Baby Bump in a Back Alley

[Sophie Dominique]

This photo is from a recent maternity shoot I did. Mostly looking for some feedback on the exposure and composition, and on my black and white conversion, although please feel free to share anything else you might notice!

Camera Canon 50D
Exposure 1/1000
Aperture f/6.3
Focal Length 53 mm
ISO Speed 2500 (We just came out from shooting inside a dark building, and I didn't bring it back down, my bad.)
Exposure Bias -0.3 EV

[SusanH1970]

Your exposure and conversion look great! Nice contrast, not muddy at all.

However, I'm not digging the composition/posing at all. The lighting is very flat, and mama's to be need shadowing. Please don't think I'm trying to be mean, I'm not at all, but she's got kind of a "beached whale" look going on with that dead-on pose and flat lighting. If she'd been sitting more at an angle facing dad with some shadowing and her hands in better placement rather than "clawlike" on the edges and perhaps one leg bent, her pose would have been much more graceful. Would have been nice to see a bit more connection, Dad's arm around her or one hand on her belly. He looks like he feels distant.

Again, your conversion is lovely, nice bright whites and dark blacks without blowouts or clipping, so kudos for you on that! I struggled with conversions for ages and it's nice to see a really good one here.

[Sophie Dominique]

Thanks for the feedback!
I see what you're saying about the pose.

It can be a struggle to let the couple act and pose naturally (which is what I did for this particular shot) but still guide them into graceful, flattering poses. I know I sometimes struggle with it, anyways! Sometimes I find my shots too posed, and other times they lack a bit of photographer guidance. So I really do appreciate your critique, very helpful!

[ReenaG]

I agree with Susan.....from this angle, she doesn't look preggo....just well .... you know.... overly plump.

Everything else looks good but if you hadn't of said she was preggo.......