The Art of Pregnancy Photography (26 page)

This image, entitled
Belly Basics,
is a simple classic maternity portrait, where you focus in on the side view of the belly. To capture this image, Jeff and Kathleen created a silhouette, lighting the subject from the side with a kicker light placed behind her.

Marketing
. Kathleen’s marketing efforts began with the implementation of her Lifetime Portrait Program. The program permits their wedding clients (who receive a complimentary membership) and portrait clients (to whom membership is available with a purchase) to receive complimentary portrait sessions for their lifetime. Dates, times, and locations are subject to availability and are determined at Kathleen and Jeff’s discretion. These sessions typically begin with an engagement session, then move to a wedding shoot. A maternity session is often scheduled some time later.

PROFESSIONAL REFLECTION

“[Pregnancy portraiture] is more rewarding than words can express.”
—Kathleen Hawkins

Kathleen and Jeff promote their lifetime client concept by showing maternity images, newborn portraits, a wedding portraits, and family portraits in displays presented in their community.

Kathleen and Jeff also use Marathon Press’s Marketing Partnership Program for direct mail targeted at parents-to-be within a specific income range living within specific zip codes. With the help of their customer loyalty program, their portrait client base increased by 28 percent in 2006, and 78 percent of their wedding clients booked a maternity session.

JUDY HOST

Background
. Judy Host, owner of Judy Host Photography, located in Danville, CA (thirty miles east of San Francisco), is one of Northern California’s leading portrait photographers. She has earned her Masters and Photographic Craftsman degrees from PPA, and her images are included in the association’s national exhibits. Judy has received three Kodak Gallery Awards (1999, 2000, and 2002) in recognition of her creativity and the pursuit of excellence in quality. Many of her images have been exhibited at Epcot Center and are part of a traveling loan collection.

In January 2004 and 2005, Judy was selected by the Hollywood Foreign Press to include a portrait session gift certificate in the presenter gift box for the Golden Globes. She has photographed Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Nicole Kidman, Mehki Phifer, William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, and many other celebrities and is currently working on a journal for
In Style
on the events leading up to the Golden Globes.

Photo by Amy Cantrell.

In January 2005, Judy traveled to Africa to photograph the presidents of Uganda and Rwanda and several orphanages in both countries. She also traveled to Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand to document the progress of Tsunami survivors. Currently, Judy is working with the Foundation for Healing Among Nations on a project called Our Soulful Nation.

This image was captured with a LensBaby, pointed directly into the window of the studio. The subject’s very pregnant body was covered with a beautiful green scarf with a fan blowing in her direction to keep it from falling off. Photo by Judy Host.

Judy spoke in Chicago in February 2007 for Pro Labs and also led a series of workshops on lighting and creating your own style for Brooks Institute in 2007.

Personal Satisfaction
. “I love what I do,” Judy shares. “I find running a business difficult when all I really want to do is create art.” Judy says that everyday when she wakes up, she is grateful to make a living doing what she loves to do!

Judy loves photographing pregnant women for many reasons. She feels that creating a portrait that emphasizes this time in a woman’s life is an honor. “There is a glow about a woman who is pregnant,” states Judy. She also notes, “It’s the start of a cycle of a relationship that you can’t put a price on. I tend to forget the importance of my place in my clients’ world. We are documenting the most precious times of their lives. I’m fortunate to do what I love for a living.”

Technical Tips
. Judy feels that there is no single focal length, lighting style, or presentation that works for every session. She feels that the best artistic approach (e.g., color or black & white, soft or dramatic lighting, focal length, etc.) for each subject or group is really just a matter of interpretation.

Marketing
. Looking for a novel marketing strategy, Judy designed a baby program for her clientele. The program included three portrait sessions; there was no expiration date, and the sessions could be used anytime and anywhere the client wished. The program offered three sessions for the price of one; this advantage made it easy for Judy to sell the program to her clients.

PROFESSIONAL REFLECTION

“Looking for a novel marketing strategy, I designed a baby program for my clientele.”
—Judy Host

To get the word out about the program, Judy used a listing service to obtain addresses of new moms living in specific zip codes. She then sent a single beautifully designed watercolor card to seventy to one hundred addresses each month. Her return was an average of 3 percent every month. She also created a display of her work, which was hung in a local medical building. The school charity auctions were also a great source of advertising and branding for her name.

Judy’s clientele is about 40 percent return customers because of the original baby program, which has enabled her to build a relationship with her customers and almost become one of the family. “It’s a wonderful way to do business. It’s also a wonderful referral base,” Judy shares.

Judy reports that her business changes constantly. She finds herself always looking to create new products to sell. “You can only own so many canvas portraits,” she adds. Offering new products to your existing client base helps you test the water. Judy always asks for feedback and wants to know what other products her clients may like. She also makes it a point to attend seminars, workshops, and conventions to gain insight into what’s new in the market.

INDEX

A

Adobe Photoshop, 8, 70–78

actions, 8, 60, 64, 85, 88, 103

Angle of view, 34, 56–57

Artistic effects, 74–75, 78–89

Assistants, 18, 59, 108, 118

B

Backgrounds, 25–26, 67, 68

lighting, 67, 68

selecting, 25–26

Borders, digital, 79–80

C

Candid images, 16

Caylor, Carl, 113–15

Children, 19–20, 43, 45–46

five- to seven-year-olds, 45

older children, 43, 45–46

toddlers and preschoolers, 45

Clark, Gigi, 115–18

Clients, 14–20, 90–101

attracting, 90–101

connecting with, 14–20

repeat, 98

Clothing, 9, 12

Color, 54–55, 62

casts, 62

harmony, 54–55

wheel, 55

Comfort, 9, 14, 40–44

clothing, 9

fathers, 40–44

(Comfort, cont’d)

physical, 14

temperature, 14

Composite images, 80–89

Composition, 34, 51–57

angle of view, 56–57

balance, 51–52

C curves, 54

color harmony, 54–55

leading lines, 53–54

lighting and, 55

relative size, 52

rhythm, 52–53

rule of thirds, 53

S curves, 54

Consultation, 7, 10, 12, 14, 97

Creative effects,
see
Artistic effects

D

Dads,
see
Fathers

Due date, 11, 83

DVD, 102

E

Expressions, 16, 19, 20, 31, 45, 47, 50, 54, 85, 101

F

Fabrics, selecting, 24–25

Fantasy images, 80–89

Fathers, 40–44, 108

Filters, digital, 74–75, 78–79

H

Hawkins, Kathleen and Jeff, 118–20

Home sessions, 9–11, 58–63

advantages, 9–10

furniture, 11

window light, 9

Host, Judy, 120–21

I

Image, business, 90–91

K

Kubota, Kevin, 103–5

Artistic Actions, 8, 60, 64, 85, 88, 103

L

Lee, Terri, 107–9

Lighting, 58–69

backgrounds, 67, 68

broad, 67

butterfly, 67

equipment, basic, 65

45-degree,
see
Lighting, Rembrandt

hair, 67, 68

hard, 58, 62

high key, 10

loop, 67

low key, 10

modifying, 58, 62, 65

(Lighting, cont’d)

Paramount,
see
Lighting,

butterfly

profile, 68