Nude Maternity pictures need help question about backdrops?

rprimeau95

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Hi I have photo shoot on the 19th this month and she wants me to do nude maternity shots you know the ones where they cover their breasts with hands or sheer cloth. We will be doing them at her home I have no idea what the home is like lighting wise etc... I do not have a flash just yet!!! I know I know, but was hoping there is a way to get away without one if I am unable to get one by then?

Question I have

1. If I buy a black or white Muslim backdrop 10x20 which one would be best without a Flash?

I figured I could put the backdrop on her bed up over her headboard, or over chair or couch pending on what her walls look like KWIM?

2. Could I get buy with buying a stand up light from like Home depo you know like a flood light not sure if that is what you call them I saw in a home studio one similar to the ones you buy there?

She said she has a patio out back not sure how brave she is LOL, but I bought some nice white colored swim apparel like those terry cloth tube tops with the fabric that hangs down from them, a drawstring teary cloth
Skirt she could wear under her belly,and a netted Lacey cover up where you would be able to see her body under for out doors. She is fair skinned as well.

I know lighting is important I was just not sure about how important it is when using solid black and white backdrops indoors?

3. Backdrops do they wrinkle easy?

4. What is the bennifit between Muslim and canvas other than price?

thanks
 
I would suggest trying to use window light. If she has a large window or glass patio doors, that would probably work well. Try to set up your backdrop close to and perpendicular to the window. Then shoot across the window, so that it's lighting her from the side.

I wouldn't recommend those home depot work lights. For one, they get very, very hot. Their color temperature probably won't match any natural lighting, so they could cause weird color shifts.

Use your 50mm F1.8 lens and take advantage of a shallow DOF.
 
I do not have a flash just yet!!! I know I know, but was hoping there is a way to get away without one if I am unable to get one by then?

Time to get on the ball and get one! :D Anytime you shoot indoors, its RARE that a client will build a home based on good photographic ambient light. Window light is nice, but that means a timeframe... and photography often takes longer than what nature gives us in terms of GOOD light. It also dictates where in the house you can or cannot shoot. Giving the neighbors a full view of an 8 month belly may be surprising/upsetting to some... lol.

Light stand: $20
Peanut optical trigger: $10
Sunpack 383: $80

Time on www.strobist.com and 4000-5000 shots of practice: 1-2 weeks.

1. If I buy a black or white Muslim backdrop 10x20 which one would be best without a Flash?

If you are using ambient light, the darker background if the woman is white. A light background if the woman is black. Kinda common sense.

I figured I could put the backdrop on her bed up over her headboard, or over chair or couch...

You want the backdrop to be seamless and large. That means having it high enough that it is above her head, and if full body, underneath her. I've discovered that I REALLY like a lightly blurred background, and to do that means a tack sharp lens that is in the wide angle range to get close to her and the backdrop anywhere from 6-15 feet behind the subject.

2. Could I get buy with buying a stand up light from like Home depo you know like a flood light not sure if that is what you call them I saw in a home studio one similar to the ones you buy there?
Crap light = crap results. Getting a strobe doesn't mean big expenses as I displayed above.

She said she has a patio out back not sure how brave she is...

Clear that with her IN ADVANCE. She may have her own ideas about what she wants. ;)

3. Backdrops do they wrinkle easy?

All cloth wrinkles in time. In your humble opinion as a professional, is it important to you? Do you want to show the wrinkles or hide them in bokeh? Would you prefer to carry around a steam iron and straighten them out before the shoot? You're the pro, these are decisions you need to make and live with. ;) For me, I do not care if the backdrop is wrinkled or not. If I want to show it, I will. If not, I blur it in bokeh or post processing.

4. What is the bennifit between Muslim and canvas other than price?
The benefits would be longevity, quality of the material, resiliance. I've seen good bed sheets cost a lot more than muselin. Shop around, visit a few fabrics stores. You may be surprised at how affordable it is.

I have a local fabric store that has a huge roll of black velvet that is about 3/4 gone. I am timing it so that I get the last 40-50 feet of it. By then they are going to be ready to make a significant discount to get rid of the left-over roll.
 
Thank you Jerry for your time I will look into the link and the stuff you recommend I am going out today to the fabric store in hopes to get something.

Velvet that is a good Idea if you come across a deal and yes when I read people use bed sheets I too was thinking that could be expensive and are king size really big enough?

I wish I had more time to prepare for her she is 34 wks pregnant and she says she has already dropped so when the 19th rolls around she will be 36wks by then I figured if things didn't go well she would have an extra week or two to get pics if it didn't work out the way she had hoped, unfortunately once the baby comes the moment is lost LOL right

thank you
 
All the shots on your site were taken with Rebel XT? I actually liked your shots so much I sent your link to my fiance. You can have the best looking shots in the world with the best camera but if they're not personal who cares.

