Maternity shoot- C&C

[TWright33]

I was asked by a close couple friend of mine to do their maternity pictures.

I feel very comfortable shooting anything- accept for posing people.

The first 15 minutes I struggled. BAD. I was nervous to begin with, then I had to really think.

I tried to find shade, and where there wasn't shade my wife held up my diffuser.

It was 9 am, and I had asked that we do it at sunset for softer light. This was the only time they had avaliable.

After I got home and reviewed them. I was really proud of myself, I think I nailed it to be my first shoot with posing subjects.

These are my favorite images from the morning.

Let me know what you guys think.



****Also be sure to tell your subjects to wear neutral colors. My friend had on a red shirt. I think it goes okay with the yellow sunflowers, but also feels like it sticks out like a sore thumb****

 

[D-B-J]

The posing isn't horrid, but a few could use work. My major complaint with all of these is they seem underexposed, especially on their faces. And there seems to be a green cast on their skin, not sure if it's from the area of just a WB issue.

Jake

 

[tirediron]

Overall, not a bad set, but there's definitely some room for improvement. First and foremost, there's only one image which counts (IMO) as a materinity image and that's the last one. The rest are nice enough couple images, but there's no hint of materinity. Next their clothing... what is going on there? She's dressed like a fantasy character and he's wearing jeans and a polo shirt. This just looks wrong to me! While we're on the topic, in only one of the images does Dad/Husband look evenly remotely interested in being there.

As far as the technical side (Read Derrel?) they all need fill/supplemental light. Working in dappled light is always challenging, and while you've not suffered badly from the sun/shad, all of the faces are underexposed ranging from moderately to severly. One speedlight and a softobox would have taken these from 'nice' to 'great'.

Lastly, be cognizant of your crops and framing. You have lots of 'bits cropped off and while it's okay to crop a limb, never do it longitudally, nor at/near a joint.

 

[KmH]

Avoid having dappled sunlight on subjects faces.

Fill light - reflected or strobed (flash).

Not using fill is why the people are under exposed and have dark eye sockets (raccoon eyes).

Numbering a bunch of photos make referring to just 1 of them a lot easier. Not everyone computer will display them grouped the same way you see them.
Also, photo presentation is enhanced if there is some space between photos.

A fundamental tenet of the visual arts is - Light advances, dark recedes.
Peoples eyes are drawn to the bright parts of a visual image.
So if your subject(s) are in the foreground, the subject(s) should be the brighter than the background.

That can be done by using flash in that you can use the shutter speed to control the background (ambient) exposure separately from the subject(s) (flash) exposure with the lens aperture and flash unit power setting.

dg28.com - photographer education

 

[TWright33]

And there seems to be a green cast on their skin, not sure if it's from the area of just a WB issue.

Jake

This was something I tried to compensate for in post. I added some magenta, but it just didn't look right.
Everything around us was green in both locations.

Next their clothing... what is going on there? She's dressed like a fantasy character and he's wearing jeans and a polo shirt. This just looks wrong to me! While we're on the topic, in only one of the images does Dad/Husband look evenly remotely interested in being there.

As far as the technical side (Read Derrel?) they all need fill/supplemental light. Working in dappled light is always challenging, and while you've not suffered badly from the sun/shad, all of the faces are underexposed ranging from moderately to severly. One speedlight and a softobox would have taken these from 'nice' to 'great'.

Fill light - reflected or strobed (flash).

Not using fill is why the people are under exposed and have dark eye sockets (raccoon eyes).

The clothing issue was out of my control, but I addressed that in my initial post.

I tried using my reflector, but I used my white side. Maybe I should have used the silver side to give more of a fill?

 

[tirediron]

And there seems to be a green cast on their skin, not sure if it's from the area of just a WB issue.

Jake

This was something I tried to compensate for in post. I added some magenta, but it just didn't look right.
Everything around us was green in both locations.

Next their clothing... what is going on there? She's dressed like a fantasy character and he's wearing jeans and a polo shirt. This just looks wrong to me! While we're on the topic, in only one of the images does Dad/Husband look evenly remotely interested in being there.

