A Few Maternity Photos

RabbitCatCat · May 22, 2013

Here With Me by rabbitcatcat, on Flickr

Joy by rabbitcatcat, on Flickr

Baby Below by rabbitcatcat, on Flickr

She Hears My Heart Beat by rabbitcatcat, on Flickr

It's A Girl by rabbitcatcat, on Flickr

I used a reflector and sun for lighting. Unfortunately on many photos the reflector doesn't hit her eyes, I need to learn to use the reflector and shoot at the same time. I was having her mom help me with the reflector. I also shoot with an angle too often, and need to work on achieving sharper images.

The photos are two different looks because I processed the photos of her in the green tank as one set, and the rest as another.

She was interested in doing trendy photos (the shoes, heart, ribbon etc) but she also said I could take photos of her in whichever way I wanted. What I wanted was a more natural look of her on the beach, vs posing, you know instead of looking into the camera and smiling, more looking away or off to the distance .. type of thing. I wanted more whimsy, she wanted more trendy.. I think both are incorporated in these. I also need to learn how to express my thoughts and turn them into actions when photographing.

Thanks for looking.

tirediron · May 22, 2013

That growth on her head in #3 looks very painful!

Not bad; the lighting is a little harsh but acceptable; a few cropping issues (fingers in #1), but not bad.

TATTRAT · May 23, 2013

well, seems like you are going to do with them what you please anyways, regardless of the other thread, lol. They aren't at all bad, she could do some things that would really help the photos, imo, though.

RabbitCatCat · May 23, 2013

Thanks.. well actually yes I just noticed her hand bump, forgot to edit it out of that photo. I did edit it out of most of them, oops. Ok she actually hired a maternity photographer for later in her pregnancy so she really did not mind if they didn't turn out how she wanted, we were just playing with different looks and lighting. How can I make the reflector catch in her eyes more? They were so raccoon? Also, when shooting do you feel rushed to just shoot the photo without getting everything straight or in the frame correctly due to not wanting to annoy the subject, especially when she is pregnant haha?

At Tattrat - I would love to hear your suggestions. The only way to improve is with critique, practice, and knowledge so bring it on please.

squirrels · May 23, 2013

Good maternity bras are not easy to find, but this one really isn't doing her justice. I'd do a little smoothing in post in the green shirt shots.:sillysmi:

RabbitCatCat · May 23, 2013

I did try to smooth it out.. but believe me, her boobs have a mind of their own lol .. just teasing. She basically comes to expect that out of her photos, I should try to find a way to smooth it better. I only used lightroom to process these, maybe going to move them into photoshop later and smooth that out. Good suggestion.

amolitor · May 23, 2013

She's squinting a bit throughout, obviously.

#2, "Joy", I don't like how the scarf leads out of the frame. A slightly wider view would have been better here to get the entire scarf in. You've also got a problem in that she's facing out of the frame.

#4, "She Hears my Heart Beat" seems very flat to me.

#5 "It's a Girl" could use a trifle more pop as well. I think you can improve those skin tones a bit, lighten them up a trifle, maybe darken the shadows slightly as well to get more modeling.

frommrstomommy · May 23, 2013

1. I'd have had her to the left of the frame, if not more centered.. her belly is facing out of the frame and her hand is clipped. Shoot wider whenever possible, you can always crop.
2. I agree with whoever mentioned scarf in frame and leaving more room on the right. Also seems like maybe you were shooting UP at her, and eye level would have probably been more flattering.
3. I like this one, except its kinda blown out and the whole tree/head thing going on.
4. I like the idea but something isn't working for me.. I think the grass just looks like weeds or something.
5. Like mentioned above, needs pop and the WB is definitely off here, more so than in the others.

RabbitCatCat · May 23, 2013

Thank you guys! I will have fun making the changes and see what comes out of those.

She said she hates how she squints in all of her photos, she almost always squints so how do you help someone not do that!? Even without the sun in her eyes she would squint (and actually I have a friend who does this as well)

tirediron · May 23, 2013

Tell her to open her eyes as wide as she possibly can and hold them just like that; wait for little while (30-60 seconds usually) and her muscles will start to relax; shoot then. I had that same issue when I shot Eva's Portfolio a few weeks ago, and doing what I describe here is exactly how we were able to get some shots which showed off her great eyes!

RabbitCatCat · May 23, 2013

That is a great tip, thank you! Definitely going to try it next time her and I get together.

RabbitCatCat · May 23, 2013

Ok I tried to fix this one. When I slide to the warmer colors the sky goes completely blown out and her arm turns horrible orange.. looks like the reflector missed her tummy and only hit her arm! This is with the suggested changes, any improvement?

35 by rabbitcatcat, on Flickr

frommrstomommy · May 23, 2013

tried to play some.. hard with jpeg. i cropped some off the left as well. and did the blue sky since that seems to be what youre going for.

bogeyguy · May 23, 2013

photos 3,4, & 5, ugh. Why do people insist on these photos?

ktan7 · May 23, 2013

Great effort but truthfully, these photos are a bit "normal" looking. Try to create something that makes everyone goes "awwww". To me, that is what makes a good image.