different field for me

[elsa hoffmann]

Babies is not my thing - and I believe there are many many photographers much better at this than me. My biggest gripe with my own photos is that they all look alike.
It is difficult to shoot newborns as they sleep only till you pick the camera up, the moms are still new at this new thing that cries all the time, and this makes for a very long shoot at the best of times.
Babies (apparently) don't like to be naked, so when you undress them, they start crying, and the mom starts stressing. Baby photographers who are experienced obviously know how to deal with this much better than me. I am lucky to get 10 good shoots out of a shoot.

one needs lots of props, and steal with your eyes. The way these were done is the latest trend. I learned a LOT from watching video tutorials.

150221 Arizona 017bg by elsa hoffmann, on Flickr

141220 Mohamed Landi 184 by elsa hoffmann, on Flickr

141220 Mohamed Landi 141 by elsa hoffmann, on Flickr

141220 Mohamed Landi 113 by elsa hoffmann, on Flickr

[afx]

Your efforts payed off.
The last one is such a killer shot. It beats the typical baby shot by miles with that pose.

cheers
afx

[Anthony]

Agree, all good the last one terrific.

[armando_m]

I'll guess you need to be a very warm room to avoid the crying ... ?

a friend asked me to shoot her new born and I chicken out

[elsa hoffmann]

Yes the room needs to be warm and preferably one has a heater near the baby too
I will do babies again - purely to try and get different poses.
My last one (not featured here) was an nightmare due to the space I was working in

[Akira]

These images remind me of Constantin Brancusi's works like "Sleeping Muse" or "Beginning of the World".  Very artistic!

[elsa hoffmann]

Thank you all 

[Frank Fremerey]

I only take photos of my own babies. I do not like the Ann Gadies style but all parents want it. Same with weddings. If I do them I get great results but in my own style. There are some wedding photographers who do a great job, I have seen on the web. In Germany people want a whole day for 400Euro. This is no tarif for any of the good wedding shooters.

Sorry. Your babies are technically brilliant, obviosly happily sleeping and I am sure to very much customer satisfaction.

[elsa hoffmann]

Thanks - Frank - I do NOT do weddings either - I dont believe I have the personality for it - I dont like sucking up or shall we say I suck at that

[Gary]

That last one nailed it! I appreciate the last as it is all about the baby and not the other stuff. I think you have finally found your niche (lol). When my kids started to cry I'd fill their bottle with Margarita ... quieted them up real quick.

[elsa hoffmann]

Gary - NO NO NO - that is SO not my niche 
bring the mature ladies to my studio and I shoot them - thats my niche

but I do believe in expanding my experience. from time to time.

[Airy]

Well, the last one is fascinating indeed, and thanks Akira I'll have to look up Brancusi. By the way I saw his tomb at Montparnasse cemetery in Paris.

[bobfriedman]

the last one is real nice...

[Jørgen Ramskov]

I agree with the others, the last one is really great.

[elsa hoffmann]

so... we like up close.....

yes I do agree. I like that best too.

But trust me - to even get 10 good images (for me) is a challenge - so you add props and stuff to make the images look different.

Parents love that sh*t