Tips on Photographing Children
Many people got started in photography because they wanted to capture moments with their children. They grow up so fast that many people simply want to freeze time in place just long enough to savor the moment of innocence and playfulness that comes with childhood. Therefore, they buy a digital camera to take some snapshots and…voila…they get bit by the shutter bug. Children are still the subject matter of many photos the world around, but there is something that tends to set some apart from others. Here are a few tips to help you get the right shot of that special little person and capture the essence of who they are in the photo.
Move to Their Level
Most people tend to stand upright when taking pictures. When they see a photo of a child taken by an adult, it looks like the photographer is looking down on the kiddo. Most people don’t mind this in the least, because they are used to being taller than the kids and therefore it is simply business as normal. However, if you were to get down on your knees or on your stomach (for the really little ones) and start taking picture s from their level, you might be surprised at how different and powerful the images appear.
Cinematic Camera Angles
While still photography is not cinema or video, there is a commonality between the two visual mediums. In today’s world, most of us watch enough television and movies that we can recognize the language of camera angles without even knowing it. When we see a shot of a man sitting at a desk and the camera is above the subject, our subconscious relegates the subject to a less powerful position. When the camera is looking down on a subject, so does the viewer. Yet, if we were to take the same picture of the same man at a desk and the camera angle is lower, the camera is looking up to the subject. This gives the psychological impression of the man being powerful and important.
We can take the advice from the cinematic world in the area of camera angles. When we photograph children from above, we tend to depersonalize them just a bit. However, if we shoot level with the child or from underneath, we will communicate something totally different and it will capture the viewer’s attention because they are not accustomed to seeing children from these last two angles.
Action
Capturing the essence of anyone is difficult, but with kids, it isn’t as hard as some think. You have to make sure you are patient, but it is easy to get a child to tell you what they are thinking. Kids don’t have the verbal filters that most adults do, so they do say the darndest things. In order to capture their essence, you have to let them have fun and be entertained. In many cases, this will involve simply following the child around while they play while trying to get a few good shots. However, in a studio situation, you need to find creative alternatives with which to grab their attention and make them happy. It could be toys, sweets, jokes, sports, or whatever they are into. Your job is to find out what they are in to and then let them get excited about it. The more you do it the better at it you will become.
Kids Copy Adults
Whenever you are dealing with children in front of the camera, you should remember that if you feel stressed and it shows, they will begin to feel stressed too…and they will show it more than you will. Keeping your emotions under control while stressed is important. Making it look like you’re having fun is quite another thing indeed. It will take practice and you will fail at times, but the more you do it the better you will get. Remember that you got into photography because you loved it…it was fun. Make sure you’re having fun and the children will too.
Go Where the Kids Are
The best thing to do in order to capture stunning images of children is to go where they love to be. Find them at their best and capture the image they present. Most kids don’t do well being posed ‘just so’. They don’t like it at all. It makes them uncomfortable, impatient, unhappy, and “bored”, so make sure you do your best to eliminate all of those factors. The best way to do this is follow them around as they do what it is they do. Children will play, laugh, and have some of the most priceless expressions imaginable when they are in their element. Find what it is they love, take them to it, and all you have to do is sort the photos at the end of the day.
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Trackback URL | Comments RSS FeedGreat article! and I love photos you chose for this.