As far as the technical side (Read Derrel?) they all need fill/supplemental light. Working in dappled light is always challenging, and while you've not suffered badly from the sun/shad, all of the faces are underexposed ranging from moderately to severly. One speedlight and a softobox would have taken these from 'nice' to 'great'.

Fill light - reflected or strobed (flash).

Not using fill is why the people are under exposed and have dark eye sockets (raccoon eyes).

The clothing issue was out of my control, but I addressed that in my initial post.

I tried using my reflector, but I used my white side. Maybe I should have used the silver side to give more of a fill?

It's not so much the colour, but rather the style. Since she's wearing white, he can get away with almost anything, but she looks like she's freshly returned from an SCA event and he just walked out of the Gap...

The silver side of the reflector wouldn't have given [noticeably] more fill, but it would have given a 'sharper' or 'crisper' light. Does your wife know how to hold a reflector and did you take the time to sure it was optimally positioned? I ask because most people I've met seem to have issues getting the most out of their reflector.

 

[TWright33]

It's not so much the colour, but rather the style. Since she's wearing white, he can get away with almost anything, but she looks like she's freshly returned from an SCA event and he just walked out of the Gap...

The silver side of the reflector wouldn't have given [noticeably] more fill, but it would have given a 'sharper' or 'crisper' light. Does your wife know how to hold a reflector and did you take the time to sure it was optimally positioned? I ask because most people I've met seem to have issues getting the most out of their reflector.

I agree 100% about his clothing, but like I said- that part was kind of out of my hands.

The way we were using the reflector was me finding the spot I thought I was getting the most out of the reflector. Then positioning my wife in the same exact spot.

It was a 43" reflector, for reference.

 

[tirediron]

...I agree 100% about his clothing, but like I said- that part was kind of out of my hands.

Was it? Did you actually discuss this beforehand? I know despite my best efforts and half-hour discussions on the topic, I have had clients show up in clothing that wasn't my choice (On one memorable occasion, wife in black shirt & white pants, husband in white shirt & black pants! ), but again, I find that more often than not photographers either don't discuss this aspect of the shoot at all, or don't place enough emphasis on it.

...The way we were using the reflector was me finding the spot I thought I was getting the most out of the reflector. Then positioning my wife in the same exact spot.

It was a 43" reflector, for reference.

Not necessarily best practice; ideally you want to start by showing your VAL* the finer points of reflector operation, and ensuring that he/she understands the whole 'angle of incidence = angle of reflection' concept so that they can get the reflector in more or less the right position to start with, and then you stand where you're going to shoot from and watch the light/shadows change. What you see where the VAL is may not be the same as what you see from where the camera is.

*Voice activated lightstand

 

[TWright33]

Was it? Did you actually discuss this beforehand?


Not necessarily best practice; ideally you want to start by showing your VAL* the finer points of reflector operation, and ensuring that he/she understands the whole 'angle of incidence = angle of reflection' concept so that they can get the reflector in more or less the right position to start with, and then you stand where you're going to shoot from and watch the light/shadows change. What you see where the VAL is may not be the same as what you see from where the camera is.

*Voice activated lightstand

Yes I did discuss it beforehand. I probably could have been more precise about what I wanted. I just told them don't try to "match". The wife acted like she had it totally under control at that point. I even referenced her to a cheat sheet type thing that showed the best colors to wear yada yada yada.


I explained to my VAL (I like your terminology) how the reflector works and what we were trying to achieve. I explained how it was kind of like playing billiards (If you know what I mean).

I do agree that I need to work more with my reflector. I felt comfortable using the diffuser, but like you're saying my reflector could use some tweaking.

 

[tirediron]

Was it? Did you actually discuss this beforehand?


Not necessarily best practice; ideally you want to start by showing your VAL* the finer points of reflector operation, and ensuring that he/she understands the whole 'angle of incidence = angle of reflection' concept so that they can get the reflector in more or less the right position to start with, and then you stand where you're going to shoot from and watch the light/shadows change. What you see where the VAL is may not be the same as what you see from where the camera is.

