Relating mostly for taking decent photos of your child, this little list introduces the top things to consider to make your at-home photo-taking life easier. The goal is to capture emotion rather than making Kiddo sit and screech "CHEEEEESE!" then run off continuing to screech "NOOOOOO!".
This is a 3-year-old child running around and playing. No posing or bribing is necessary. But don't worry, I haven't met one young child yet that didn't throw a fit at some point. This image was taken between fits.
1.) Think like a 4-year-old. This works on Grandma and that one perpetually ticked-off uncle too.
Instead of saying "cheese" (if kids are involved) I like to have everyone say something ridiculous. Most kids love to get a free pass to yell "farts". They think it's extremely hilarious which, in turn, causes genuine smiles and laughing. Be sure to make what you are doing to seem excruciatingly serious. Get everyone together as you would like them according to balance and what looks good through your lens. Be sure to be serious and make everyone think this is going to be torture. This is crucial. Then slap them with "Okay, everyone... say FARTY POOP FART FART!" Kids go nuts.
2.) Don't Pose.
Dress your kids up. Dress your ticked uncle up. Take everyone to a park and let them run free. You will get the best and most genuine photos you are going to get this way. I pose minimally for groups but almost never for young children.
3.) Use your super zoom lens if you have one.
Often taking pictures of younger kids is like taking pictures of vicious lions in the wild. Letting them alone, staying far back and zooming in on faces is best. You get a better grade of emotion and less of the confused/annoyed look of having someone all up in their face.
4.) Avoid Mid-day.
If you are going outside, go very early after sunrise or just before sunset. Otherwise, you will get squints and a nose shadow.
5.) Don't Shoot Up.
The nose. Don't shoot up the nose. Not drugs. Nose. Kids are always looking up with head tilted back.
Which brings us to...
6.) Get on their level.
Get down on the ground, or if subjects are tall bring a stool. No up the nose shots.
7.) Chin Over the Shoulder Technique
If your subject is worried about their chin being saggy have them point a shoulder towards the camera and turn their face slightly over the shoulder so you aren't shooting them head-on. This one isn't for kids. It's more for Grandma.
8.) Don't Bribe.
Do NOT bribe your kids before you start taking their photos. All they will think about is ice cream and give you misery.
9.) Bounce the Light.
With your external flash point it backwards or sideways to bounce the light off the wall. Or even up to bounce off the ceiling. Anything but straight on, blinding people and creating shadows.
10.) Learn to Set Manual. Learn to Turn Off the Flash.
Setting your camera (DSLR) on manual makes all the difference. Using auto will generally give you what you have now... weird colors, washed out faces.
Try not to use the built in flash. Have bright lighting and avoid the built-in flash all together. Turn it off. You can find this information in your manual. You can turn the flash off on a point and shoot but I don't think you can set a point and shoot to manual. When you do turn the flash off on either camera (DSLR [the big fancy cameras] or Point and Shoot [like a Sony Cybershot]) make sure there is either good lighting or your subject can remain pretty still (or both) if you are at a VeggieTales concert indoors, for example.
Email any questions to zoeyphotography@hotmail.com with the subject: photo question and we will be happy to answer them under the { Ask the Photographer } tab on the blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment