....now for something completely different!

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

10/15/2007 09:15:39 AM · #1

Most of you know that I have been trying to emphasize maternity and newborn photography. One of the main reasons I have chosen to concentrate specifically on maternity is to break stereotypes of women during pregnancy. For the most part, I've stuck with safe "artistic" shots of serene pregnant mothers contemplating the life they are forming, etc etc etc blah blah blah.

I recently had the privilege to work with a mom-to-be who wanted to do something completely different so we decided to step way out of the box. This is such a different direction for me that I would really like some honest feedback on my first attempt at "Pin-up Maternity". The concept is so contradictory that it's almost comical, but all-in-all, the shoot turned out pretty much how I had envisioned.

Message edited by author 2007-10-15 09:16:42.

magenmarie

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

10/15/2007 09:55:10 AM · #2

These are so cute! What a fun idea. Looks like it was a fun shoot. I think it is a really cool idea, and i honestly like all of the photos..all of the bright colors...I bet she's really happy with them.

slickchik

OM System OM-1

10/15/2007 09:56:31 AM · #3

These are funny! I like the red backgrounds the best but they are all very well done.

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

10/15/2007 10:02:55 AM · #4

Excellent! - These are so refreshing. What a great concept and you've really pulled it off technically as well.

You're right, they make such a change from the standard b&w moody shot of a smiling woman looking down at her bump. :)

MacDonald

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

10/15/2007 10:09:34 AM · #5

I like these shots a lot... and I think you are really on to something here.... don't know if it's been done before but I see it as powerful as Demi Moore's photo in all her pregnant glory... most excellently photographed too!

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/15/2007 10:09:50 AM · #6

Great idea and very good execution!! Nice to see such fun and enjoyable shots for a pregnancy shoot!

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

10/15/2007 10:19:52 AM · #7

The color was what was so challenging for me. I shoot mostly black and white so it was pretty refreshing to step out of my comfort zone.

I did a lot of research before this particular shoot and couldn't really find anything like this that had been done before. I was fortunate to have such a wonderful model to work with and the shoot was a lot of fun. We both went into the shoot knowing it was a risky move and we could end up with complete garbage. She was willing to take the risk and so was I. Turned out to be a good shoot. We did these the same day as the "Mother's Curves" shot that was shot with her sister.

All in all it was a pretty productive day!

wavelength

Nikon D300

10/15/2007 11:45:40 AM · #8

Those are awesome Lee!

I don't think I've ever seen ANY maternity pics that were so frickin' fun!

Most of the time you'd think someone had died instead of a new life being brought into the world when looking at maternity pics. Great work here.

oOWonderBreadOo

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

10/15/2007 01:55:21 PM · #9

Those are really unique! I think my fave is 9227 because she looks a bit more natural or basically at ease. I wish the background was more seamless but those are some really awesome images! :0)

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

10/15/2007 02:09:34 PM · #10

Thanks ya'll... any negative comments?

frisca

Nikon D70

10/15/2007 02:46:14 PM · #11

Originally posted by DowseDesigns:

Thanks ya'll... any negative comments?

Ok, I agree with all the positive comments, but I think some of the backgrounds look a little too "fake" in that they seem to have been achieved in post processing. It would be nice if they were more natural looking (like a big coloured backdrop?)

Cheers!

gwe21

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6G ED

10/15/2007 02:59:08 PM · #12

Wow I love those!! Makes me wanna be pregnant again (almost) to get pics like that!!

I think you are definately on to something there!

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/15/2007 03:54:38 PM · #13

Originally posted by frisca:

Ahhh... BUSTED! You hit the nail on the head!!! The backgrounds were those colors but due to wrinkling, shadowing, etc, I opted to drop out most (sometimes all) of the real background and replace with a gradient. I actually used red and yellow felts for the backgrounds but didn't do a very good job lighting plus I had some space restrictions to work with. My hopes were to give it more of a "cartoony" feel with the hypersaturated, "synthetic" backgrounds.

Good catch Frisca!

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

10/15/2007 07:35:38 PM · #14

What a fun shoot! Well done on all of them. And one of the few times that I don't seem to mind a fake background (that usually tends to bug the heck out of me, but here they seem to work well). Hopefully they stand up to large print inspection, that's the one thing I'd worry about. In any case, they look great from here!

fotomann_forever

10/15/2007 07:54:11 PM · #15

Lee, I applaud you. Well done!

Shadowi6

Nikon D200

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX-DC HSM

10/15/2007 08:01:56 PM · #16

Agreed they certainly are a lot of fun, but the backgrounds are just far too fake for me, I guess that with a black Background the viewer can assume she is standing on something but with a colour like this I'd expect to see a floor. So for me its worth a re-shoot as its an awesome idea.

Beetle

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/15/2007 08:03:22 PM · #17

Originally posted by DowseDesigns:

Thanks ya'll... any negative comments?

They are wonderful, so much fun..... but wait for it, here comes the negative:

as cute as they are, it would be more easy to get tired of looking at these ones (compared to the traditional shots).

Hence I hope that you did a couple of the standards as well as these fun ones, so that Mom (and other concerned parties) have something to look at if their mood should strike them as such.

10/15/2007 10:07:18 PM · #18

Originally posted by Beetle:

Hence I hope that you did a couple of the standards as well as these fun ones, so that Mom (and other concerned parties) have something to look at if their mood should strike them as such.

Never fear....

I have it covered!

Beetle

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/15/2007 10:32:02 PM · #19

Originally posted by DowseDesigns:

Never fear.... I have it covered!

Excellent :-)

buzzrock

Fujifilm X-M1

Fujifilm XC 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS

10/15/2007 10:36:31 PM · #20

Originally posted by DowseDesigns:

Originally posted by Beetle:
Hence I hope that you did a couple of the standards as well as these fun ones, so that Mom (and other concerned parties) have something to look at if their mood should strike them as such.

Never fear....

I have it covered!

Wow her face looks just like Janet Jackson!

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/15/2007 11:02:46 PM · #21

Originally posted by buzzrock:

Wow her face looks just like Janet Jackson!

But ... that ain't no wardrobe malfunction!

Ubersteiny