[LargeFormat] Those Sort of Pictures

[george day]

Uncle Dick,

Many, but not all...?  I'm doubled in pain reading this -- and will save it
for my wife.  Perhaps she would like to respond personally!

As for the alcohol, well, I have received a request for to smuggle at least
one very cold beer into the hospital.  Luckily, she is usually the one
putting epidurals into people's backs at that very establishment, so the
staff will luck the other way.  Or incur her wrath.

And what's wrong with the steel works look?  Everyone knows that's how we
can best show off our command of complex metering situations -- the portrait
subject really is irrelevant to that accomplishment, eh?

Your faithful servant, always

On 4/19/02 6:55 PM, "rstein" <rstein@bigpond.net.au> wrote:

> Dear Friends,
> 
>    I noted the phrase from Pete Calouri's post and was delighted - it
> would make the perfect book or exhibition title. May I have it for future
> use, Pete?
> 
>   On the subject of pregnancy pictures - or 101 uses for stretch marks - I
> have compiled a series of short notes. You must decide for yourselves which
> are applicable in your studios. Remember who wrote them....
> 
> 1.    Pregnancy is a hot sweaty time. No, not just the first half hour - the
> whole lot. Put the air conditioning on so you subject will not frizzle under
> the lights. If you are using constant lighting or if your strobe pack is the
> equivalent of an atomic pile, consider turning it down to reduce the temp.
> 
> 2.     Many of your pregnant subjects will be female. Expect a little more
> emotion than your average businessman having an office shot. Be nice.
> 
> 3.    Offer refeshments but avoid alcohol, whipped creams and soft cheeses
> in dips, pates, or shellfish. Fruit is good and melons extra good. Pregnant
> women can eat inordinate amounts of melon.
> 
>   Again, you can offer coffee, tea, Bonox, or whatever, but remember that
> by the time the lady comes to see you her bladder capacity has been
> restricted by having to share space with a passenger. Thus if you fill her
> up with 2 cups of tea expect the session to be interrupted 3 times. 3 cups
> of tea equates to 7 interruptions and with 4 cups you might as well set the
> tripod and lights in the toilet.
> 
> 4.     What to wear? Well, your subject may want to do a Demi Moore and sit
> on a velvet-covered posing stool and all you need there is lighting and
> makeup. A more discrete semi Demi can be done by wrapping the lower parts in
> velvet, leaving the tum exposed, and getting the lady to wrap her arms about
> her upper portions.
> 
>   Gauzey fabrics are good, as are shiny satins and velvets as body drapes.
> Underwear can be wrapped so that it becomes almost a costume. Bed jackets,
> kimonos, housecoats - provided they are satiny and elegant - are also a good
> look. If there are any belly dance shops around your area check out the
> headdresses and chain belts.
> 
>   Saris are also a very good garment - long lengths of decorated cloth
> that can be wrapped elegantly. In Oklahoma you can even get one with a
> fringe on the top.
> 
> 5.     Poses? Well, most of the poses involve a stomach - a rather large
> stomach. If yours is larger than hers you wear the sari and let her take a
> picture of you....but otherwise try for profile shots, 3/4 shots, side
> recliners, and so on. A back shot is generally not rewarding. Remember that
> bosoms swell as well, which is swell....
> 
> 6.    Props and set? Elegant furniture, of the beddy or loungey variety. A
> chair with swooping curves to echo her swooping curves. Sweeping drapes.
> Rotund urns and vases. Flowers, ferns, feathers. Outdoor in a well manicured
> garden.
> 
>   Corny, yes, but this is a specialized image. You don't want to make the
> set look like the Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari or the Bethlehem Steel Works in
> Pittsburg.
> 
> 7.     Film? Colour neg for preference - wedding contrast is best if you're
> going to diffuse the image. Standard speed monochrome for a little variety
> is good too.
> 
> 8.    Camera? The one you have, silly. Large format to the fore, men. You
> aren't going to need dozens of images as your setting a posing can be done
> with such care - so you can afford to splash out on a few more sheets of
> film.
> 
> 9.    Lens? Whatever. I use a Symmar S 150 and an Imagon 250 for the soft
> focus and I am a happy man.
> 
> 10.  Other people on the set? Good, if it is one lady friend of the sitter
> or one makeup girl. Acceptable if it also includes the ladies' partner. Bad,
> if it is 4 friends and their children and the bloke who is in to repair the
> oven. This is a semiclad pregnant lady, folks, so be sensible.
> 
> 11.  Labour pains? Next time schedule the shoot at the 7 1/2 month schedule.
> Go boil some water and get a lot of clean towels. You are going to be busy
> for a while.
> 
>    Well, I hope this helps the budding prenatal photographer. It has
> worked for me. I'm off in the afternoon to picture yet another - this time
> one with twins.
> 
>   Uncle Dick
> 
> PS: See, I can write sensible things when I want to. The secret is to find a
> subject that you know and love. All the rest can be nonsense.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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