Maternity Shoot: Have a maternity shoot coming up soon and would like to know which lens would be best. Canon 18-55mm or 75-300mm. Photo shoot will be outside. Should I do early...

lively99

Have a maternity shoot coming up soon and would like to know which lens would be best. Canon 18-55mm or 75-300mm. Photo shoot will be outside. Should I do early morning or at sunset. I'M using a Canon T3.what should my setting be

dino21 Loc: McAllen, TX

Ideally, the morning shot would be best. You are trying to capture the "beginning of life" as represented by the sunrise, not the "end of life" which would be the "sunset" of life. This is of course wholly symbolic and you would be better off working around the "Mothers" liking and abilities.

lively99

Thanks, that was my idea also to go with early morning.

MSW

i'd go with the morning, when folks are less tired, less cranky, and the whole deal is much more likely to go smoothly.

good luck with your gig - these deals (when i was doing it) either go smooth-as-silk or they're a total nightmare … hope your is the former :)

tdekany Loc: Oregon

lively99 wrote:

Have a maternity shoot coming up soon and would like to know which lens would be best. Canon 18-55mm or 75-300mm. Photo shoot will be outside. Should I do early morning or at sunset. I'M using a Canon T3.what should my setting be

Take both lenses

https://www.traciejeanphoto.com/belly-inspired-maternity-photography/

http://ljhollowayphotography.com/maternity/

http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/5259/shoot-maternity-photos/

toxdoc42

Is it a contract or someone you know personally? Some of the best photos I ever took of my wife were when she was pregnant. That was 40 years ago, shot in black and white. They were classy nudes.

BebuLamar

Ultrasound camera?

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

lively99 wrote:

Have a maternity shoot coming up soon and would like to know which lens would be best. Canon 18-55mm or 75-300mm. Photo shoot will be outside. Should I do early morning or at sunset. I'M using a Canon T3.what should my setting be

If you have "a shoot" to do but don't know the most basic of fundamentals of photography, then maybe just pass on it?

Try just practicing shooting and gaining experience for a year or two and THEN decide to "have a shoot".

To me that makes much more sense. Practice is free and you don't have anything serious hinging on your ability to deliver.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

Is this a US. thing? Never heard of it over here in the UK. What will be the next 'Must have record'?...……...The conception??

CO

If using the 18-55mm, try not to use wide angle settings, especially when close up. If using wide angle settings close up you'll get too much distortion (the big nose syndrome). Try to keep the focal length at 50mm or longer. A 35mm focal length could be OK if your not too close to your subject.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

lively99 wrote:

Have a maternity shoot coming up soon and would like to know which lens would be best. Canon 18-55mm or 75-300mm. Photo shoot will be outside. Should I do early morning or at sunset. I'M using a Canon T3.what should my setting be

Morning with both lenses, but I bet you'll find the 18-55mm more useful. Of course, if she doesn't want you anywhere near her, than you'll be shooting at the 300mm range.

I would prefer morning because shooting at the end of the day means waiting around all day, getting tired and nervous - both you and the subject.

johnpolizzi

It sounds like you've never done this before. Speak with the client and be up front about your level of experience, and offer to either do it no charge for the experience, or to charge only if the client loves the photos. Having said that, use the 18-55 @ 55mm & wide open aperature. Shoot close as you can to the subject and choose a background that is far enough behind the subject to be defocused. Slightly under expose to preserve highlights. It's easier to recover shadows than blown out highlights. Good luck.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

Also, search on You Tube for Maternity Photography and you will see some ideas for poses, etc.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

lively99 wrote:

Have a maternity shoot coming up soon and would like to know which lens would be best. Canon 18-55mm or 75-300mm. Photo shoot will be outside. Should I do early morning or at sunset. I'M using a Canon T3.what should my setting be

With due respect and meaning no insults, how on earth can any of us give you settings? Are you asking about ISO, f stop, shutter speed, what. We have no idea if you will be inside or outside, flash/no flash. Is this a paying client, a friend, or are you the husband, sister, mother of the pregnant mom etc.

As for lenses either/both will work depending on what type of photos you will be shooting.

Others have offered some good suggestions but nothing I have seen on specific settings.

Dennis

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

I'm not trying to be snarky here but if you don't know what setting to shoot with maybe you shouldn't be doing the job. If your doing a favor for a friend, my apologies. That being said maybe she should hire a pro...just saying.
The advise I will give you - Maternity shoots can be rather intimate and personal so if your shooting in a public place - morning is best when it's quite and less people are around. Being in California I get allot of requests for beach shoots at sunset so my question to the client is "does it bother you if there is a crowd watching the shoot" and I also tell them that I cannot guarantee that there won't be other people caught in the background because inevitably there will be hundreds gathered to watch the sunsets there. I wish you luck regardless.

lively99 wrote:

Have a maternity shoot coming up soon and would like to know which lens would be best. Canon 18-55mm or 75-300mm. Photo shoot will be outside. Should I do early morning or at sunset. I'M using a Canon T3.what should my setting be