[tuggie76]

I just wondered what the feelings about using flash with newborns are. I've been advised it's o/k as the flash is very short duration, but I've always used high iso whenever a grandchild came along, just to be safe.

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi tuggie76, I too share your concerns about bubs and ( direct ) flash, so I tend to bounce flash whenever little ones are the subject. Good luck, and looking forward to seeing your pix.

[tuggie76]

Hi tuggie76, I too share your concerns about bubs and ( direct ) flash, so I tend to bounce flash whenever little ones are the subject. Good luck, and looking forward to seeing your pix.

Thanks PJV, it's just a general inquiry at this stage, I have 5 grandchildren and that's all I'm gonna get. But I will take note of opinions when/if greats come along.

[beachgardener]

fast lens, natural light photography is wonderful

[ChristianRock]

I used flash with our youngest kid and always bounced it. It always worked well. I used to have a point and shoot for the older two and thar didn't work quite as well....

[Digitalis]

Common Xenon arc flash tubes* feature glass which is designed to absorb as much UV as possible, of course there is some that gets through however most flash units have a Fresnel lens** on the front which further attenuates UV output. The light output of a flash unit built into consumer cameras even at peak output, is utterly dwarfed by the sun. And they only produce that intensity in a pulse of illumination that can last for less than 10 microseconds, some flash units can create a pulse that only lasts nanoseconds.

I honestly can't see any way a full term infant could be harmed, even by direct flash under normal conditions.

Though i'll quote from a Pubmed journal " The pupillary light reflex was absent in all neonates of less than 30 weeks gestational age. The onset of the pupillary reflex to light was found to be between 30 and 34 weeks"

* Pure Xenon gas is rarely used, there is always a mixture of Xenon and Krypton gasses in flash tubes - Different mixtures can have drastic effects on the colour variability and efficiency of the flash tube. Xenon produces by far the most UV~visible light output, Krypton has higher emission peaks in the visible~Infared spectrum.
**or in the case of professional flash units: fabric/borosilicate glass light modifiers are commonly used which also happen to attenuate UV.

[mcgregni]

fast lens, natural light photography is wonderful

No, it's not ..... Only in particular situations, and often we won't be able to get a baby into any favourable light. High ISO, wide aperture and natural light often equals a yukky looking baby, and not much in focus either .... You know the sort, where people say nice things like "it might suit some mono treatment ...."

Our doctor has told us that flash is ok for the babies, from birth, due to the extreme short duration. But not direct harsh horrible flash ..... Flash through an umbrella and from a good angle is your best bet of getting great looking baby photos, and safely.

[beachgardener]

No, it's not ..... Only in particular situations

yeah, I say create that situation if possible, window a reflector etc. good stuff, but hey you are the flash guy, so not going to convince you
400 ISO maybe 5.6/4 50mm lens, something like that it can be done.
yeah, keen on b/w

[mcgregni]

You know what we think people really mean when they say "I don't need flash, I'm a natural light photographer" ....perhaps you would think the opposite for those like me who say "I don't need natural light, I'm a flash photographer" !

[Rondec]

Bounce it and it is fine. Direct flash won't harm an infant's eyes, but it could inspire a few tears which will detract from the photo moment. Beyond which direct flash photos aren't all that great anyway.

[mcgregni]

Definitely, let's avoid any direct bare flash for babies .... That should be an absolute rule! Despite the doctors reassurances I just hate the idea of anyone pointing a bare flash at a baby's face (although it must happen thousands of times every day around the world). But soft diffussed light from an angle is great (and that can be flash or natural).

My own issue with relying on natural light, wide apertures and high ISOs, is that some of these factors will inevitably be a compromise ... Not ideal for the situation .....I feel a simple off -camera, diffused flash setup actually brings more control and less compromise than a struggle to find quality natural light and the settings that would allow steady shots. Of course, it all depends on each individuals experience. .... Some will struggle with flash, and some (eg me) would struggle more with natural light scenarios

I do know though that I am certain I could not get the beautiful baby skin tones I love without flash .

[Genobreaker]

I’ve been wondering about this since my parents were concerned when I was taking pics of my newborn nephew. Have been mostly using either bounce (ceiling, umbrella, flashbender, fong sphere)or shoot through umbrella. Did do a shoot through a white paper with the flash on camera once. That’s the closest to direct. Won’t do that again.

[audiobomber]

Doctors say and do some really stupid things, they are far from infallible. There's a big push on right now to educate GP's in addiction diagnosis and treatment, because they are woefully out of touch and unprepared.

How much study has been devoted to determining long-term effects of flash in a newborn's eyes? I err on the side of caution for the first few months.

[BrianR]

I can't speak to long term damage, but just general politeness.

If someone aims a bare, direct, on camera flash at me in a dark room with no warning and lights me up to f/16, iso100 I will look like a deer in headlights. In the second image I will look like an angry deer in headlights. By the third I will be an angry, rampaging deer in headlights. A rampaging baby probably won't do much damage to you, but a clever baby will remember the transgression and rampage at a later date when the physical size advantage has reversed (e.g. the baby is now 50 years old and you are an enfeebled 80).

Bounced off a wall/ceiling or otherwise diffused over a larger area is a different story, it is not nearly as abrasive, and the results are probably much nicer.

[mcgregni]

Doctors say and do some really stupid things, they are far from infallible. There's a big push on right now to educate GP's in addiction diagnosis and treatment, because they are woefully out of touch and unprepared

Well, I was impressed that our doctor knew about the duration of flash light output, and was prepared to use that knowledge for practical advice.


I think it would be a great shame if these concerns stopped photographers (I mean informed, serious photographers like us here ) from using flash intelligently to create beautiful pictures of babies. Lets face it, most newborns look fairly awful, they need all the help they can get from the lighting!


Regarding the risks to eyes ..... there must be thousands of badly flashed shots taken every day in hospitals around the world, and many of them will be bare direct flash, and possibly unintentional because the photographer has just unwrapped their brand new bridge camera bought especially for the new arrival, without realising that the flash will jump up and flash as soon as they push the button in any low lighting levels. If there was a real risk to eyes from this sort of thing, and any significant number of cases of eye damage, then surely the medical authorities would have pounced over the problem with education campaigns and bans on flash photography in the maternity wards ?


Here's one I did earlier .... its soft flash of course, a soft box as Main and a reflective umbrella as a slightly off side fill ......
As I said earlier, its the skin tones I feel I would find far more difficult under natural lighting and high ISOs ......

K7 - D FA28-105mm - Cactus RF60 / Pentax AF-540FGZ / V6+V6II






She sat happily throughout at least 10 of these shots without so much as a blink. She was mostly absorbed by the black lighting stand of the fill umbrella (which shes looking at in this shot).


Here's another one using the same lighting, but just a different angle .....







...... and a pullback showing the set-up ....