Photoshoot ideas for a Newborn Girl?

Good idea for a prop in a portrait photoshoot?

• I take a-level photography and I need some good suggestions of what sort of prop I could have one of my models holding in a simple photoshoot. An idea I already have is holding a flower but this has been done so many times.. does anybody have any other ideas? It's a girl model by the way :)

• Answer:

  My tip to you is: study your model and find out about their personality and personal interests. For example: does she play the guitar? If so ask her to bring it as a prop, it would bring interest to your photo as well as help you really connect to the model. She will love that whatever prop you choose explains a lot about her. If she loves photography have her bring her camera and pretend to use it while you snap a few shots. Getting your model to look natural is better than making it look too planned out, so make it fun for them, because if it is stressful you are going to get forced facial expressions and stiff poses. Flowers make nice props, there is always a new way to use something, so get creative! :) Try shooting her smelling the flower or hugging a bouquet of pretty wild flowers, may sound silly, but it will bring out her natural personality doing something that isn't too serious. Don't rely too much on props unless they really add to the emotion you are trying to capture. Take consideration of the clothes she will be wearing as well you can choose a back-drop (background) to compliment it. If you communicate with her and study how she presents her self you will have a much easier time pleasing her with the results. Is she wearing a lot of jewelry and makeup? That may mean she is very glamorous and wants to look unique and outstanding, you likely will need a dramatic pose rather than a perfect prop. Is she wearing a sophisticated long black pencil skirt and a button-up blouse with a matching black suit jacket with her hair pinned up in a perfect bun? All her clothes match, she is dressed very modest, her hair is very neat; what does all that tell you? That she is probably wanting business-looking portraits, and she wants everything to appear organized and neat; she will probably not do any crazy poses with her hair flying all over holding a chainsaw. lol If you can understand them, you can give them exactly what they want. I absolutely love how props can contribute to the mood of a picture, but the pose is what's going to make the huge difference. So study poses in magazine or online, find out what compliments the figure the best. If your model has a double chin then make sure she keeps her chin high, if she has small eyes then try to reflect a lot of light into them to make them appear larger, if she is chunky then position her body away from the camera. Pay attention how the light hits your model, and what kind of mood you are capturing. :) Anyway, sorry if that was not exactly the answer you wanted, but when I asked the same question you did I got advice similar to what I gave you, and it helped me sooooo unbelievable much! :) Good luck!