[NSFW! Partial nudity!][C&C] Did my first belly shoot today...

Fenster

I'm really not sure how popular this is on the Irish side of the pond, but in America many women do belly shoots before their baby arrives. I had the opportunity to do my first such shoot today. It's midnight and I'm out of words to use. Flame meh.

AnimalRights

I like the grainy/colour effect.
Angle too....would like to see a bit of nipple as the breasts would look more feminine.

MagicMarker

I don't like the angle tbh, it's very unflattering, in a sense that she doesn't actually look pregnant.

trishw78

I'd be in agreement, it's not a very flattering angle. I'd also be in agreement with AR a wee bit of nipple would be good, I think if her hair was outta her face would work better. I also don't like that I can't see her eyes. I don't like the the way she's stuck in the corner of the room the line coming outta her shoulder is distracting.

I do like B&W.

Same here, I think the image is highly unflattering.. You've made her look obese, not pregnant.

Dragan

I gotta say, as someone who shudders at the thought of kids/pregnancy and all that jazz....that kind of sums up why.

Definitely would have gone for a different angle.

The tone in the picture is really grimy, dirty...i am not sure it works to convey the "beauty" (subjective) of the subject matter, that is....the pregnant female form.

vectra

I am not a photography expert but I do know a bit about females

TBH,
She looks like someone hugely overweight rather than pregnant

Tallon

As mean as it sounds, I agree with everyone else, very unflattering.
You need to have a lot more curves to define her womanly figure

Dublin141

I agree that the shot isn't the most flattering (not everyone wants flattering by the way, a lot want realistic) but I can put a bit of that at least down to the way the baby is lying. It can be difficult to get that perfectly round and obvious shape that we associate with pregnancy when the baby is constantly moving around.

I like the grimy look to it but again people tend to associate a more softer, femine look to those shots.

I've never met anyone who has had a "real" belly shot done. I have lots of pictures of my own belly during pregnancy (especially on the twins purely for the freakishness factor) but never in any way professionally done. I think it's kinda cool.

smelltheglove

Its different anyway but I'm afraid also unflattering, I didnt read and looked at the pic and didnt initially realise she was pregnant.

I am fond of pregnant shots too although I havent found anyone pregnant to pose nude YET, but I tend to go for the couple both holding the belly together.

Did you by any chance get any more shots?

Ricky91t

vectra wrote: »

I am not a photography expert but I do know a bit about females

TBH,
She looks like someone hugely overweight rather than pregnant

I was going to say this,But didn't want to,The angle as said is very unflattering,I've seen shots of women pregnant in random flickr groups and they are much nicer that this(Mostly standing too)

trooney

She looks more American than up the duff :eek:

Fenster

trooney wrote: »

She looks more American than up the duff :eek:

She's also my wife, so go easy on the personal remarks.

I grasp what yer all saying about the angles, background and general appearance. Most of the shoot came from similar angles as I was simply trying to strongly emphasis the belly itself, but I did come away with some newfound knowledge about lighting.

I guess a reshoot is in order.

Tallon

Fenster wrote: »

I guess a reshoot is in order.

Worked out well then :pac:
Enjoy it, and put all the attention on her

maddogcollins

Personally Lighting and angle need to be worked on.

The lighting in the photo seems perfect for a half in light half out of light picture. With the half in light being the bump! Maybe a little less grain also. A clean/clear image would put across a nicer image.

If you like the angle being used, maybe have her lie a little flatter down..that will emphasise the bump more. Personally when i look at the image im drawn towards the face rather than the bump. this is because the area around the head is dark and the face is well lit. If that effect could be gotten on the belly it could work this way. Also move slightly to the right of the body more so than straight on.

smelltheglove

Well since its your wife you can do as many re-shoots as possible. I would recommend though at one stage setting the camera on a tripod hopefully you have a shutter release or can set a timer, then you could actually kneel in front of her belly and kiss it, but have this in silhouette if possible as well as a black and white normal shot and I reckon it would be amazing!

trooney

Fenster wrote: »

She's also my wife, so go easy on the personal remarks.

I grasp what yer all saying about the angles, background and general appearance. Most of the shoot came from similar angles as I was simply trying to strongly emphasis the belly itself, but I did come away with some newfound knowledge about lighting.

I guess a reshoot is in order.

No offence intended...

Fenster

trooney wrote: »

No offence intended...

Forgiven, forgotten.

mikeanywhere

Already said but the angle isn't the best and the corner is distracting too

AnCatDubh

Well to buck the trend ever so slightly here and give an alternate perspective, i'd say it is more original than most of what you see along this lifestyle type of photography so well done in terms of attempting to innovate.

