How to make a stillborn baby look alive

[McAng]

This is definitely a hard topic to discuss but it's very important. Today I took some photographs of a stillborn baby minutes after birth. The baby was 32 weeks and looked like a baby, except when I processed the pictures, it definitely didn't look alive. I want to provide the parents with some good pictures. I've already decided to convert the pics to black and white but the skin is still really patchy and the closed eyes are very dark. I know how to use my Adobe Photoshop CS5 pretty well, but I could still use any advice people have to make the baby a little less "sad". I took the photos in RAW format on my Canon T1i. Thank you so much for your help. I'd like to get these pictures done as soon as possible.

[iDad]

Pretty sick if you ask me. Still born is dead, leave it that way IMO
It is what it is

[McAng]

Wow iDad. . . that's incredibly insensitive. I wonder if you would feel the same way if it was your child. I didn't ask for anyone's opinion on the pictures. If you are going to act like that, maybe you shouldn't be allowed to participate.

[iDad]

Whats "insensitive"is to give the poor parents a picture of a still born that looks alive. get a clue.

[Medley]

Norm, it's an honest question.

McAng, I'm an Affiliated Photographer with an organization called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, a non-profit that provides, free of charge, portraiture and heirloom photography for both stillborn infants and infants with medical conditions incompatible with life. This is simultaneously some of the most difficult- and most rewarding work I've ever done. Below is the link to their website:
http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/

That said, there is little specific advice I, or anyone else could give without seeing the images, and posting those images on this site would indeed be insensitive, if not to the members here, then surely to the parents of the child. Proper question, improper media, if you get my drift. Also, it usually takes a rather advanced skillset to be able to handle the retouching necessary. NILMDTS has their own set of volunteers, know as DRA's ( digital retouch artists ) to use for this purpose.

My advice is twofold. First, I would allow the parents to make the call as to whether or not to retouch the images, and what they would like to see done to them. Second, go to the website, see if you can find a DRA in your area, and e-mail him/ her. They're used to working with exactly these types of images, and any advice offered would be invaluable. Second, you may find them willing to do the retouching necessary- every position at NILMDTS is a volunteer position, though you may be asked to donate to the organization.

I wish you luck, and hope this leads you to the answers you're looking for.

- Joe U.

[McAng]

Excuse me, idad, from what I understand, you make a living out of "making something look like it really isn't." Don't tell me that touching up someone's skin, taking away years of wrinkles, or layers of fat is any different. As most of your work is undoubtedly female, I could be extremely offended that you would take something as natural and beautiful as the female body and turn it into a sexualized image so just shut your mouth and get out of my post. I don't care what you have to say.

[McAng]

Medley-
Thank you so much for your response. I would never post the images anywhere or let someone view them without the parents consent. Never having dealt with this situation before I was unsure about where to get help. I will talk to the parents and contact the organization. I admire the work that you do. It was not an easy task but I felt that it was great way to help someone in need.

[webmaster]

Keep the discussions to Photoshop only please!

[iDad]

My first granddaughter, Roberta Rae, was stillborn in June of 2009. I love photography and took about 75 pictures of her. Although her face was darkish along with her lips, the rest of her body was lovely and not discolored. Prior to her arrival, I had been to the UK and put my camera on a mode for shots in the pubs in the evening. I could not get that setting off my camera for some reason.

Well, when I photographed my granddaughter, the coloring was excellent as it brightened her up and she needed very little touchup! I hope NILMDTS will help you. I was able to do my own photoshopping using Picasa which was great. I will be glad to help you out with this if you have no joy with NILMDTS. I am sure the parents would love some pictures of their sweet baby as how he or she might have looked if the first breath had been taken. You can easily keep one set of pictures untouched and one set photoshopped ~ that is what I did. You are very kind to have done this for them ~ they will cherish your endeavors!!!

My daughter was married 2 months before Roberta Rae was born and her wedding photographers (they are now NILMDTOs' photographers) actually helped me out and created the most gorgeous photo album which we all love. She looks like a beautiful sleeping baby ~ which she is...xoxoxo