Maternity Shoot Advice

[Gina9942]

I am shooting my cousin this weekend, she's about 37 weeks pregnant. I have a Nikon D80 and the Sb-600 Speedlight. I am shooting at her house, and they just moved so I am not sure what the lighting situation is.

I was thinking of going to BH to get a stand for my flash and an umbrella, are these needed? Otherwise I was thinking of just taking a white piece of foam core and bouncing my SB-600. Which way works best, if we assume she has just regular lighting?

Also I recently read that the 18-55mm lensis better than the 50mm for portraits, is this true? I adore my 50mm and I was going to use that primarily but bring the others of course, just in case, but now I am thinking maybe I will use the 18-55 primarily and see how that goes.

[zona5101]

Nothing wrong with leaving your sb600 on camera but swivel/bouncing it into the formcore. You get softer, difused light and have more control than bouncing it off walls and ceilings in the enviornment. Downside is you need a helper to hold your formcore.
If you decide to go get a stand and umbrella, your D80 has a commander mode so you can fire the sb600 remotely without buying separate triggers. If you go that route you'll need a stand, a bracket and umbella. You can buy the whole shebang as a kit from B&H.

I think with the addition of flash you could shoot either lens without issue, deciding which lens based on how you want the image framed.
Good luck and have fun.

[Benji]

DO NOT use a new lighting technique, a new lens, in a location that you are unfamiliar with as there are simply too may variables. You want to have as much control over everything as you can possibly get.

Right now I would go to her home at the same time you plan on shooting her and look at the different locations in the home and decide where you will be shooting, what the lighting conditions are, and try and determine what problems you will incur then take steps to make sure you have no surprises on the day of the shoot. I would even ask her to pose for you in a couple of test situations so you can see if there are going to be problems. What will she be wearing? Does the background match what she will be wearing? What is she expecting from the shoot? Has she picked out some poses? Can both of you do those poses as shown?

Double check all camera settings before the shoot. Shoot in manual and in Raw. Shoot a gray card for perfect white balance. She will want results not excuses.

Benji

[lputman]

I couldn't agree with Benji more! Good luck!

[Gina9942]

Originally Posted by Benji

DO NOT use a new lighting technique, a new lens, in a location that you are unfamiliar with as there are simply too may variables. You want to have as much control over everything as you can possibly get.

Right now I would go to her home at the same time you plan on shooting her and look at the different locations in the home and decide where you will be shooting, what the lighting conditions are, and try and determine what problems you will incur then take steps to make sure you have no surprises on the day of the shoot. I would even ask her to pose for you in a couple of test situations so you can see if there are going to be problems. What will she be wearing? Does the background match what she will be wearing? What is she expecting from the shoot? Has she picked out some poses? Can both of you do those poses as shown?

Double check all camera settings before the shoot. Shoot in manual and in Raw. Shoot a gray card for perfect white balance. She will want results not excuses.

Benji

I was going to shoot what I know, I do know how to use an umbrella, I just don't own one, and besides what is family for if not to practice on. I have a binder that I call my "Inspiration" I have some ideas planned and I am hoping for some to just come to me while there. It's family so I am not too worried. I always start freaking out before I take someone's pics because I am very hard on myself and I want it to go just right, some might also say that I am a control freak I know it's going to be great. But as a side note, what size foamcore do you recommend? I am going to call the sign shop and get it form there as I used to design for them so they will give me a better deal than a craft store. I can get as big as 4'x8' but I think that's way too big. I am def going to take your advice about the grey card and bouncing off the foamcore.

As far as backgrounds I have this stand that i am going to bring that I can attach different backgrounds to (sheets) it does the job and it's portable.

I ALWAYS shoot raw and manual, I was taught old school on a purely manual camera with no auto settings whatsoever!! It's the best way to go

Thanks for the advice, you always seem to know what is going on in this crazy world de photography!

[zona5101]

The foamcore as a reflector will be your light source...so the bigger the better and softer...but that comes at a price...its harder to move around and more dificult to keep the light only where you want it. I would think a nice 2x2 foot piece should work well and not be too unweildy for your assistant to hold...

[Benji]

The rule on reflectors is it should be the same size or larger than what you are photographing. So a head and shoulders image needs a reflector that is about 2 x 2. A full length shot of a woman that is 5 feet 5 inches tall should be at least 6 x 4. White is good for closeup shots, bouncing a flash unit off of, or in dappled sunlight. For inside available light shots a silver reflector works best as this light is softer. White reflects about 90 to 92% of the light that strikes it, silver about 96 to 98%!

I use a homemade reflector made out of silver "Cracked Ice." Cracked Ice Streamers, Cracked Ice Fabric Rolls it costs about $35.00 for a 47 inch wide by 25 foot long roll. I would take the end and sandwich it between two 1 x 4 pieces of four foot long lumber. Drill a 3/8ths round hole underneath in the center and hang it from a light stand. Lay the roll on the floor and lift the stand up to the ceiling. After the shoot roll it back up!

Benji

[Gina9942]

I ended up getting a 4' X 8' and I had them cut it down the middle then duct tape it so I can fold it for easy transport. It was cheap since I used to work for them, and I think it will work well. I think I am going to have them coat one side in vinyl to make it a light subtractor.