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Archive 2013 · Maternity Session

ptrautne
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Maternity Session

I did some pictures this weekend for a friend and I wanted to try off camera flash. These pictures were taken with a 35mm F1.4 or 135mm F2 with a 430EXII flash mounted with a shoot through 43" umbrella. Let me know what you think.

Oct 20, 2013 at 07:37 PM

seckinjo
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Maternity Session

Nice job. Maybe some varied crops?

Oct 20, 2013 at 08:13 PM

friscoron
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Maternity Session

Not sure if the flashes fired -- if they did, it seems they weren't strong enough. I don't see any catchlights in her eyes in 1 or 2, and he still has his shadows under his eyes in the other shots. I'm sure they're very happy with these shots, though.

Oct 20, 2013 at 09:45 PM

Jim Rickards
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Maternity Session

A maternity shoot is designed to show the maternity situation. If you have most of your shots where she is facing the camera, the "bump" will not be seen as well as a profile shot.

Oct 21, 2013 at 12:52 AM

gheller
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Maternity Session

First off, really nice natural light.

Maternity is tough - to look creative and not cliché.

The poses and facials are very static here. The "heart" they are attempting to make on her belly failed (doesn't look like a heart and too wide a view to tell what it is).

As was stated, most should be profile shots.

I only do a few of these shoots per year because they aren't the easiest for me either.

HTH

greg

Oct 21, 2013 at 01:53 AM

ptrautne
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Maternity Session

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I did take some of her laying down which shows the bump a little more but as most you said it does not emphasize the bump. I am still pretty green and trying to learn as much as I can.

Here is a link if you wanted to see all the pictures from the session
http://ptrautne.smugmug.com/Portraits/Savitri-Hufnagel-Maternity/

Oct 21, 2013 at 06:36 AM

ptrautne
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Maternity Session

friscoron wrote:
Not sure if the flashes fired -- if they did, it seems they weren't strong enough. I don't see any catchlights in her eyes in 1 or 2, and he still has his shadows under his eyes in the other shots. I'm sure they're very happy with these shots, though.

This is my first picture session using a OCF and I can see a small catchlight but as you said I may not have had the power high enough. The friends and family are happy with the pictures but I posted here to get feedback from professionals. Thanks again for the feedback

Oct 21, 2013 at 06:41 AM

friscoron
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Maternity Session

Along with the power of the speedlight, it's also about its proximity to the subject. Typically, you want the light as close to your subjects as you can get them, just out of the shot's view. However, the proximity is not a hard and fast rule. It's simply part of controlling how much light is hitting them, and how much fall-off there is. The umbrella modifies the light, makes it a larger light source (than the speedlight itself), so it requires more light, and that's typically when you bring the light in tight, within 5-6 feet on a medium-length shot like some of these are.

Oct 21, 2013 at 09:22 AM

ptrautne
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Maternity Session

friscoron wrote:
Along with the power of the speedlight, it's also about its proximity to the subject. Typically, you want the light as close to your subjects as you can get them, just out of the shot's view. However, the proximity is not a hard and fast rule. It's simply part of controlling how much light is hitting them, and how much fall-off there is. The umbrella modifies the light, makes it a larger light source (than the speedlight itself), so it requires more light, and that's typically when you bring the light in tight, within 5-6 feet on a medium-length shot...Show more →

Most the pictures had the umberella 5-6 ft away from the subject. The umbrella was a 43" white shoot through, should I have used something larger or a different modifier? Also when I was taking pictures of both together should I have the umbrella points in the middle of the 2 faces? I kept the umbrella pointed at her face due to her being closer to the flash

Oct 21, 2013 at 10:35 AM

friscoron
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Maternity Session

Good, sounds you were close then, just turn the power up. As for where to point the umbrella in relation to your subjects, that's subjective. About 98% of the time, I do it the way you mentioned, right between the two subjects as I don't want shadows on one that isn't on the other. But that's my style. The 43" umbrella is large enough, just crank up the power. You don't even need people to practice your lighting. It's October, shoot a pumpkin.

Oct 21, 2013 at 05:48 PM

ptrautne
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Maternity Session

friscoron wrote:
Good, sounds you were close then, just turn the power up. As for where to point the umbrella in relation to your subjects, that's subjective. About 98% of the time, I do it the way you mentioned, right between the two subjects as I don't want shadows on one that isn't on the other. But that's my style. The 43" umbrella is large enough, just crank up the power. You don't even need people to practice your lighting. It's October, shoot a pumpkin.

Thanks again for the help!

Oct 21, 2013 at 05:58 PM


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