*Voice activated lightstand

Yes I did discuss it beforehand. I probably could have been more precise about what I wanted. I just told them don't try to "match". The wife acted like she had it totally under control at that point. I even referenced her to a cheat sheet type thing that showed the best colors to wear yada yada yada.


I explained to my VAL (I like your terminology) how the reflector works and what we were trying to achieve. I explained how it was kind of like playing billiards (If you know what I mean).

I do agree that I need to work more with my reflector. I felt comfortable using the diffuser, but like you're saying my reflector could use some tweaking.

Fair enough... I have to admit that look wouldn't have crossed my mind either!

The billiards analogy is perfect; it's something that comes with practice, and if you're going to do more of this sort of work, it might well be beneficial to spend some time just practicing 'reflectorology'.

 

[TWright33]

Fair enough... I have to admit that look wouldn't have crossed my mind either!

The billiards analogy is perfect; it's something that comes with practice, and if you're going to do more of this sort of work, it might well be beneficial to spend some time just practicing 'reflectorology'.

Reflectorology will be studied.

I have an engagement shoot to do August 8th. Maybe I can get a better handle on my reflector by then.

My wife managed to be stung by fire ants (she counted 37 times) during one shot while she was holding the diffuser. I haven't heard the end of that one yet. Maybe when she heals she will forgive me and continue to help.

 

[Derrel]

I tell ya'...I think this set just cries out for a vintage color processing treatment...something like the Matt K. Lightroom Killer Tips blog's Hawaii 5-O (Light) processing, to render that red polo shirt a much more desaturated color. These might also look better in B&W.

I totally get the shade idea, but I would have wanted to use a tiny little bit of on-axis fill-flash...even the pop-up flash at manual 1/16 power, just to get some eye sparkle. But, lacking that, I'd be very tempted to go B&W and add a ton of fill light to make the eyes visible, then add some contrast to the rest of the tones one way or another.

If not B&W or Hawaii 5-O (Light). maybe add a heavy diffusion type of effect to these, and go reallllllly light and ethereal, almost hazy, or watercolor-ish. Something really light and gauzy, in keping with her pregnancy and her clothing and the sunflowers...I mean reallly crank the shadows up way-high, and let the highlights blow out to almost nothing....and maybe desaturate the colors, or go B&W after that.

 

[tirediron]

...My wife managed to be stung by fire ants (she counted 37 times) during one shot while she was holding the diffuser. I haven't heard the end of that one yet. Maybe when she heals she will forgive me and continue to help.

Mehhh... just tell her to walk it off and suck it up!

















Then get comfy on the couch; you'll be there a while!

 

[astroNikon]

...She's dressed like a fantasy character and he's wearing jeans and a polo shirt...

Love it. That's what I thought too..

I know what you mean about "struggling". I did a senior photo thing that other month - the first time I've actually shot people specifically, and the first few minutes I was like "WTF am I doing?". Luckily I got a handle on it and it only lasted 15 minutes before they shot off to their party.

 

[TWright33]

I tell ya'...I think this set just cries out for a vintage color processing treatment...something like the Matt K. Lightroom Killer Tips blog's Hawaii 5-O (Light) processing, to render that red polo shirt a much more desaturated color. These might also look better in B&W.

I totally get the shade idea, but I would have wanted to use a tiny little bit of on-axis fill-flash...even the pop-up flash at manual 1/16 power, just to get some eye sparkle. But, lacking that, I'd be very tempted to go B&W and add a ton of fill light to make the eyes visible, then add some contrast to the rest of the tones one way or another.

If not B&W or Hawaii 5-O (Light). maybe add a heavy diffusion type of effect to these, and go reallllllly light and ethereal, almost hazy, or watercolor-ish. Something really light and gauzy, in keping with her pregnancy and her clothing and the sunflowers...I mean reallly crank the shadows up way-high, and let the highlights blow out to almost nothing....and maybe desaturate the colors, or go B&W after that.

I actually tried some "color grading" last night, but I wasn't sure if I liked it