Help!! First Time Maternity Shoot

[grumpdogg]

I need some help. I am a very amateur photographer and would consider myself still on the learning end. My wife and her best friend are both pregnant and they want me to take some maternity pictures of them together this weekend. My wife and I took maternity pictures together with a pro this past weekend, but I don't have the slightest clue how to pull this off and have the pictures look great.

I am assuming they will want to have the pictures taken in a park somewhere so it will be natural light. Any suggestions on how I should have them pose? Also, what is the best focal length to use in portrait-type shoots?

[kbradley88]

I don't have any advice on poses, but make sure you soot RAW, as this will give you the greatest flexibility in fixing any issues you have with mistakes you make in your camera settings.. Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, most likely.

[digirebelva]

I would look at other posts that have maternity shots in them for idea on poses...maybe the 3 of you could then decide which ones you like best...as a start

[lputman]

flickr is a great resource for posing inspiration...

Maternity posing inspiration group

Our Pregnancy

are just a few.

[grumpdogg]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have taken all of them and started prepping. I think I will do alright. I figure if I take enough shots there will be some they really like. I will try to post at least one of the pics from the shoot.

[grumpdogg]

Thanks for all the help. I finally made it back here to post one of the pics from the shoot.


Shooting Info:
f/stop: f/11
Exposure: 1/80 sec.
ISO: 200

[abarickman]

This is a nice shot. Was this your favorite from the shoot?

[grumpdogg]

It was one of their favorites. It was a crazy hour or so trying to get the shots. the whole time I was just hoping in the back of my mind that they would turn out okay. One of these days I will pop into a class on Photoshop and finishing images, but until then I just have to hope I can take good enough pics that I don't have to do too much retouching.