BABY SITTERS

Maternity photographer and trained midwife Tianna J-Williams delivers some advice on photographing expectant mums and newborns

THE PRO

TIANNA J-WILLIAMS

CAMERA: NIKON Z 6II

Ex-midwife Tianna used to deliver babies, but nowadays she spends most of her time delivering bespoke maternity shoots for newborns and mums-to-be. She started out photographing her baby girl, but when unpredictable shifts and long hours kept them apart she left the NHS and opened for business. She’s won numerous awards and is a Nikon Europe Z Creator. 

THE APPRENTICE

MARIE AINGE

CAMERA: NIKON D7200

A milestone birthday prompted Marie to sell her kayaking kit and raise the funds to buy her first camera, a Nikon D3400. Lockdown provided her with the opportunity to explore her newfound hobby, and she’s since tried her hand at multiple genres and upgraded to a Nikon D7200. Today is her first time working in a studio setting, and she’s looking to pick up tips on working with portrait sitters and using studio lighting setups.

TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT

Tianna started out by checking that Marie’s camera was set up for a studio shoot

CAMERA SETTINGS

Tianna says… I shoot in Manual mode so that I have full control over my exposure settings. I’ll typically start at 1/200 sec, f/4, ISO100, but this might change as the shoot progresses. Babies don’t sit still and they rarely pose for long, so AF-C and continuous shooting helps you capture those fleeting moments.