Maggie,
For what it's worth, I love the lighting, and the shadows :), I like the hands, I think the softness is great. The only thing that makes it seem just a little off, is that it seems to be an unnatural position for a newborn to be upright. I tilted my head (I could have grabbed my monitor and turned it on it's side...kidding) and seeing the little one on his/her back, immediately made me feel more relaxed. It is almost like the upright position gives me a feeling of tension.

I'm a fan of the portraits you've posted here, and this is just my opinion. I do occasionally do newborn photos, but tell people up front, it isn't my favorite thing to do, I'm just not as good at it as you. Once they are able to sit up, and interact with me, I get much more comfortable... Only sharing this, so you know that I don't consider myself an expert in newborn photography (by any stretch of the imagination), so take my suggestion with a grain of salt, or swig of milk, or...

Tom I think I have it figured out. I "took it in" kind of the same way you did. For me it was the perspective on the hands. They look too big from that angle. HOWEVER, here is the problem. You and I are too far removed from the newborn experience. My daughter walked by and commented that it was a wonderful precious image and shut up about the hands. They are supposed to look like that. Moms love pics like that. So great job Maggie! Don't get angry at Tom. He just does not totally get it like me and we should disqualify ourselves :)

What ever you do, please do not become angry with me. When I first opened this up, I thought I was looking at one of those fetus in the womb type of photos. When I looked at it more, it still looks that way. It is nothing that you did wrong, it is just how it appears to me. Another thing; regardless of what I just said, this not one of your better ones anyway. I don't know if the softness is over done, or the lighting may be too harsh or lit wrong or what. This just my sense of how I took this one in.

Tom