Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 1

CREATIVELIVE 2012

NEW BORN BABYPHOTOGRAPHY

/ BY SANDY PUC´

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Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 3

There is something magical about capturing that perfect moment. With infants and babies, it’s 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 permanence—not 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, I’m 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.

Photo by Brandon Cox

Sincerely,

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Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 5

table of contents

CREATING ADORABLE SELLABLE PRODUCTSSOCIAL MEDIA FACTS

SECRETS OF A MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER

TRICKS AND TOYS DURING A SESSION

MATERNITY-ONE YEAR OLD

BECOMING A BABY EXPERT

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10-11

.13

.14

22-25

THE POWER DEMOGRAPHIC 16-17

7 KEYS TO SUCCESS .20MATERNITY TIPS .19

26-27

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Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 7

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

Every photographer knows that celebrating milestones in a child’s 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 child’s 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 child’s 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.

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.

• Don’t pucker when you kiss.

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Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 9

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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 newborn’s 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.

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 Mom’s 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.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS TINY TREASURES

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At three months, the child has usually been smiling for several weeks. He recognizes Mom’s 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 baby’s 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.

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 child’s 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 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.

The Moment

The Freedom

Three Months

Six MonthsOne Year

The Beginning

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© F.J. Westcott Co. All rights reserved.

Photo ©Sandy Puc’

Capture Every Moment Naturally

Spiderlite TD5#4820

“From the day I was introduced to Westcott’s 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’

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 fl uorescents stay cool to the touchConsistent color temperatureIncludes tilter bracket

Visit FJWestcott.com for complete lighting kits, accessories and more.

CWS

certify.sandypuctours.com

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 13

Whether it’s a newborn who won’t stop crying, a toddler who can’t sit still or a stubborn six-year old, children’s 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 it’s to your benefit to go out of your way to make the session a positive and enter-taining 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 Feather TicklerThis little device can actually be used with kids of many ages. From a soft tickle on a six-month old’s toes, to full-on tickle torture, it ensures the appro-priate smiles. Keep in mind, however, that younger children (six months to four years) can be afraid of it, so take it slow.

The Treat BoxThere truly is a fine art to bribery. However, it’s impor-tant to never offer a treat until you absolutely need to.

Rubber ChickenThis 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 ToysHave the child throw the ball to you—or get him or her to throw it at your feet to make you dance. Remember, the child’s eyes will follow the ball, so when you catch the it, be sure to hold it right above the camera.

Silver pom pomsThese 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 baby’s full attention.

Rattles and bellsAnother great attention grabber, using theseitems along with a soft voice will bring the baby’s eyes directly to the source of the voice.

BubblesAs a last resort, bubbles have saved me many times. Because they are messy, I try to avoidusing them—but when you have an upset child, nothing provides a quicker change of attitude.

Funny PhrasesThere’s 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 FiveWhen a child gives me five, 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 SnacksIf you’re looking for a subtle expression, consider hiding a snack within an object. If you insert a treat in an open book or inside a flower 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 NoisesBeing a baby photographer often requires making a few cooing noises. Mothers are great at these, so if you need any ideas, don’t be afraid to ask your client to jump in. Each parent seems to have their own special noises that their baby responds to.

SneezingFaking a sneeze and following it up with a soft “bless you” will elicit delightful smiles.

MusicI recommend keeping a variety of music on hand to soothe crying children, excite toddlers, or even help preteens smile.

Baby PhrasesSome of my favorite baby phrases include, “How big is (child’s 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 GamesAnimal or counting games are a great way to get the excitement going. Asking a child what a particu-lar animal says can get them smiling instantly, as will playing a number-guessing game with Mom.

15 Different Toys, Tricks and Games to Help Your Next Session

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A D D I T I O N A L R E S O U R C E SFREE VideosPeridically 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 notifi ed of the next Live Feed

RADIOPOPPERS

MOMPRENEUR URBAN KIDS with BrianaGraham

POSING COUPLESwith Jerry Ghionis

POSING COUPLESwith Jerry Ghionis

VIDEO FUSIONwith Shadetree Films

MOTION & STILLSwith Jared Abrams

STUDIO FUNSandy Puc’, Jack Davis, Mike Long and Jared Abrams

STUDIO FUNSandy Puc’, Jack Davis, Mike Long and Jared Abrams

Baby sticks out her tongue-

Crying baby-

Working with multiples-

Be prepared!

BECOMING A BABY EXPERT— Helpful tips

Sleeping 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.

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.

Warmth-

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.

Have Mom rub her finger on the top of the baby's tongue.

The taste will cause the baby to pull in her tongue.

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.

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.

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 15

A D D I T I O N A L R E S O U R C E SFREE VideosPeridically 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 notifi ed of the next Live Feed

RADIOPOPPERS

MOMPRENEUR URBAN KIDS with BrianaGraham

POSING COUPLESwith Jerry Ghionis

POSING COUPLESwith Jerry Ghionis

VIDEO FUSIONwith Shadetree Films

MOTION & STILLSwith Jared Abrams

STUDIO FUNSandy Puc’, Jack Davis, Mike Long and Jared Abrams

STUDIO FUNSandy Puc’, Jack Davis, Mike Long and Jared Abrams

Photo by Erin Jeppson

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The Power Demographic

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It’s fair to assume that you didn’t 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 aren’t 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 don’t always earn the highest incomes, they’re fueled by a constant need to “keep up with the Joneses.”

As you’ve 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 they’re 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, you’ll 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 tradi-tionally 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.” It’s not that word of mouth referrals no longer work. It’s just that they’ve evolved dramatically with the advent of social media.

