Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Photo Critique | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2015 · maternity photos

  
 
FarmerJohn
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · maternity photos


Doing some experimenting... late afternoon light... first attempts with a reflector... no flash

Thoughts on lighting, posing, processing... all welcome
Thinking that 2015 might be the year of lighting/portraits improvement....

Subject is someone I know pretty well, so we were having a good time and she wasn't very nervous.

















Edited on Jan 13, 2015 at 11:18 AM · View previous versions



Jan 13, 2015 at 10:14 AM
beavens
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · maternity photos


John,

I'm awful with portraiture, but I'll give it a shot.

The first is definitely my favorite in all aspects. I really like the tight feeling being framed in by the corn stalks and the pose really exhibits the sense of contentment that she is probably feeling (especially with the light warming the face on a cool day).

Couple of nits would be that I think a gold reflector might work better here (with the surrounding colors and time of day) and that I'd prefer a BIT more light (or bringing up the shadows/exposure) at the bottom of the shot.

Cheers!

Jeff




Jan 13, 2015 at 11:00 AM
FarmerJohn
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · maternity photos


Thanks Jeff!
Yeah, this was a big white reflector. It made much more of a difference in lighting than I expected, so I was impressed. Would gold really make a big difference? I guess I'll have to try it.

Glad you got the 'contentment' out of #1 - right on, especially with warm sun on a late december day. I will look at bringing up the shadows a bit.

I think on #2 and #3, I should have had her standing further away from the corn to get a blurrier background. I think I also have some from that angle with a longer lens to help that out too.



Jan 13, 2015 at 11:17 AM
beavens
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · maternity photos


FarmerJohn wrote:
Thanks Jeff!
Yeah, this was a big white reflector. It made much more of a difference in lighting than I expected, so I was impressed. Would gold really make a big difference? I guess I'll have to try it.

Glad you got the 'contentment' out of #1 - right on, especially with warm sun on a late december day. I will look at bringing up the shadows a bit.

I think on #2 and #3, I should have had her standing further away from the corn to get a blurrier background. I think I also have some from that angle with
...Show more

Oh yeah - you'd be surprised with how much gold/silver will reflect when you've got the light!

I agree with you about 2 and 3.

Jeff



Jan 13, 2015 at 12:25 PM
Almass
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · maternity photos


First, I thought you were taller than her and then I realized you have shot at a 23mm focal length....equivalent to approx 35mm (34.5mm) FF. The camera is slightly tilted vertically.

1- Maybe you avoid centering her and give the pic more room to breathe.

2- There is plenty of light as is. Why did you think adding a reflector would help. Brighten the shadow on her face should be the main and probably only usage.

3- I would have used a scrim to cut the light hitting her from the sky.

4- A gold reflector would warm up her face introducing more magenta and some yellow at the expense of the blue jumper, so no winner there.

5- Your crop could be more flatering for her pregnant figure and she does have a very nice smile which is showing the viewer a very happy lady.

It looks like this...Golden ratio and all.

Lovely picture nontheless









Jan 13, 2015 at 01:02 PM
beavens
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · maternity photos


I much prefer Almass's crop.

Almass, so the gold reflector would just ruin the colors of the sweater?



Jan 13, 2015 at 01:29 PM
Almass
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · maternity photos


Not ruin, but it is increasing M and Y in the C which means it will not match the real color of the sweater.

BTY, it so happen and not done on purpose that this crop is a Golden Ratio starting on her left eye and ending under the edge of the sweater anticlockwise.

Well spotted...You have a good eye.



Jan 13, 2015 at 01:40 PM
eeneryma
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · maternity photos


Conceptually "tongue in cheek", posing the pregnant woman in front of dead corn stalks. Am I reading too much into this, or was that your intent? I personally love the perverseness.


Jan 13, 2015 at 02:46 PM
FarmerJohn
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · maternity photos


eeneryma - you are reading too much

Almass - thanks for the suggestions. I also looked at the golden ratio crop, but thought it looked a little too close on the side. That was yesterday, today I like it. I also think cropping up from the bottom is a good idea.


I am slightly taller than her, which I thought was a good thing. Also thought that shooting from a slightly higher angle led to more flattering poses, with less emphasis on nose/chin. Yes?

Reflector - yes, I was using it to help with the shadows. Sun to camera-right, reflector in front of her to the left.

Really, the reflector was just a big white tarp



Jan 13, 2015 at 03:51 PM
AuntiPode
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · maternity photos


Shooting from below, as in the first image and shooting in profile, as in the third are not the most flattering way to capture a face with a chin like hers. That's why the second is more flattering and appealing as a pose. For her an slightly higher angle might have worked a little better.

Another possible crop, with some rotation:







Jan 13, 2015 at 04:53 PM
FarmerJohn
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · maternity photos


Thanks for the suggestion Karen... always gotta remember the rotation thing...


Here are my current versions


And another



Jan 14, 2015 at 01:03 PM
beavens
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · maternity photos


John, is it just my eyes or is the brushwork too apparent in the most recent editions?

Cheers,

Jeff



Jan 14, 2015 at 01:38 PM
FarmerJohn
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · maternity photos


Think I only brushed the first rework...
Do you mean the background blurring or the face highlight lowering?



Jan 14, 2015 at 01:57 PM





FM Forums | Photo Critique | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.