Congratulations to Lisa_Holloway for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 2 votes - View Previous Winners
This gorgeous mom to be is expecting her first baby, a little boy, any day now! I had so much fun doing these pictures. I even got to try some studio shots of her.
Lisa, I am a strong admirer of your work (and your philosophy, as revealed in an earlier thread), so please don;t take this question as any sort of criticism. I would simply like to ask someone I trust WHY maternity photos almost always feature the woman with her hands under her belly. I realize that the position accentuates the form, but it seems extremely unnatural and, to me, less than attractive. In shots such as the first two, for example, wouldn't the pregnancy be just as obvious if her hands were more naturally placed? I haven't spent a lot of time around pregnant women, but none of the ones I have ben around EVER stands in such a position.
I can't speak for Lisa and I'm not the maternity photographer she is, but I do the exact same things for two reasons. 1, If you put their hands in a natural position, or on her hips or wherever, the dress is going to go over her belly and then straight down. You can see she has a bulge, but you don't get the rounded belly as you do when you put the hands under the belly. Secondly, and this is probably equally important, but to me the hands are there because it's like symbolically she's holding her baby.
Thank you!! Ron, yes, the blossoms are actually already done here - crazy! Yes, those are studio - studio lighting too. I've been experimenting with it a little more lately for fun.
Vicki, RE the posing, Ron hit the nail on the head. For me, the most important aspect is to show a connection or bonding to the baby as that is what the maternity session is all about. She's holding her belly....because, it's a maternity session. D'oh.
These a wonderful Lisa. You've achieved your goal of showing the beautiful connection between a mother and her baby. I can't even begin to understand what a rewarding feeling that must be for a woman. Though they are all beautiful, for me the ones with the blossoms adds a warmness to the moment, and are my favorites. Thank you for sharing.
Ed
Thank you! RE the looking down, I like to convey a connection between mom and baby in maternity shoots. That said, I have not finished editing these. I just added 3 new ones and have a few more to do as well.
Beautiful set Lisa, do all the redheads flock to Arizona? If I had to pick a favorite it would be 2, love everything about it. Except I wish they had not sawed off the middle branch of that tree!
These pictures are beautiful, I am especially loving the outdoor ones! The light that the sun is casting, and the light pink color emanating from the blossom on 3...gorgeous!
Would you mind telling me more about how you set up that shoot, what equipment you used, settings etc...?
Suggestion: Move her away from the muslin in the studio shots. When I can see that much detail in the background (showing some wrinkles), it distracts the eye and some separation is typically a good fix.
