[bdery]

This is a shoot I made recently with a beautiful pregnant woman. I'm quite pleased with the results but would like to read some feedback on how I can improve them.

One thing to know is that creative resizing is not an option since the lady wants to print and has no idea of the various picture sizes, so I'd rather just leave everything in 3x2.

Enjoy!

[Macario]

first picture, funny but nothing special. I bet the woman does love it though.
second one, too harsh for my liking. The highlight on her belly is too bright. maybe a little burning would do it good.
third one, don't like it. I have the feeling she is falling down.
fourth one, I do love this one.very simple, mysterious. I think it is excellent
fifth one, same as the first one, nice but nothing special. But again, i bet the woman loves this one, so in shooting her for herself, you did an excellent job

[bdery]

You're right about the second shot, I'll try to tone it down. About the first and last, that's exactly the kind of shots she was expecting, and it was my job to deliver that. She was indeed happy!

Thanks for your input!

[troika]

Beautiful woman and nice job shooting her.

[bdery]

Thanks for the good words, Troika.

[Miguel]

First one is kinda cute, but her face is not well lighted and her hair further obscures matters. It looks like she could have used a hair stylist for most of these. I also think the couple looks too diminished within the frame, so the overall impact is significantly less than it could have been.

Second one is too spooky. Dismembered body parts aren't very attractive to me.

I like the lighting on the third one, but i get dizzy looking at her. Her head position, combined with the shooting angle, emphasizes the added flesh under her chin, which makes her seem less attractive than she is.

Fourth one is nicely done and holds one's attention.

Fifth one had potential, but his face is lost in the shadows. The contrast in lines and the continuation from his forehead to his chin make him less attractive. Though her smile is great, I don't like the shooting perspective on her face. I would have repositioned both of them (though their hands are excellently posed) and moved in some.

Hope this helps, it is great you are open to feedback.

M

[bdery]

It looks like she could have used a hair stylist for most of these.

It could have helped, probably, but neither her nor me could have afforded that...

I also think the couple looks too diminished within the frame, so the overall impact is significantly less than it could have been.

I do not understand what you mean here.

Fifth one had potential, but his face is lost in the shadows.

That was part of the idea, putting the emphasis on the mother-to-be, but I understand that it might annoy you. I could maybe try crossed lighting the next time, but then I would loose the shadows under the mother, and that is what I was trying to achieve. Maybe so Lightroom magic could improve the lighting on his face.

Hope this helps, it is great you are open to feedback.

I am looking or it, I do not pretend to have nothing to learn. Thanks for commenting!

[Miguel]

I do not understand what you mean here.

Both people look really small within the frame of the image. This is due to both the chosen focal length, and the distance from subject. But one intent of the shot appears to me to be comparing girth in a humorous way. It's harder to be effective when the scale is smaller.

M

[bdery]

Both people look really small within the frame of the image.

I could try cropping more narrowly. Of course this was shot in my "home studio" which is really my basement, limiting my movements to some extend.

[sjtryon]

For the color image, I would suggest pushing up the lows and mids on the green curve to pull out some of the magenta. Don't know what software you are using so I can be specific about how. Most products, however, should allow you to control the RGB curve as well as each color of the RGB curve. Up with green means down with magenta and you should get better skin tones out of it.

Hope that helps.

[troika]

For the color one, I'd suggest cropping out the dude.

[bdery]

For the color image, I would suggest pushing up the lows and mids on the green curve to pull out some of the magenta. Don't know what software you are using so I can be specific about how. Most products, however, should allow you to control the RGB curve as well as each color of the RGB curve. Up with green means down with magenta and you should get better skin tones out of it.

I'm using Lightroom. I'll give it a try.

For the color one, I'd suggest cropping out the dude.

That would be a bit besides the point

[troika]

[mrNewt]

1. I think better light and closer crop would of worked better.
Her face and belly seems to get lost a little in the shadow. For this kind of composition, both your subjects are important and they both should be lit at "similar levels"

2. Too blurry and the light is a little harsh ... again a closer framing to reduce some of the black space on the left might be better.

3. Good light, great softness but again, framing is a little bit off ... try and reduce from the black space around the subject (especially at the bottom - since she is levitating right in the middle of your vertical).
Also, as an advice, there is no such thing as levitating persons. Always try and "hint" that the person is sitting on something.
Play with the light so it will sort-of show a silhouette of the object is sitting or if is on the floor, show a little bit of the floor as well - even if is just a little bit. Will give the image "stability" and complete it.

4. Same as before, framing seems a little bit off - too much black space especially behind your subject. And as on number 3, there is no such thing as levitating. Needs "stability".

5. I think this is my most favourite from all of your pics (posted here). Again,better framing will help (reducing some of the black - especially on the left side). And again ... your subjects are levitating ...

Overall, nice pictures and great try-outs.
My advice to you will be to pay more attention on how you frame, compose and learn how to control your light more.
And levitating is fun if that was intended, otherwise, try and give your subject a base to sit on .

[SingingSabre]

I think the biggest thing, at least for me, is that they blend into the background.

I'd like to see a bit of backlighting just to give them an edge to separate them from the backdrop. Even just a touch will work wonders.