Your shots are very natural looking and I'm sure the woman you are shooting will love what you do for her.

I get into about 30 arguments with myself daily on if I should upgrade my camera or not but I keep seeing someone using what I have as well as my own personal results combined with what I learn from this forum makes me a better photographer.
 
Instead of buying nighties and swimsuits, I might think about what Jerry suggested - a cheap flash and a remote trigger. You could have all the apparel in the world, but if you can't control your light, you may be in a bind. Unfortunately ebay is out of the question with your time constraints...

However, you work well with available light...so I am sure you will come up with some great shots!

Good luck!
 
Instead of buying nighties and swimsuits, I might think about what Jerry suggested - a cheap flash and a remote trigger. You could have all the apparel in the world, but if you can't control your light, you may be in a bind. Unfortunately ebay is out of the question with your time constraints...

However, you work well with available light...so I am sure you will come up with some great shots!

Good luck!

LOL I know nighties and swim apparel LOL but they were on clearance so good deal.

what is this? Peanut optical trigger:

I did a search and can't find it?
 
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Thank you for the compliment on my pictures yes a Rebel XT. I have had many not believe I didn't have a flash but I have an eye LOL... I haven't even uploaded most of my work on my site because I have been trying to find a different webhost that will allow me to have the clients log into to view their pictures in private. I was trying to save time from uploading twice.

I took these outdoors

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65bwdrk.jpg



67crp.jpg


I know indoors is another ball game thus I have lots of learning to do when it comes to lighting I depend on my eye a lot.

Rabecca



All the shots on your site were taken with Rebel XT? I actually liked your shots so much I sent your link to my fiance. You can have the best looking shots in the world with the best camera but if they're not personal who cares.

Your shots are very natural looking and I'm sure the woman you are shooting will love what you do for her.

I get into about 30 arguments with myself daily on if I should upgrade my camera or not but I keep seeing someone using what I have as well as my own personal results combined with what I learn from this forum makes me a better photographer.
 

I typed in google "Peanut optical trigger" is this what you typed in? I did the same search on ebay and got nothing.

Ok so I am clear the ebay item you show the link for Optical Slave Flash Trigger with Sync Socketis is this different from the second link that shows Wein PND Peanut Slave (100' Range) for Digital Cameras #W940001D

sorry to sound dumb but not sure what these are for remember I haven't dealt with flash yet please explain do I need both with a sunburst or one over the other if it is one over the other what is the difference one is cheaper?
 
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As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.


I typed in google "Peanut optical trigger" is this what you typed in? I did the same search on ebay and got nothing.

Ok so I am clear the ebay item you show the link for Optical Slave Flash Trigger with Sync Socketis is this different from the second link that shows Wein PND Peanut Slave (100' Range) for Digital Cameras #W940001D

sorry to sound dumb but not sure what these are for remember I haven't dealt with flash yet please explain do I need both with a sunburst or one over the other if it is one over the other what is the difference one is cheaper?

First one is for hot shoe flashes. You put a hot shoe flash on it, and when another flash fires, it makes that flash fire as well.

The second one is basically the same thing, but it plugs into the PC sync socket on older flashes instead of mounting to the hotshoe.
 
All optical triggers do is watch for drastic changes in light intensity... such as when the little built-in flash goes off on your camera... and sends a signal to the remote flash (that is usually connected with a little wire called a sync wire or patch cord, etc...).

So, your camera flash goes off, and at almost the same time, the remote flash fires, and your camera catches all that extra light. :)

Note to self: No more hloding my friend's baby... I seem to want to continue to baby talk to everyone else for hours after that... lol
 
First one is for hot shoe flashes. You put a hot shoe flash on it, and when another flash fires, it makes that flash fire as well.

The second one is basically the same thing, but it plugs into the PC sync socket on older flashes instead of mounting to the hotshoe.

ok so either or, but not both are needed right? and both will work with what Jerry recommended about the SunPak Auto 38 Super Flash right?

:banghead: I can't find my manual to my camera darn it I have one in Spanish too bad I don't speak Spanish
 
Or look for an older speedlight like the sb-28. What ever floats your boat.
 
Or look for an older speedlight like the sb-28. What ever floats your boat.

Thanks to that strobist.com site (lol), SB-2X flashes have gone up from $25-$35 to $100-$150. You can find them often on "fleaBay" but though they start off low, they always end up in the triple digits.

A new SunPack 383 with warranty goes for ~$80 retail (74.80 + $4.85 shipping from Adorama and even comes with it's own PC sync cable). That's just hard to beat.

rprimeau95: Go for something like the second optical trigger, but shop around, you CAN find them for under $15... from that point on, turn off eTTL or iTTL or whatever TTL your camera uses, and adjust manually to taste and flash away.

Concerning your manual, most manufacturers place PDF versions of their manuals on the net... check it out. ;)
 

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