Editing Newborn Images
I’ve blogged before about whether or not editing is needed for adult portraits and how that affects the final image but people may be surprised to know that even newborns portraits need a little artistic tweaking from time to time. A perfect example is from my latest session, a tiny 8 day old little boy. Being so young he still had his umbilical cord clamp attached and the Mum wasn’t so keen on including it in the photos. Being bright blue and plastic I could see her point of view. With careful editing I was able to remove the clamp to create a beautiful photograph – a perfect portrait for his family to enjoy for years to come. The original file always stays intact incase in the near future Mum changes her mind but it’s great to have options.
Of course the client always has input as to whether they would like something removed or not but the general rule is that if it is something that will disappear in time to come – eg skin imperfections, rashes or spots then usually I would soften them or remove altogether. For scars or permanent features such as birthmarks or wrinkles it totally depends on the view of the client. Personally I love wrinkles on senior people – it gives them depth of character and personality. One day I would love to do a body of work focusing on elderly people and their fascinating faces. Watch this space… imagine comparing two extremes of age – from a 9 days old baby to a 90 year old senior. Already I love it when I get the chance to capture newborns clutching their grandparents finger – just that contrast of skin is fabulous.
