digital photography basics
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Basic Digital Photography Tutorial On Photographing Children
If you like photographing children, it can be both rewarding and profitable. Taking pictures of children is no easy task and if it\’s something you don\’t love doing, the child (or children) you are photographing will know, making it that much more difficult to get the shot you want.
Some of the most common techniques used in basic digital photography will not necessarily work when taking pictures of children. Telling a child to “freeze” or “hold it” will not make much sense to them. Children will often do as they please so it is the job of the photographer to anticipate what a child is about to do and be ready to capture it.
Photographing children takes a special skill, as most children (depending on age) will not always do what you ask of them. As a photographer, you need to know and understand that children will not always be cooperative just because they are going to have their picture taken. Photographing children may require a great deal of imagination on your part to get them to do what you need in order to capture a great picture. Sometimes, you may have to trick them into doing what you want them to do. Use whatever means necessary to get the shots you need.
Before booking basic digital photography sessions with children, you need to know both your camera equipment inside and out and what your own capabilities are in being able to get the best possible pictures. When photographing children, 100% of your focus is needed; there is no time to figure out the best lighting or what your camera can and can\’t do. Children\’s level of focus in a basic digital photography session can be limited at best thus you need to take complete advantage of the time you have to get their undivided attention to get the pictures you need. Rushing a child into what you want is also not the best approach. Getting their cooperation is key and that is best achieved when all attention is directed towards them.
When photographing children, expect anything and everything to happen. If you have a better understanding of the various behaviors of children at certain ages, it will go a long way to being able to capture the images you want thus increasing your financial gain. In addition, knowing what you can expect from a child at age two versus one at age five, will help in keeping your clients satisfied.
Unlike most other fields in basic digital photography, when taking pictures of children, you can expect to obtain a wide variety of poses, expressions, and behavior during the session. Be aware of different age groups: a 4-month-old baby will act differently that a 14-month-old one will. Learn how children of different ages respond. The more equipped you are to handle children of varying ages, the better pictures you will get.
Keep in mind that parents can play a key role when photographing children. They will be able to tell you certain things about their child that can go a long way to helping you through the picture session ultimately ensuring you obtain the best possible shots. Given most children have difficulty sitting through a basic digital photography session, you will not have time to win them over; knowing their likes and dislikes, their fears, their favorite things, to name a few, can be extremely helpful.
Make sure your camera is at the ready at all times- with children, you likely won\’t get a second chance to capture something they did unexpectedly.
While tripods are very effective in getting sharp shots, you may not have the luxury of using one when photographing children. Given children have difficulty sitting still, a tripod will only impede your ability to capture all that\’s going on at the same time. Your camera needs to be on a fast shutter speed (to prevent blurring) and ready to go at the blink of an eye.
There is no limit to what you can capture in a shot when photographing children; it can be anything from climbing on or out of something, to taking their shoes and socks off. The more experience you gain photographing children, the more you will know what works for different age groups.
There is no question that photographing children is a challenge. And just when you might start to feel comfortable doing it, along comes a new challenge – multiple subjects. Dealing with twins, triplets, etc. will really test your skills as child photographer! But don\’t worry, this is part of the job and over time you will learn tricks to keeping all your subjects engaged.
When capturing a child or children on film, get creative when trying to get their attention; use different techniques and use them quickly as you won\’t have the time to try again. Using a digital camera can help in this regard as there are no limits to the amount of exposures you can take and luckily, you can look at the pictures very quickly as you go.
Parents and older brothers and sisters can be of great assistance in a photo session with children. Children more often than not feel more comfortable when a parent and/or sibling is nearby. Siblings can often entice a child to laugh or make a face, enabling you to capture a better picture. In addition, parents may decide they want to include the sibling (or siblings) in the pictures ultimately allowing you to increase the photo package for the client. Tips for capturing children on film:
The more advanced you become as a child photographer, you will need to include both a lighting set-up and backdrop in the pictures. Typically, a three-light set-up (consisting of a main light and back light) are the best way to go. If you are still a novice photographer, you can still take quality photos with less. You can experiment as you go, trying out what works best to eliminate certain things such as shadows [if using a backdrop].
Be creative when photographing children: go to the beach, the park, or the backyard. There is no rule that says you are required to stay in the studio. Taking photographs outside eliminates the need for lighting; as long as you choose open shade, nature will do the work for you. Finally, keep a variety of items on hand to further capture the interest of the child or children you are photographing. Depending on the age of the child, toys, stuffed animals, snacks, hats, mirrors and dolls are just a few of the items that can a go a very long way in keeping the child\’s interest. Use your imagination, the possibilities are endless.
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