Maternity shots

[Fireguy2002]

I've done my general Google search and forum search, but can't come up with anything decent. Does anyone have any instructions/suggestions for maternity photos at home. I tried some shots with directional lighting, but other than that I'm lost.

[Rolleiflexible]

If by "maternity" you mean pregnancy,
and not afterward, I have several rules
to avoid unpardonable cliché:

1. No touching the belly.

2. No gazes down at the belly.

3. No gazes off into the future.

4. No soft focus.

I just shot my wife through her pregnancy
and you can find the gallery here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandersnyc/sets/72157619413429032/

[Fireguy2002]

I'll take a look once I leave work. I can manage most websites here, but it seems to hate flickr.com/signup

I just looked at your gallery for some reference. Thanks for the info.

[markbarendt]

Great stuff Sanders!

[SuzanneR]

Although this breaks a number of Sander's rules, I've always liked the following picture Nicole made...

http://www.nicoleboenigmcgrade.com/portrait1.asp?Frame=imageframe.asp?btn=portrait1&btn=portrait1

I'm not sure the approach needs to be any different than any other portrait. (I just realized the link goes to a page of thumbnails, the one I'm referring to is in the third row down. all the way to the right.)

[Fireguy2002]

I like that one as well. It may not need to be any different than any other portrait, but I have a ways to go before I can consider my stuff with the general population. Plus it's about -10 outside so I need all the ideas I can get to shoot inside. I guess you wouldn't notice the blue lips in b&w.

[MikeSeb]

If by "maternity" you mean pregnancy,
and not afterward, I have several rules
to avoid unpardonable cliche....

That about covers it, Sanders. Thanks for taking the pressure off my otherwise un-silenceable inner curmudgeon.

Yours are the first maternity images I didn't loathe. They were beautiful.

[gandolfi]

done a few...
slightly different than most; I think...

http://www.emilschildt.com/GRAVID.htm

[ntenny]

I generally agree---like any other portrait, you try either to avoid the cliches or to subvert them from within.

This won't work for everyone, but I can't resist tooting my own horn about the one photo from my wife's pregnancy that I really like: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ntenny/2408643047/in/set-72157605957020849/

I think there's a lot of potential in IR film for maternity shots and parent/baby portraits, but obviously it's something of a special effect to be used with care.

-NT

[Fireguy2002]

All the old timers have showed up to work now. I'll have to wait to look until I get home to see "those nasty pictures"

People crack me up.

[Rolleiflexible]

Although this breaks a number of Sanders's rules, I've always liked the following picture Nicole made...

http://www.nicoleboenigmcgrade.com/portrait1.asp?Frame=imageframe.asp?btn=portrait1&btn=portrait1

I'm not sure the approach needs to be any different than any other portrait. (I just realized the link goes to a page of thumbnails, the one I'm referring to is in the third row down. all the way to the right.)

I like it too. File my rules in
the bin alongside the Rule of
Thirds and all the other rules
we observe in the breach. :-)

[resummerfield]

done a few...
slightly different than most; I think...

http://www.emilschildt.com/GRAVID.htm

I like your perspective, Emil. Sometimes different is better!

[swittmann]

Emil, your work is truly outstanding. I am absolutely impressed!

Sandra

[sly]

IR can be great for pregnancy - it tends to minimize stretch marks.

What you shoot really depends on what the pregnant woman wants. I like lots of skin, but have done pregnancy shoots where all clothes remained in place. I've shot the "hands making a heart" on the belly because I was asked to. I introduce my own ideas as well, but the client is in charge. Here's some of my pregnancy stuff (there's more in my gallery and tons more in my files here):

http://www.apug.org/gallery1/showimage.php?i=50205&catid=member&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&imageuser=17089&cutoffdate=-1

http://www.apug.org/gallery1/showimage.php?i=49834&catid=member&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&imageuser=17089&cutoffdate=-1

http://www.apug.org/gallery1/showimage.php?i=38575&catid=member&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&imageuser=17089&cutoffdate=-1

http://www.apug.org/gallery1/showimage.php?i=25833&catid=member&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&imageuser=17089&cutoffdate=-1

http://www.apug.org/gallery1/showimage.php?i=34687&catid=member&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&imageuser=17089&cutoffdate=-1

And my favorite labour shot. Lucky enough to have great light and a lovely mother who doesn't mind sharing this image:
http://www.apug.org/gallery1/showimage.php?i=50464&catid=member&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&imageuser=17089&cutoffdate=-1