<<< o >>>emma and bump 23 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

The other day, I mentioned that I was working on a project involving baby photography. The project will include shots from late pregnancy through to babies around a year in age, and this is one of the series.

As for this one: this is Emma, currently almost 38 weeks pregnant and expecting her first child. And I'm especially pleased with how this one turned out as it was taken in our local hospital, in poor light, against a beige wall. Thank heavens for Photoshop ;-)

captured
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
2.17pm on 9/2/07
Canon 5D
EF 24-70 f/2.8L USM
46mm
f/4.0
1/85
manual
n/a
evaluative
100
580EX
RAW
C1 Pro
1x1
 
people [portraiture] + no print
comment by Arthur at 11:16 PM (GMT) on 10 February, 2007

f/34? At 1/85? I must get a 580EX... ;-)

Interesting to see some 'pure' B+W shots.

comment by nferreira at 11:20 PM (GMT) on 10 February, 2007

That's a fantastic project and I bet parents will be very happy to see those photos in the future.

comment by djn1 at 11:22 PM (GMT) on 10 February, 2007

Arthur: ok, I've corrected it ;-)

comment by thukai at 11:25 PM (GMT) on 10 February, 2007

Now this is great. Poor lighting? Beige wall? You've done a brilliant job, then :)

comment by Jennifer at 11:37 PM (GMT) on 10 February, 2007

Love it - Promise you won't do cheesy bare bump softly window lit; with partner trying to look hunky but loving, type shots ;-D

comment by jelb at 12:05 AM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Bonjour,
Nice portrait..Well done shot!...Chut!..Silence!

comment by Arthur at 01:20 AM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

:-)

Actually, I was trying to work out which direction you fired the flash in order to achieve such even, smooth light... head-on with a Sto-fen??

comment by Jide Alakija at 03:29 AM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Ever heard of the Lightsphere? Since you're doing some portrait work in harsh considitions it's a very good addition to your 580EX. Check it out on www.garyfong.com, I use it and it's really amazing.

comment by garyx at 09:40 AM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Nicely done. I like Emma’s choice of attire; it really helps make this shot, I think.

comment by Martin at 02:21 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

David, I like the overall compsosition in here. I would like to see this image in colour or coloured. The contrast is in my eyes a little bit to high [her right hand burns a bit]
Greetings, wish you the best !

comment by Matt at 02:24 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

I think the one criticism I would have for you that I've noticed in basically ALL your photos for the past while is about the shape of the photo. If thi's one's square, it shouldn't be. You tend to crop your photos into really awkward and uncomfortable shapes. Look up the golden mean ratio and play w that.

comment by silfver at 02:42 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Your photoshop skills are simply amazing. It would be cool to see this in it's original state. However. Lovely portrait as well.

comment by mdohoney at 03:36 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

I differ with critique of crop, at least for this image: the bump needs it's own space!
And the buttons make it work!

comment by Mikelangelo at 04:52 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Considering the environment it was captured in... fantastic. Nice job. I dig he composition, too. Nice. Almost beginning a yin/yang shape in the frame...

comment by col at 05:51 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

smashing shot..

comment by Rich at 06:22 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Mustn't continue looking..broody alarm ringing..

comment by P.J. at 06:46 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Great idea for a project and series. It's amazing more people thing of that as birth and life are an amazing topic. To show it in progression is very nice. Can't wait to see more.

Excellent image here. I like the framing and I like the blank background. Really works I think.

comment by djn1 at 07:35 PM (GMT) on 11 February, 2007

Thanks all.

Jennifer: I can't promise, but I can say that I think it's unlikely, and if I do, I probably won't post it here ;-)

Arthur: bounced off a wall and ceiling to the right. The lighting from the left is from a window.

Jide: thanks, and no I hadn't heard of it and may well get one.

Matt: I don't agree about the composition of this one, nor that my main aim has something to do with shape, but I am prepared to admit that what I do do may not be to everyone's taste.

comment by Robert at 12:02 AM (GMT) on 12 February, 2007

The out it goes great with her body shape, and amazing to think of the original scene being so different (as you described it).

comment by Dean at 09:48 AM (GMT) on 12 February, 2007

Of course...photography has rules, rules to break, otherwise nobody would ever pick up a picture as it's all been done before. I personally love the square crops, it's bold and Djn's style. Keep up the good work, we all have haters. Bring on the haters!

comment by Dean at 09:48 AM (GMT) on 12 February, 2007

That was meant to say "...ever pick up a camera" ;)

comment by Simon Goodchild at 12:56 PM (GMT) on 12 February, 2007

Come on Dave, show us the original! We can't appreciate the effort in Photoshop until you do!

PLLLLLEEEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSEEEEE!

comment by m at 10:43 PM (GMT) on 20 February, 2007

:-)