You could go for an aesthetically nice 'bump shot' with the hands making a heart shape and well it would be done like a million times and all you could do would be to strive to get a technically perfect on the shot. Your end product here is gritty and slightly dark (in mood rather than lighting) and certainly more unusual for a maternity shoot than why you normally will see.

Does it work? Well it depends on what your expectations are of the end product. If a clean and technically perfect shot - grit-less and crisp, then absolutely not. If what you wanted from it was more towards the darker side of emotion then absolutely it does. If you were hoping for a stereotypical image then absolutely not, if attempting to innovate, be different, and try a new take on what is a common enough subject then absolutely does.

People have already mentioned the angle. I think the angle has potential if the pose was different. Not sure how amenable your model would be to move this here or that there, but from such an angle i'm thinking you need to stretch the body such that the back becomes arched in the other direction i.e. bump extended out front. I expect this should have the effect of tightening the skin generally and extenuating the wonderful female form/curves. Shooting from a low angle you also may need to elongate the neck to eliminate the double chin that we all get when we look down. The way you've shot the model, she's slightly poised forward which is going to leave skin looser than if it were posed something like what's outlined above.

For me, its an interesting take on an increasingly popular theme that doesn't quite hit the mark but shows a lot of promise. Although, in my opinion, I don't think the end result of where you are heading with it will receive the popular vote. Having said that I don't think having the popular vote particularly matters.

mikeanywhere

AnCatDubh wrote: »

For me, its an interesting take on an increasingly popular theme that doesn't quite hit the mark but shows a lot of promise. Although, in my opinion, I don't think the end result of where you are heading with it will receive the popular vote. Having said that I don't think having the popular vote particularly matters.

I concur!

sineadw

Like An Cat said, I think its cool to see someone doing something in this ilk that's not cheesy. I'm not sure I'd have been able to physically do it, but arching the back and putting the head back would deffo work better for the angle. Maybe with an arm outstretched to create a long, flowing line. I think that might work well with the curves. It could be an interesting full body shot too. She just might not be able to get up again!

I'd love to have a pregnant woman to work with. Just not me

OT: How long now?

humberklog

Remarkable. I love the angles and light off and of the walls. There is absolute realness to the whole of the situation.
I think that once a pregnancy photo is mentioned then immediately the classic flattering poses spring to mind and how as a photographer you could approach enhancing the positives and the aspirational vanities that will make the model (and the notion of pregnancy and motherhood) feel sexy, beautiful and radiant.
I think your photo shows the other side. The couple on a moment on their own. Dishes stacked in the sink, socks hanging over the laundry basket, damp towel hanging over the back of an armchair.

It capture perfectly one of those "lie down with me for a minute" moments in the day you both need in the last trimester.

mrmac

Well said humberklog. I was waiting to see how this thread would develop; hoping that someone would put their neck out!

Fenster - I think it's a GREAT shot. It's one of those rare images, that shows the viewer a glimpse of a, wonderfully personal, moment in time. The look of contented happyiness on the ladies face is hypnotic and infectious. I think you'll really treasure this shot, for years to come.

In my opinion, a re-shoot is not required, unless you want to go for nicey-nicey staged shots?

Fenster

mrmac wrote: »

Well said humberklog. I was waiting to see how this thread would develop; hoping that someone would put their neck out!

Fenster - I think it's a GREAT shot. It's one of those rare images, that shows the viewer a glimpse of a, wonderfully personal, moment in time. The look of contented happyiness on the ladies face is hypnotic and infectious. I think you'll really treasure this shot, for years to come.

In my opinion, a re-shoot is not required, unless you want to go for nicey-nicey staged shots?

I want to reshoot with more accessible angles and better lighting just to see what I might achieve. I ideally want an empty room with bay windows and heavy drapes I can use to control the light coming in.

I have a few more shots to upload, but I'm letting the subject (wife) vet them before I use them.

mrmac

Fenster wrote: »

.... I ideally want an empty room with bay windows and heavy drapes I can use to control the light coming in.

When you find that location, let me know, sounds great!

Fenster wrote: »

.... I have a few more shots to upload, but I'm letting the subject (wife) vet them before I use them.

Wise move.

Fenster

mrmac wrote: »

When you find that location, let me know, sounds great!

I doubt it'd do you much good as I live in the USA.

Fenster

I've added a few more. Once again, I that we were limited by the setting. Ah well.

http://www.newworldphotos.net/blog/archives/1065/

(click for larger image. Be warned - nudity!)