As you’ve 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 Don’ts for Brands on Twitter” from Mashable.com [hyperlink: http://mashable.com/2010/04/27/ twitter-brand-dos-and-donts/]• “4 Tips to Maximize Your Twitter Marketing” from the Social Media Examiner [http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-tips-to-maximize-your-twitter-marketing/]• “2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report” from Social Media Examiner [http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-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]The Power

Demographic

Trender, Spenders and Recommenders

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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

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 19

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.

Maternity Tips

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Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 21

$74.00

MISCELLANEOUSInsect RepellentWater Spray BottleFishing LineVelcroAA BatteriesSuper GlueFirst Aid KitAsprin/Pain RelieverBlack SharpiesBaby WipesRubber BandsWater BottlePlastic Zipper BagsGlovesCanned AirGlue GunPet Treats

COSMETICBobby PinsHair SprayHair ElasticsCombsBrushesSafety PinsMirrorSkin LotionSunscreenLip BalmLint BrushCalamine LotionNail ClippersNail FileHand SanitizerNail Polish RemoverCotton SwabsSmall Tissue

TOOLSTiny Screw Drivers Pocket Knife2 Large Clamps2 Small Clamps Duct TapeAllen WrenchesPliersScissorsString or TwineCable ReleaseGrey CardBungie CordFlashlight

CLOTHING/ACCESSORIESSewing KitBlack/White Shoe PolishLens Cleaning SolutionEyeglass Repair KitShower Cap

CHILDRENBubblesSqueaky ToyChild friendly treats/snacksEMERGENCY KIT ITEMS

Sandy Puc’ Studio

Emergency Tool Kit

timeexposure.com

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Bellies and Babies Creative LIVE links page

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK and GOOGLE+: We have many contests and this is the first place we share anything we are up to. Facebook fansGoogle Plus

TOOLS AND MARKETING PRODUCTSStudio 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.comThis 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 haven’t 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.

ToursAnd 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!

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.

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 27

TOUR VIDEOSIf 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.

MARKETING CAMPAIGNS MaternityNew Beginnings CampaignIn Full Bloom Maternity

BabyFull Baby Program Baby Mini Branding KitsBugabooButtonJunebug LuluMilk PipsqueakSugar PlumSweet Beet

CharitySanta Charity Campaign

Network MarketingFull Mommy Marketing Program (Teaching Moms)

SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook CampaignsFacebook Reminder Card & CalendarFacebook EblastBaby plan reminder e-mails

COMMUNITY EXPOSUREDisplay Kit – Everything I know about getting displays into the community including my hospital secrets! Model Search Campaign

NewslettersStudio Summer NewsletterNewsletter TemplateWinter Newsletter

Referral ProgramReferral Program 1Referral Program 2

ART PRODUCTS – Things you can sell! 9 up CollageBaby Steps PinkBaby Steps BlueQuarantine Collection (From Sandy’s trip to China)AlbumsNeutralGirlPeaches and CreamBaby Wave book

Birth AnnouncementsCollectionBrown DaisyGreen DotsRetroMintLilacTanCream and BluePurple

PlacematsChildrens Pastel Dry Erase Place MatsChildrens Bright Dry Erase Place Mats

Play Date cards View AllBright GreenPlaidCupcakeIce CreamPink Stripes

Bellies and babiesTots to Teens

FamiliesWeddings

Video fusionPinup tour

Creative Edge Kids

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Continued...

POSING GUDES Posing ideas with over 100 images each book- iPad, smartphone friendlyMaternity – Traditional Maternity –Intimate Madonna – Parent & ChildDroolers – Newborn to 5 monthsCrawlers – 6 to 11 monthsWalkers – 12 to 18 months

YOU WANT IT ALL??THE BIG KAHUNAWAY OVER 50% off! This is the best collection of products covering the vital pieces for your baby program growth!

Free EducationCertify with SandyNILMDTSUstreamICPC

I just couldn’t help it - I had to give you some-thing else! Below is a $10 gift code to Ukandu to treat yourself to something fun.~Sandy

Can not be used in combination with any other discount codes or on props, backgrounds, memberships or webinars

AVC547 3/9/2012

$10

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 29

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Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 31

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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 Sandy—shooting the tutorial videos for the Tots2Teens tour in 2009—it 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 camera—and not just that cheesy, gnarly lock-jaw 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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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 don’t 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 weren’t 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

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 ½ -year-old girl to be our next guinea pig. Once again, we set up the studio for a perfectly lit video. However, the girl

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

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 33

was wearing a dress, so we had nowhere to clip the lavaliere microphone’s battery pack to. Sandy found a quick solution, saying that we could just clip it to the back of the little one’s diaper. Turns out the little girl didn’t 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 couldn’t 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 ½ 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. You’d 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 wasn’t shy and she

was very confident in her answers. However, they were still single-word answers. Defeated and deflated again, we analyzed the session to see why we couldn’t 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 shouldn’t 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….

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 time’s 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 Mother’s Day gift for mom. So now the heat is on. We need to get it this time. It’s not just a Frankenstein experiment anymore. Dad already wants it, and it’s not even done. Luckily we had total creative control. Sandy’s first idea was to get the kids to loosen up with some good ol’e jumping on the bed. She has the kids jump on a comfy couch one by one.

The kids loved this. I don’t 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 didn’t 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.

Creative Live 2012: New Born Baby Photography with Sandy Puc’ 35

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 didn’t 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 it’s 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. It’s the videographers of the world who should be worrying about their jobs, not photographers. It’s 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.

36 By: Sandy Puc´

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