- Guest Blog
It’s that time again!! Another amazing photographer to be loved and featured! I have a confession to make. I am kind of a secret admirer of this lady’s work. For years now I have watched her business flourish and sat in awe of the amazing images she creates. In my mind I dream of being this creative and working with babies this much!! I love that Facebook allows me to be friends with people I have never met, but feel like I know! Working with newborns is rewarding and challenging all rolled up into LONG hours of work! It truly is an art form and Carrie has it mastered! Don’t get me wrong– I *love* shooting newborns, but it is one of the hardest shoots to master! So kudos to all you full time Newborn Photographers out there! Sit back and enjoy the work of CARRIE!
xx
Leaha
Carrie Ferris
Taylor, Michigan The “Mitten” State!
Carrie Ferris Photography
Tell us something about yourself that has nothing to do with photography!
I am a mom to two little girls, both of whom are mini versions of me and my husband, it’s pretty comical sometimes. I like to think I’m funny, I think most of my friends would probably tell you that I’m pretty entertaining at times. I love warm weather, margaritas and pretty much any and all kinds of music. I think music can impact your mood so much, so most times whatever mood I am in will usually determine which Pandora station I’m listening to that day 😉 *secret fact* sometimes I will pull up this blog just because I love the song on here, it makes me want to get up and dance!
…and to see all the new fabulous pics of course 😉
When did you first decide photography was the career for you?
I’m the textbook story of the mom who decided they would try to get creative and take their own pictures of their kids and it just sort of happened. Honestly I had always LOVED photography, but was so intimidated to ever photograph people and said I would never do it. Well, after doing photos for a few friends’ kids, I realized it was the best outlet for my creativity and I could see the potential in it to do great things. It just so happened to take off when my husband had lost his job when the company he was working for closed its doors in 2009 and we needed an income, and so my photography business was born…
What is in your bag and studio?
Camera bodies: Canon 5dmark iii with a markii for backup. Lenses (all Canon) 24-70 2.8L, 50 1.4, 85 1.2L, 70-200 2.8L, 100 2.8 macro, and a Sigma fisheye. Studio lighting: AB800 with a 30×40 softbox and an AB400 with an umbrella for the fill light.
What does your photography focus on?
My specialty is newborns and babies, but I do a little bit of everything.
Describe your style in 3 words?
Fun, Fresh, Creative
Where do you go to learn more about the art of photography?
PINTEREST! It’s such an addiction for me… I can barely keep track of how many boards I have and all of the stuff I have pinned, but I love it. Facebook is awesome for inspiration as well, I honestly don’t know where I found out about a lot of the people I follow because there are so many, but I would say mostly facebook, because it not only links you with one photographer, but all of their “likes” and the people they follow with similar likes and so on…
Where do you get most of your props and accessories?
I make as much as I possibly can myself, so I lot of it I would say comes from the craft store, but I also like home goods, tj maxx and thrift stores! I absolutely LOVE finding something a piece of furniture or some other prop that you would never think would look cute and snazzing it up to be fabulous. Those one of a kind props are the best!
Do you style your clients?
YES! And how do you decide on themes for your clients? Everything starts with the clothing. I usually will ask a client for pictures (prior to the session) so that I can start planning the backdrop and/or theme depending on the session
3 Pieces of Advice for Fellow Photogs
1. Learn, learn, learn! Photography is so vast and there is always something new to learn.
2. Stay true to you. Don’t feel like you have to do a certain type of shot or use a certain prop because it is the “Trend” at the time. Shoot what style inspires you and that authenticity will show in your work.
3. Practice saying “No” – Still something I struggle with regularly, but I’ve come to realize that when I am TOO busy, my quality of work suffers. By limiting the number of sessions I book within a week or month I am able to take more time preparing and focusing on each session. Of course, there are times when this is impossible because with newborns they have their own schedule and I can only guesstimate when they will be entering the world. So when that happens I just try to breathe Lol.
Editing Newborns can be tricky for some folks! Do you composite your photos?
Yes, depends on the shot.
5 MUST KNOWS for shooting Newborns
1. Safety first – I never take hands off the baby in difficult shots. Photographing babies and small children in some of the settings that are popular today can be very dangerous if you don’t know how it’s done. If something doesn’t look safe, then it probably isn’t, and it’s safe to assume that it is a composite (2 shots merged together in photoshop)
2. It MUST be warm if not downright hot in your studio when photographing a newborn. The baby is usually naked,and therefore comfort is key to keeping them staying sleepy.
3. Try not to move them as much as possible. (this sounds impossible I know!) But for example, if you are posing them on a beanbag, and then are going to transfer them onto a prop, try to pose them the way you want them in or on the prop while they are still on the beanbag and carry them over that way.
4. Full belly and a binkie! Make sure you brief your parents before your session to let them know that during baby’s session they may have to give an extra feeding or a pacifier to soothe the baby. Newborns are pretty sleepy, but when you are moving and posing them, it is definitely a challenge and they need that extra soothing for comfort.
5. Be organized! If you plan your series of shots ahead of time, the flow of things will be much smoother. I set up as much as I possibly can before any session so that it runs smoothly. I try to set aside the backdrop with whichever matching prop I am going to use, set out blanket colors (for newborns) etc… Then you can take your time getting the babies to cooperate and not put so much into the setting up of everything.
What suggestions do you have for getting amazing images in a studio space with toddlers and young children?
Haha… well, this is always an adventure because every age has it’s own challenges, but mainly you need to be quick on your feet and SILLY as can be!
What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of all the families that keep coming back over the last 4 years. To me that’s what it’s all about. The fact that I have loyal families that trust me again and again to capture their precious memories means the world to me. Some families have already been back to see me for their second babies (after I had photographed their first)! and when that happens I get really excited J
What are your goals for the future?
I would really like to start doing more weddings. Right now I only do a few per year and some second shooting as well, but I would love to do more with that. I feel like it’s a huge commitment though right now with my kids being so little still and how much portrait work I do during the week, so, for now, I am fine with doing a few per year.
Isn’t she amazing?!?! I have been a big fan of Carrie’s work and I am just SUPER honored she POP’d in to share her work! Shooting newborns is no easy task! It is very time consuming and comes with a ton of obstacles. It takes a very special person to execute such beautiful work and take care of these precious little ones. Thanks for sharing Carrie and we wish you continued success!
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