First Stab at Prego Pics

[junah]

Thanks for the tips, thoughts, advice! C&C much appreciated:)

[tlc]

the dof on the second one is way off - part of the stomach is out of focus and the forearm is more in focus - if this is a maternity shot, the stomach should be all in focus.

the first one is pretty good.

[vwyob]

Love the first one. Would have been great as a nude as long as tastefully done. Nice warm feel to yours.
Second one not so good. I'm afraid the focus as pointed out by tlc lets the shot down, as well as top of the hand being blown out a bit. Composition very nice though.

[Robert_Lay]

Both shots are much too clinical. Would have hoped to see some effort being made to glamorize the condition.

The second shot has very poor lighting - much too harsh (note the severe contrast with blown out highlights).

In my opinion, you want to be looking for a way to avoid the reality and detail and go instead for more subtlety, mystery and glamour. It's only a matter of attitude and approach. Different lighting and different clothing will help to achieve those objectives.

To reduce the harshness of the light, go for indirect lighting (reflected from ceiling or walls or pass the light through a diffusion material). That will allow you to have detail in both the highlights and the shadows rather than blocking up the shadows and burning out the highlights.

[junah]

Bummer... wasn't going for "clinical". I actually was trying to focus on pregnancy in all its simplicity and thought the emotion came from the mother cradling her belly. I guess once after having been pregnant a couple times "glamorous" is not quite how I would define it! :) Any suggestions on setting up similar compositions?

(Definitely agree with the DOF and lighting... I've never used anything other than natural light and we ran out of sun making it pretty hard to do anything at all in my home!)

[junah]

Any better?

[Radtech1]

The jeans really work against the shot. On first glance, I see where the shots are going, the cradling* that you mentioned, but - dang - those jeans just say "Knocked up redneck" and really kill any mood the shots might otherwise have. If you have an opportunity to recommend attire, perhaps something gauzy would work better.

*On the first shot, if the hands were more underneath, the cradling might be more evident.

Rad

[GMACK24]

yeah put her in some lingere it will make the shot a whole lot better.
I have never seen preggo shots without lingere.

its seems to go hand and hand.
hope that helps.

[xxmegxx]

see i personally like the jeans, i think that both the gauzy-type look is good as well. the jeans seem kind of a classic look to me, and the last photo that you post I like, would love to see it in color as well. I also think that in that one if you were aiming for the simplistic that it worked.
Same comments on the second posted, just off. like the first one though

[tlc]

i agree about the jeans. it really takes away from the emotion of the shoot. i would try some draping with nice material in a neutral color.

[gkuenning]

I'm not sure about the jeans either way. But one thing I've noticed about pregnancy is that different women form very different shapes. This one is basically an "I'm the same, this thing is just kind of glued on the front of me" shape. That makes the belly look almost detached, especially in the no-hands shot.

You might want to try asking her to straighten her back, but I suspect that won't really help. I think I'd go for curling her up on her side, and shooting from above. Or maybe an oblique angle from behind. In truth, I'm just brainstorming here, because it's waaaay outside my limited knowledge. Keep trying and keep the best.