If I could guess on what the most popular subject in most people's photos is, it is probably children. Aside from the fact that they are cute 100 percent of the time (especially your own), they are constantly growing and we want to capture every second of the process before they grow up to be snooty teenagers.
To get the best photos we can of our children, there are a few guidelines and tips that we can follow to make the results more enjoyable and also to help us keep our sanity:
1. Patience- Probably one of the biggest things to have when doing just about anything with children. Kids don't photograph too well when you force them into it. They don't want to hold still. They are kids. Your job is to keep them in their element and then get the shots that capture that mood. If you lose patience, then you are going to be miserable every time.
2. Build Trust- This is probably easy with your own kids, but other people's kids are not going to be natural around someone they don't know or are wary of. You can build trust with a child by speaking to them in a friendly, not asserting tone. Unless you're going for the "I don't think I trust you" look, then you might want to take the time to get to know the kids before chasing them around with your camera.
3. Get down on their level- Let's face it. As adults we seldom see children from any angle but from above them. Shooting down on children emphasizes their smallness, but in some cases can make a boring or uninteresting photo. Try getting down on your knees and capturing them in the world as they see it, or even better, get down on the floor and shoot up at the kids. This exaggerates their size and makes them look tall and "in charge", which is a perspective many people never see.
4. Try not to invade their space unless you are invited- If you are shooting a child that doesn't know you well, it might be best to keep a good distance from them and take your shots. Most kids will give you more personality to photograph if you let them play and do their thing. Jumping into their world uninvited may not only make them feel awkward, but also change the way they present themselves in front of a camera (see #2).
5. Know how to use your shutter- Unless you are photographing newborns, chances are that kid is gonna move. And boy do they ever! In these cases, you will want to use the fastest shutter that your camera will allow in the light that you have to freeze their actions (if that is your goal). Outdoors, I recommend at least 1/250th of a second or more. Indoors, I would try to keep it near 1/125th of a second or faster if you can. Sometimes the light situation won't allow this without flash, so be prepared to deal with that as well.
6. Have fun!- I admittedly forget about this tip most of the time. I get so caught up in trying to get good shots that I tend to remove myself from their activity. The next thing you know, they are bored and you are frustrated. Kids love to play. Sometimes they require you to be a part of that play. Who knows, you might have so much fun that you might forget about pictures, which isn't always a bad thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment