straddle you with a noisemaker to attempt to get their attention; however, at that age, it will be hit or miss.

Make sure that the room/posing surface is warm to keep them comfortable but not too hot that it causes them to redden. Keep drool wipes at hand and paper towels for accidents if shooting naked or diapers for changes. On the subject of diapers...go with cloth. They look a lot better in photos and don't leave red marks on the waste and thighs.

As for backdrops... you can use the floor, a chair, mom/dad, muslin, or even create your own mini-sets (fun and creative).

Most of all have fun - not just for you but to also keep the parents from stressing. As soon as kids start crying or not cooperating, parents will begin to feel pressured to make their kids "perform". Your job is make sure that they relax and go with the flow so if you look like you are having fun, the parents will remain calm and let the shoot progress as it should.

kd2

Thanks for the responses! Since they're so young, I imagine they're going to be difficult to position on their own. Hmmm, maybe some double sticky tape on their backs would keep them upright? Just kidding!!!!

I'm thinking of doing some "double-image" type shots with them laying side-by-side or head-to-head. Or maybe try to stand some books in between them and make them look like little sleeping bookends? It'll all depend on how active they are, so I guess I'm going to have to just go with the flow on this one.

Travis--thanks for all the great tips. I'll talk to the parents about having some cloth diapers and black clothing--those sound like good ideas. I'll be shooting at the family's home, so the environment will be familiar and comfortable to the babies. I've talked with the mom about the time for the session and we've set it for when the babies are usually at their best. I know the parents since I did her/their maternity portraits, so I'm really looking forward to having a good session with the babies. We're doing it this coming Thursday, so I definitely am trying to get all the info I can to make this a good one. I appreciate your input!

dnie

I know with my nephews, they posed themselves a lot of times. At 2 months they are still very connected to each other usually. They will light up at the sight of each other.
Try doing a search on not only twins but on Mothers of Multiples (MOM). I would bet you can get some great ideas that way... and learn a few things that don't work also.

WingsOfLovePhoto

I do lots of babies so at 2 months I would probably do the following..... I use baskets alot. Like a laundry basket big enough for both. Pad it with a soft throw, blanket or fuzzy rug. If the babies are sleeping you can snuggle them next to each other head to head or head to toe or on their sides for different angles. if they are more awake 2 month olds can usually "sit" next to each other maybe surrounded by their favorite toys etc. You can put them head to head and shoot from above on a ladder. With parents near by you can "stack" them, especially if they are sleeping... here is an example of that.... (not twins but a week apart cousins). you can also put them on their bellies facing each other if they can get their heads up and look at each other. If you have a poser or "boppy" you can prop them on their stomachs up on the boppy facing the camera. It will be a challenge but lots of fun!

kd2

CUTE photo! I would never have thought to stack them!! And I love the laundry basket idea. Heavens, I have tons of baskets of all sizes, so I'll be sure to bring some.

Again, I truly appreciate everyone's responses!

happysmileylady

You can lay them on their backs side by side or head to head, shooting from above. Also, you can use a bean bag to hold them up as a little seat. it will work better than a boppy because it supports them better from behind.

Shane422

This photog has a lot of great newborn twin pics on her flickr site worth checking out.

ChatKat

Shane422 wrote:

This photog has a lot of great newborn twin pics on her flickr site worth checking out.

Those images are of babies only a few weeks old - if that.

WingsOfLovePhoto

Shane422 wrote:

This photog has a lot of great newborn twin pics on her flickr site worth checking out.

Those images are of babies only a few weeks old - if that.

Oh yea, those babies are newborns.... most likely 1-2weeks...totally different ballgame than a 2 month olds! But she does have some nice ideas for when you can catch them younger!

kd2

Thanks everyone for all the great tips! I had their session this past weekend and I felt fairly prepared. (This was my first time with infants.) I learned before the session that the babies were younger than I thought--they were only a month old, not two months old.

As expected, the session took a while since we took breaks for feeding and changes. Everything seemed to go pretty smoothly and the parents were relaxed and the babies did what babies do. I knew I had some great shots, I was just hoping the parents would be happy with the final product.

At the end of the session the parents gave me a check. The next day I took a look at it and realized they had overpaid me by a fairly significant amount. So when I took them their prints today, I said I needed to return their check because they overpaid me. They said, "No we didn't. We wanted to give you a tip." I was (and still am) speechless because the tip was given even before they saw their pics.

They love the pics and I'm so happy how they came out. I wish I could show some here, but the parents specifically requested I not share them anywhere.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone who responded and helped bolster my confidence in doing this session! I really appreciate it!

Travis

Congratulations Kathleen! I'm glad that everything turned out great!!!!!