This lady sought me out... not the other way around. I was scared to death to do this shoot and have already shed many many tears while off-loading my card. The house shots were a DISASTER! Even at ISO 1600 and 1.8 I couldn't get above 1/60 and they all look HORRIBLE!! On-location photogs make it look much easier than it really is.... I'm more scared about posting these here than I am to show her :mellow: Maybe I'm just meant to be MWAC..... :whistle: All take w/ d50 and 50 1.8 and ISO 200 varying ss and fstop but can look up later.....

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Few more

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Hello Maddie, 

I think you are being too hard on yourself!  These look great.  I do think the middle one with the brick could be a tad straightened using the brick lines as your horizontal if you haven't cropped this too much to lose more arm.  If so, it's just a picky preference thing.  On the B/W, Could use a tad more contrast as it looks like mostly a grayscale conversion from here.  Do you use channel mixer to do your conversions?  If so, try increasing the red channel in monochrome as well as the blue.  Just a thought.  Seriously though, these are pretty good for your first client!

Ooohhhh NO MAM!  You so do not get to cry or not like these at all!  I mean it!  

These are FANTASTIC!  I really really like #2 and the creative spin of it! 

The only critique that I have is that in #3 her skin looks "off" for lack of a better word, and that is just in comparison to the others!

But like I said, GREAT JOB with these!

Post some more!!!!!

These look great to me! Agree with the minor issues the previous posters pointed out, but all in all, I think she'd be thrilled with these. Maybe your indoor shots aren't nearly as bad as you think!

You are very mistaken.  I would be happy with these if that were me in the photo.  I'm sure she's going to love them. Really like the first three, but #2 is my fav. very unique shot.  You did a great shot.  Y don't you share a few of the indoor shots, so we can tell you how wrong you are.

thanks. The color cast is b/c of my monitor. I had it calibrated until munchkin head played w/ the contrast button this week. I tried to eye ball it... it looks good on my screen but I know I have to recalibrate now (thanks aiden!)

I would post some of the indoor but not a single picture came out - every shot is blurry. The indoor situation was really bad... talk about a DARK house!!!!!!

And for conversions - that's not greyscale. I I use grad map, soft light layer, color layer and curves. I'll bump up the contrast a bit and see what it looks like though.

These are all really good.. On the last one I would clone out the shiny stuff behind her head, my eyes go right to that.. But otherwise, she'll be thrilled.  Great job!

I agree w/ what was already pointed out...nothing to add there.  I love the perspective of #2...very unique shot!   The others are great too. I know what you mean about indoor available light being so difficult....sometimes it just doesn't work in a darker house w/ small windows!

 McKelle

These are seriously awesome! Stop beating yourself up and really look at these...that second shot is absolutely amazing!

These are fabulous!  #2 is a phenomenal image.  I am sure she is so glad she sought you out. 

bump... added 3 more....

I think they look great!

These are all great and I think that #2 rocks!

Great Pics!  I live in the Houston area and I will be calling you to shoot my maternity pics (when I get pregnant)!

Jessica

Jessica:

Great Pics!  I live in the Houston area and I will be calling you to shoot my maternity pics (when I get pregnant)!

Jessica

'Fraid I'll be here a while, so call away when you're ready :)

2, 5, 6 & 7 are my favorites.

You should really be proud of these.  Especially if its your first maternity. 

Uh... what did I miss on the name?  Lookin good.

Tammy

 These are pretty good shots.  Poses were flattering.  Face highlighted well.

My only gripe that her blouses gaped quite a bit (I am a guy, so I can't gripe at that part) and she seemed to be looking at her breasts rather than her tummy - which I what I am assuming was the intent.  Perhaps having the subject not tilt their head so much and/or stretching out the back a little more would help that.

Jim 

Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!  These are GREAT!  I want to do more maternity like these.  Everyone always want the studio shots and I want to do location fashion type maternity! 

Love em!

paulaporter:

Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!  These are GREAT!  I want to do more maternity like these.  Everyone always want the studio shots and I want to do location fashion type maternity! 

Love em!

Thanks Paula - that means A LOT to hear from you - I want to be Paula Porter when I grow up :)

These are wicked good!!!!

Absolutely stunning!  Those are my first reactions, but since this is the critique section, I went back to find something that needed tweaking, and the onlything is that altho I like that you chopped her arm and hands out, I wish there was just a hint of the hand in back visible. I like the slight bit of sleeve on the other arm being visible and you cropped that arm at a good place, but the other one is cropped at the wrist and a smidge of the hand would have settled that arm.  But,

having said that....that is just being nitpicky because its the critique section, its not a flaw at all really.

Great work!!

(and yes, I agree, on-location stuff is very hard...its nice to see other people's insight into it, I feel like I work very hard at it and my images are still just pedestrian and uninspired...)

Beautiful!

Chris

I think they are fabulous!  Great job!

Ha this "baby" is probably close to a year & a half already.

(but they are good pictures)

 Really like 2, 5 and 7. Great job she will love them.

 Sarah- These look awesome!  You did a really good job!  I struggle with maternity photos.