I often get asked about tips for photographing children. I have a photographer friend that replies “hire me to do it for you” to this question. I imagine -although he is a great photographer- you may not always want a middle aged guy accompanying you on all of your family outings. So here are a few tips:
- Start with some cute kids. Look under the coffee table-that’s where I often find mine. I would lend you D and G, but they have started noting their worth and therefor are charging modeling fees
- Decide to devote 20-30 minutes taking photos. But schedule that in a 2-3 hour period to be out and about. That way if one location (nap time, feeding time) isn’t working, just move to the next.
- FIND GOOD LIGHT. This means 1st and foremost: Turn off your flash. You may need to consult your camera manual, but the results will be worth it. You are now going to look for:
- a large area for play that is in Open Shade. (You can check out the lovely PioneerWoman Blog for some more on this) For example: The woods, the forest, or a wooded area (get the hint?). Or, for something different like below, the side of a building or under a tree (with lots of leaf cover). What you don’t want is to be out in the bright sun. You will have harsh shadows, blown out areas of your photograph, squinting kids and you may all overheat causing the whole endeavor to break down. Unless your kids will sit still facing away from sun and you can control your camera settings to expose the face well with overblown hair highlights. Then knock yourself out.
- It would be very ideal is to find an area where the sun is reflecting off a wall into the shaded area where your kids are playing.
- Also not to be overlooked is an overcast day. Take them to a playground or for a walk on the beach or in a field. A cloudy sky works like an enormous soft box (fancy lighting equipment). But now you will have to make sure that there is enough light without using a flash.
- Okay, so you have your kids they are playing on the old rock wall, next to the big red barn or (as in the case here) on the stairs leading to the Natural History Museum in Providence.
Now what do you do? Step back and see how far back you can take a shot without it looking too wide. Does it make sense to add the tree or the whole entrance to your composition? Perhaps. Are there large garbage cans on the side that won’t add to your shot- zoom in or move in - Let them play and capture them doing so. If necessary prompt them. Ideas if you are feeling rusty:
- Have them tell you as story about who lives here. (or you can tell them one)
- Play hide and seek. Chase them, let them chase you. Inspire joy, you know, be their dorky parent- make faces and pop out from behind the camera.
- Sneeze, make animal noises, sing songs, have them sing songs. JUST DON’T SAY CHEESE.
- Have them show you how high they can jump, loud they can scream, fast they can run, quiet they can tiptoe… then you show them what a grown up can do.
- Fire away. And delete often. No one (well maybe Grandma) wants to see 300 blurry, blinky photos. But you should have at least some in there that capture who your child is. And if not, you will have a lovely memory of a day well spent with the kids.
P.S. Then again, if all else fails, you could always hire me to do it- But you better practice your monkey noises.. 
