Beyonce’s Twin Maternity Photo Shoot

***OK.  I am going to clear up any misconception IMMEDIATELY that this is a post is about bashing the image or the photographer that created it.  It is not.  Period.  It is a personal critique of the image and my own personal thoughts and feelings about this image.  This is also NOT my image and I am not claiming it as.***

A Photographer’s Personal Style

Every single photographer on the planet has a different vision for their photography product.  I lean towards more of a Fine Art styling and approach because I prefer more of a dramatic and rich looking image.  I like heavy shadows and using light to sculpt vs. just having it illuminate the subject.  It is personal preference and as all artists travel down a winding road of MANY different style and genres we eventually settle (at least for awhile) on something that makes us feel whole (until we get bored again).

Today on Facebook I noticed on one of my wonderful Canadian peer’s business page an image of Beyonce’s Twin Maternity announcement she posted on Instagram.  First off, I want to send a HUGE congratulations to the couple.  A multiple pregnancy is an amazing event – I should know after having beautiful Girl/Boy/Girl triplets four years ago.  It is a pregnancy that will hopefully have more ups than downs and will produce two little people at the end that are loved and cherished like all children should be.  I hope that she takes it easy and recognizes that twins are not a singleton and while many ladies go through pregnancy with one child with very little distress, multiple babies can create a whole new experience for everyone.

I have one word for this image…

Now – down to business.  I have one feeling immediately when I look at Beyonce’s Twin Maternity image she posted online.  I am not sure if it has a word – other than confusion – but it feels like confusion mixed with more confusion and an awkward laugh.  Beyonce would look gorgeous wearing a garbage bag and yesterday’s lunch on her head – she is glowing and perfect like usual.  The rest of the picture though looks like an image pulled off www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com.  What do I mean by that?  Read on…

The Setting?

The setting for Beyonce’s maternity image is confusing and bizarre – which makes me wonder if there is a personal connection to it or if it was really just created and conceptualized for marketing intentions.  As one person quoted online I read “she has all the money in the world and this is what she announced twins with”.  I think we can all agree that anything Beyonce touches usually is elegant, full of class and is extremely precise.  Beyonce’s maternity image has all the ear marks of lack of vision, too many props and fake flowers.  This isn’t her style.  Not even in the slightest.

The Wardrobe

Again, I am not writing this to be rude or mean, but looking at this image over and over makes me think that wardrobe was lost and someone ran quickly to a thrift store and pulled together ‘something’.  What the hell is going on with the green scarf over her head???  WTF.  I am so confused by this alone – yet it is trumped quickly by the maroon colored bra and blue panties?  Nothing matches, nothing coordinates as far as color, style or texture.  Again – this is as far out of left field as anyone could have imagined coming from the Queen of Class herself.

Who took this image?

I have a feeling that this is going to start a trend – but I am scared it is going to start a trend for the wrong reasons and leave a lot of women feeling regretful as the years go on looking back on their images.  Speculation is that it is Terry Richardson – a photographer that has worked a lot with her in the past and is highly revered.  This is where the danger starts to lurk – you have a mega star like Beyonce normalizing a style that the public has been mocking for several years since the term ‘fauxtographer’ was born.  The technicality of this image seems spot on from what I can see – things look good as far as the image goes, but it was intended to look kitch, cheap and amature – likely to get people talking.

Good job.  People are talking.  No one won’t be talking about Beyonce’s Twin Maternity photography session anytime in the future.

Would Suzanne Taylor Photography ever take an image like this?

Here is the reality of the photography business.  If you have selected me to take your image, I have to make the assumption that you are selecting me based on excellent word of mouth, my portfolio or another reason I have worked hard to perfect over the last 10 years.  If you want an image like this to remember your pregnancy by – sure.  I would love to give you the memory of something you think is entertaining, funny and memorable.  However I will also want to take some more elegant pictures of your maternity session in either Calgary or Red Deer so that you can also have those to look back on and love forever.

The fact is Beyonce is a bizzillionare.  No joke.  She can afford a new photoshoot every single hour of her life forever if she wanted – no question about it.  I have ZERO doubt that this session did not have more of her usual styled images as well and perhaps this was something at the end.  She looks to me like she is only in her first trimester – possibly the start of her second and she has plenty of time to go – especially when she is more pregnant and showing much more than she is presently.  Keep that in mind if this idea is randomly appealing to you all of a sudden and if you hate how your ’80’s glamor image turns out, you may or may not be in a position to reshoot it.

Happiness is my goal

As a photographer that typically services the Red Deer and Calgary, Alberta area my main goal is to make sure you are happy with your shoot.  Part of your session fee is includes a questionnaire as well as planning opportunity to get to know each other and plan our your session so that you are happy.  Beyonce’s Twin Maternity session image is a show stopper – for many reasons – and will do EXACTLY what it was intended to do and draw an audience before the rest of the pictures are released.  Shooting an image like this would be fairly fun – from conception to birth (see what I did there) but for the record, Beyonce’s Twin Maternity shoot will go down in history forever – because she is famous and it is COMPLETELY for publicity.

Suzie
XO

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