Thoughts on maternity sihlouette

twocolor · Mar 9, 2015

I'm drowning lol! I won a bid for the one of the biggest hospitals in Northern Utah. I'm completely confident in my ability to get them a fantastic product. The contract includes 3 moms - each mom gets lifestyle maternity, birth story, and lifestyle newborn. Mom #1 had her maternity session yesterday afternoon and shortly thereafter went into labor.

Their home was beautiful and I wanted to play with some styles I don't usually do.

Thoughts on this one in particular....

My style is usually more bright and airy, but I love the idea of going for more of a silhouette. Too bright? Do I need to go darker?

ronlane · Mar 9, 2015

If it were to be a sihlouette, I was expecting something a lot darker. But that's just me.

twocolor · Mar 9, 2015

ronlane said:
If it were to be a sihlouette, I was expecting something a lot darker. But that's just me.

That's what I wondered.... would I lose too much if I made it darker? If it's NOT a silhouette, should I brighten the image?

ronlane · Mar 9, 2015

I'm not sure, if you go darker, you will most likely loose too much. I was thinking shape without being able to identify the face. That may not be something you are looking for though. If you are editing in LR or CC, make a couple of copies and play with darkening and lightening it.

twocolor · Mar 9, 2015

ronlane said:
I'm not sure, if you go darker, you will most likely loose too much. I was thinking shape without being able to identify the face. That may not be something you are looking for though. If you are editing in LR or CC, make a couple of copies and play with darkening and lightening it.

ACR and CC, so I'll go play. Maybe a very mild HDR - so to speak - using different exposures overlayed to get the feel I want.?

ronlane · Mar 9, 2015

with CC, I'd use blank layers to dodge and burn it instead of HDR. I've not really seen any HDR stuff on people that I liked.

Technique similar to this.

Designer · Mar 9, 2015

twocolor said:
Thoughts on this one in particular....

It's not actually a silhouette. I'm not sure what anybody would get from a silhouette anyway, but if you're going to try one, ask her to step in front of a longer window and pull her hair back away from her face. Shoot her in profile. You can decide if her arms are going to be part of the composition.

Derrel · Mar 9, 2015

I call this a semi-silhouette. I kind of like this approach...the low tones add identifying characteristics for the friends and family and subject to recognize "who" it is, but at the same time, it has the more-universal look that a silhouette-type image brings with it.

tirediron · Mar 9, 2015

Agree; not a silhouette, however it is a nice image, and very appropriate, but... (There's always a 'but', isn't there?) the "half" a lamp on the table along with the partial bowl I find irritating. I think if you'd removed those two items this would have been a really great image.

Designer · Mar 9, 2015

Agree. The cluttered background is distracting. If you're going to do this again, move the coffee table and everything on it, and ask her to back up a bit from the mullion.

twocolor · Mar 9, 2015

I truly debated about cleaning up the table. My instructions from the hospital were to document them in their home. They had a videographer come in on a separate day and interview them. We're supposed to be creating a story about who they are. I suppose that I could send them the version as is and for my own personal portfolio I could edit out the lamp and the bowl. They have selected 3 ladies with 3 very different lifestyles. I have images of the kids jumping on the bed while mom and dad are snuggling on the bed. I've got mom on the couch watching her two kids dancing...

But even as I type this, I'm realizing the photo in itself is sort of contradicting exactly what they want. It's a posed image in an unposed setting. grrrr. It's definitely a posed image vs a lifestyle candid.....