My go at a maternity session.....

[JustJazzie]

Well, today's shoot did not go as well as I hoped. Unfortunetly my friend just wasn't really wanting her picture taken at all, so I only shot for about 30 minuets (including backdrop and lighting changes) and just quit. I got three I thought were nice, she only liked these two. C&c appreciated.

 

[snowbear]

I like the second one. I can't decide on the first. It looks like a few "smudges" on the background in the second one - one at the top of her head, the others in front of her (her belly and at the bottom) - maybe an artifact due to the small image.

 

[JustJazzie]

I like the second one. I can't decide on the first. It looks like a few "smudges" on the background in the second one - one at the top of her head, the others in front of her (her belly and at the bottom) - maybe an artifact due to the small image.

I did have trouble with the background in these. Should have got seamless paper. :hide: perhaps I'll scrap it and start over.

 

[snowbear]

Try to clone them out in post. It might just be a funky shadow, I really can't tell (and don't now enough about studio lighting to try and guess)

 

[tirediron]

Not bad for a first go at all! I quite like #2; a nice, serene expression, nicely lit... I think #1 might work better just converted to silhouette. To me, as-is, it just looks badly under-exposed. I think I see where you were going, but I'm not sure it got there.

 

[JustJazzie]

Not bad for a first go at all! I quite like #2; a nice, serene expression, nicely lit... I think #1 might work better just converted to silhouette. To me, as-is, it just looks badly under-exposed. I think I see where you were going, but I'm not sure it got there.

Just played a bit with this idea and it looks really good! I'll have to start from scratch and see what I can come up with

 

[Derrel]

Ehhh, not too bad, second one's decent, first has some good things, some ok things...I'd like to see the B&W with some more fill, or as John suggested, ALL-silhouette on that. Don't worry, some day she will love these pics!

 

[CameraClicker]

What Tirediron and Derrel said.
She has really long hair! It's not evident in the first, but shows in the second. How are your masking skills? I would try replacing the background in the second one, and at the same time, remove the hair that shows below her right arm. I would also try a version with all the hair below her shoulders removed. I like the warm light in the second one.
In the first one, she has a halo around her hair. That could be due to the resizing or over sharpening.

 

[Rosy]

Well, today's shoot did not go as well as I hoped. Unfortunetly my friend just wasn't really wanting her picture taken at all, so I only shot for about 30 minuets (including backdrop and lighting changes) and just quit. I got three I thought were nice, she only liked these two. C&c appreciated.

sorry for that Jazzie - the 2nd one came out qute nice. You kinda expect uncooperativeness from small kids...not adults. BUT she is pregnant so everything is go with them
Hope you get to shoot her some more, she is very pretty

 

[JustJazzie]

Ehhh, not too bad, second one's decent, first has some good things, some ok things...I'd like to see the B&W with some more fill, or as

What Tirediron and Derrel said.
She has really long hair! It's not evident in the first, but shows in the second. How are your masking skills? I would try replacing the background in the second one, and at the same time, remove the hair that shows below her right arm. I would also try a version with all the hair below her shoulders removed. I like the warm light in the second one.
In the first one, she has a halo around her hair. That could be due to the resizing or over sharpening.

thanks for the suggestion. Actually, after her and her hubby saw them, they wanted more hair! I already took out quite a bit falling below her arm. As for the background, my masking skills aren't very good.

Ehhh, not too bad, second one's decent, first has some good things, some ok things...I'd like to see the B&W with some more fill, or as John suggested, ALL-silhouette on that. Don't worry, some day she will love these pics!

Thanks, hopefully you are right

Well, today's shoot did not go as well as I hoped. Unfortunetly my friend just wasn't really wanting her picture taken at all, so I only shot for about 30 minuets (including backdrop and lighting changes) and just quit. I got three I thought were nice, she only liked these two. C&c appreciated.

sorry for that Jazzie - the 2nd one came out qute nice. You kinda expect uncooperativeness from small kids...not adults. BUT she is pregnant so everything is go with them
Hope you get to shoot her some more, she is very pretty

Thanks Rosie. It really threw me off. I should have spent more time making sure I had a perfect background, but she pretty much said " it doesn't matter how good they are, I'm not going to like them" So I suppose my heart left the project early on as well.