Diffuser Softbox

Diffuser Softbox

Anyone have any advice on how take hospital baby photos?

My best friend was admitted this morning to induce labor. I am under strict orders to be there this afternoon with my camera to take all thebaby photos that I can. She is wanting to make some birth announcments with some of them.

We already know it's gonna be a little Boy!!

I have the :
D40x
18-135 lens
18-55 lens
SB 600 flash
flash diffusers - 1 omni- bounce 1 small softbox that hooks on SB600

Does anyone have any advice on settings, which lens, flash use, or anything else to help get the very best photos of the baby. For some reason I am a little nervous about this.

Thank you all,
BoosAngel

I am too late, I guess. Hope it went well. I shot both my grandchildrens' births, on film with a fast lens. They were both born in the dead of night, so I had no available light at all except for room fluorescents. Used the flash for most of it, except for one roll of 1200 film, but now I would crank up the ISO on my dSLR and try some without. You can probably bounce the flash just as you would in any room. Be sure to chimp to check for odd shadows if you bounce. Delivery/birth rooms have equipment hanging from the ceiling and odd places which may produce unwanted shadows. BTW, flash photography has been going on a long time. AFAIK, there are not hundreds of thousands of babies and children walking around blind or damaged from the flash in their early days. If it's a choice of use flash or don't get the picture, then I would flash. The soft box will be great for closeups.

One more observation, pictures made during the birth from the bottom end are not very appealing for most folks. Mom may ask for the graphic shots, but if not, stay north of the action.

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