Pregnancy, Baby Bump

[wilgk]

I have a friend...who's daughter is pregnant… no really I do!
My friend asked could I do some Baby bump, pregnancy photos for them.
In my usual way when i don't know how to do something, i cam here and did a search. I didn't find a lot of examples or posts, so will share my experience in the hope it helps the next 'new to the game' pregnant photographer… pregnancy photographer!

My research on the net said photos in their own home, they would be more relaxed and comfortable..
That may be so, but homes and back yards are cluttered places, particularly if this is not the first pregnancy for the family and there are toddlers and toys around.
As Colin taught us in the portrait course… background is very important and most people have no idea how far away from a background they need to be.
So my first tip, if you can get them outside to an open private space or to a house indoor setting where you can control the environment in terms of surroundings.

Most people looking at pregnancy photos like the rim light on the belly shot, indeed so do I, but that said, you may either need studio lights setup or if using flash, be very sure of where you need to place them for the effect you want. A very pregnant Mum tires easily and if there is a toddler around, your resident VAL may well be conscripted into child minding as opposed to light holding duties.
I also could not find any 'how to' with behind the scenes set up of a rim lighting shot. I found examples of the finished product but not instructions for newbies.
Knowing rim light to be directional from the side or behind is a start but not enough I didn't think.
When I knew this shoot was coming up, I may or ma not have been seen wandering around my house after eating a big meal, watching how the light fell on my own tummy! but that was scaring the children and was window light which may or may not always be helpful. Learning the technique with flash means you can create it whenever wherever… (hopefully)

Thankfully this Mum didn't want the hands in the shape of a heart on her bellybutton shot.
I did try to do some silhouette images, again the window was found, but the room was so small it was hard to get in the right spot and then there was an awful lot of stuff too close outside the window, I did attempt to clean up the messy areas in post processing as I was happy with those ones otherwise.
The Mum also wanted the toddler to 'kiss the baby' on command…. we all know how that worked!
So that is my next piece of advice, if there is a toddler or other children to be photographed with Mum, a bit of extra patience is needed.

If taking a silhouette take care with Mum to be's hair, a pony tail or as we chose a bun, gives form and shape to the neck that wouldn't be seen with the hair loose. Take care also with the arms, 1 elbow bent behind looks good, if the other is seen that way it looks weird, 1 of mine had that & I had to blend that area from another shot.

Anyway enough talk here are the images, as i said first time, so of course there is a lot of room for improvement, so I post rather to share my learning with others than give more expert advice, which I am hoping will follow as well!

Thanks in advance for input to the Baby Bump thread!



With an 85mm lens for portraits, my usual distance away is not enough, I should have not chopped off the bottom of the bump here! - you have to see not just the face, but face to waist in your frame with these portraits.
This one is framed better


this one was the very well known and highly technical "run to mummy when i count to 3" pose




Most of the pose ideas can be found on the 'google' but this one was an idea I had that Grandma would be helping with the toddler when the new baby came, so I thought it nice to include her in this way..



again, I needed a couple of 'takes' to get all the bump!


then we moved indoors, I covered the bedding with my fine curtain fabric I remembered to bring, but still not enough care with the background.


I was happy with the silhouette pose and then finally our patience was rewarded when young Rafael came in of his own accord, climbed up on the still I had been standing on and kissed Mummy's belly….. yes, I chopped off the elbow, but I had to grab that shot very quick! It was all worth it in the end!







Thankyou for any other contributions to this theme of portrait photographer, which to my searches anyway, has not been a feature before, I hope others may share my interest?

[Colin Southern]

Well done!

I haven't done a pregnancy shoot personally, but I suspect that the lighting, posing, and even clothing for boudoir photography may have something to offer (although the sexier type shoot that some women like wouldn't be publishable here!).

Check out http://lynnmichelleboudoir.com to see what you think; with a bit more gear it might be a great new direction for you?

[gregj1763]

Hi Kay,
I was asked to do a pregnancy shoot last year and like you searched the net for ideas.
It was June so outdoor shooting was out of the question so I was limited to inside where it was warm.
I was fortunate that my clients house had a large window frontage facing North/East so lots of natural light
I used king size bed sheets to diffuse the light and provide neutral backdrops.
My first time effort can be seen on www.gregjonesphotography.tk Click on the Pregnancy album
I like the images you have captured, the silhouette's have worked well and the outdoor shots are something I would like to try given warmer weather.
Nice work.
Regards Greg

[AB26]

Kay, I think you did a great job. Very discreet, tasteful images. Well done!

[MajaMolly]

Kay, you did a beautiful job! The memories of expectation and joy that you captured will be loved throughout the years...you can't ask for more than that. Beautiful.

[RustBeltRaw]

I have trouble believing this was your first try at maternity work. Very good results. Maybe a little extra post work is in order, but I applaud you for not going crazy with skin smoothing or other heavy-handed techniques.

[Manfred M]

Nicely shot. I would have to go along with Lex's view on a bit more post work. I find some of the stray hairs a bit distracting and find that they take away from the image.

The two shots with the grandmother and toddler don't work for me; being out of focus and taking up too much image real estate. Nice thought, but I don't think it works quite the way you had hoped it would.

[wilgk]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.
Manfred and Lex yes I see what you mean, the hair and some other areas could well benefit form some pp.
Thankyou Molly and Andre it was fun to do, Greg I saw your images, they are lovely, particularly the ones sitting on the floor!
& thanks Colin for your link & original portrait lessons, I am still putting them to use and learning.
I don't know about boudoir for me, there is a wedding photographer in Adelaide that I follow on fb who offers these shoots in the 'off season' so I will keep watching her work.
Thanks again all