lens wise, i used my 50 mm f/1.4 the WHOLE TIME. didn’t switch once. i also upgraded to the NIKON D700 about 6 weeks ago and let me tell you, there is NO.WAY. i could have shot this on my D300 and ended up with the same results. i actually brought the D300 and put the 17-55 lens on it so i could shoot with two cameras, and it was pointless because my ISO just couln’t hack it on that camera.

straight up, the lighting was a little tricky. one, it was D A R K. like, really dark. we were going for quiet and relaxing, so all the lights were off except for one small fluorescent light over the sink on one side of the room. the labor shots were all shot at about f/2.2-2.8, 1/50 sec. and ISO 4000. I dropped as low as 3200 ISO and went up to 5000 on a few. told ya it was dark! haha!

once the actual delivery started, we turned on the light in the bathroom and opened the door which helped with the ambient light, plus they turned on this spotlight thing that shined right on (well, you know). so it was still quite dark in the room and then there was a VERY bright light right on the baby. those shots and most of the subsequent shots were taken at 1/250, f/2.5 and ISO 2000. I definitely had some hot spots though, but it was sortof the best middle ground.

i did not and would probably never use flash or artificial lighting of any kind. it seems as if it would be very intrusive and there is no way i would have gotten all the shots of baby with his eyes open… like these ones. haha! =)