Photographing Your Children
Children have been a favourite subject of photographers ever since the invention of photography. They make wonderful subjects because they pose in their natural state without becoming self-conscious of the camera and viewers respond well to them. Photographers all over the world take pictures of children: while on vacation, or journalism assignments, or just for fun.
However, what about your own children or grandchildren? While that child in an exotic foreign city is interchangeable with other ones and hence never seems to grow up, our own children grow very quickly. Their special moments – the first steps, the first birthday, or the time they tried to read a book upside down – float by in front of our eyes, never to return. If you want to save those precious childhood moments of your child or grandchild, the time to act is now.
When my children were growing up (before the days of digital photography) I photographed them profusely. Now I feel fortunate to have done so because those days will never return. Here are some tips for taking photos of children in your family based on my experience.
1. Carpe diem – seize the day! A childhood goes by quickly and each day that passes never returns. However, your family's children are easily accessible. Therefore, try to take some pictures of the child or children in your life every day. Until they reach teenage years, they will, in all likelihood, cooperate with you.
2. Vary the action. A child's daily activities have much variety. Yet most child photos show only a smiling face. How about other precious moments, such as eating, bathing, walking or crawling, putting on clothes, brushing hair, playing with siblings or friends, and the first day at school?
3. Photograph all parts. For example, the child's feet and hands, their shoes and socks, toys, their clothes, books, hair after being brushed. All these contribute to a documentation of the childhood.
4. Get down to the child's level. When adults, standing up, photograph a child, the adult's viewpoint shows in the photograph and we find ourselves looking down at the child. A photograph taken from a child's level looks more natural and engaging.
5. Pay attention to the light. If you watch where the light falls, it will help you take a better photograph. For example, make sure that the face is well-lit. If there is a window, bring the child close to it, because window light is beautiful light. If you can capture light reflected in the eyes, it can be captivating. Or photograph in a balcony, roof or an outdoor setting (with appropriate precaution of course.) I never used flash, but use one if you must.
6. Clothing. Have the child wear the nicest clothes possible for best results. Occasionally, however, rumpled or informal clothes look fine and lend an air of authenticity to the photograph.
The point is that you have easy access to children in your family: your child, grandchild, or nephew/niece, younger sibling, etc. And their childhood is flying by quickly. Their photographs you take today will, one day, become treasured family heirlooms.
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