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1 Year Old and Family (I...don't like children...)
I just disappointed myself horribly this week. My signifcant other spread the word at their work place about my photography, because I thought I was competent enough to handle people actually wanting their photos taken instead of just doing "on the fly" type of shoots, and, well, I feel bad now.
I'm not too pleased with these photos. I think that I could have done better, but I don't know if I realistically could or not, because I can't think of much that I could have done differently to get different results. Kind of pitiful.
On top of that, I dislike children...I know that makes me sound like a horrible person, but I really...do. I don't have kids, have never been around them, and don't plan to have them so I'm not really sure how to handle them in any aspect, especially photographically. Is it wrong if I put a "no children under *this age*" clause in my agreement before taking pictures? lol
I had to MAJORLY crop this one. It was the only good family shot of them, but I couldn't diffuse the light across their entire bodies. It's basically about 3MP now.
I'm not too pleased with these photos. I think that I could have done better, but I don't know if I realistically could or not, because I can't think of much that I could have done differently to get different results. Kind of pitiful.
On top of that, I dislike children...I know that makes me sound like a horrible person, but I really...do. I don't have kids, have never been around them, and don't plan to have them so I'm not really sure how to handle them in any aspect, especially photographically. Is it wrong if I put a "no children under *this age*" clause in my agreement before taking pictures? lol
I had to MAJORLY crop this one. It was the only good family shot of them, but I couldn't diffuse the light across their entire bodies. It's basically about 3MP now.
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It's the PARENTS I hate!
I think that 1, 2, and 5 are pretty successful... I really love #5
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The most important advice is that you need to be willing to act silly. If you can't act silly you'll have one heck of a time getting great kid shots. If you need to practice it, watch more late night comedies or something. If you can't be silly, bring someone who can act silly who can stand right behind you. It is far better if you act silly though. It is your job. Woman up and get silly. Now on to the list:
* Don't start out acting off the wall goofy, that's just strange. Build up to it.
* Don't fight them. You won't win. Just be ready to catch what they throw at you. You may find it requires split second timing.
* Don't ask them to do anything. They won't do it. You'll waste your time if you try.
* Do not get frustrated. Or, if you are, be really careful not to show it. Body language and tone of voice are important when communicating with children. Don't miscommunicate with your subject.
* Patience is key. You'll find it is challenging. You need to quiet your inner creative spirit, slow down a bit, and keep trying. Keep putting the kid back in place, etc.
* Remember your stamina is much longer than a young child's. Each child is different. With some, you'll get a solid 20 minutes from them. Others, more like 3 minutes. You need to plan on frequent breaks.
* Get down on their level. Don't bend over. Kneel, sit, or lay down. That is "play" language.
* Look them in the eye, smile, and engage just them. Read their body language. Mom & Dad may be paying the bills, but right now you need to ignore anything they say. Your focus is on the child.
* Bring a stupid prop if you need to. Nothing gets 'em rolling like when the crazy photographer pulls out the purple whig. "Oh my goodness! Where did this thing come from!?! [put on whig] OH MY STARS! I HAVE PURPLE HAIR! WHAT IS WRONNGGG WITH MY HAAIIRRRR!?!" Be ready to snap away!
* Ask Mom and Dad what their favorite TV character is before hand. Say things like "Did you know that [Barney] has a home in this camera? You can see him when you look right in here [point to lens]. Can you see him? Oh, maybe he isn't home, look again." Be ready, and snap away.
* If you find your young subject is afraid of the camera, let them look at Mom & Dad through the viewfinder. Make a game out of the shutter click sound. "When I press this button, you'll hear a noise. When you hear the noise, I want you to make a sound like an elephant. Can you do that? Let's do it together..."
* Be sure Mom & Dad stay nearby, but quiet. Explain to them before hand that it is really important that YOU be the one to capture the child's attention. The kid needs to be looking at the camera, not off to the right at Mom.
* If things start to go south, back off. After 10 minutes or so, try again. If you're still freaking them out, you may need to reschedule. Prepare parents of this possibility ahead of time. They will understand.
This is a little trick I've learned as well. You don't want to get them with a belly full of laughs. You want to get them soon after your joke, when they are looking at you anticipating your next silly antic. Let me show you a series to demonstrate (hope you don't mind rex). The below took about five minutes. I got about 40 images, 10 or so keepers. You have to work _fast_.
Dialog and pictures went something like this:
Do you like to sing? I love to sing. I heard about this song, twinkle twinkle little... something. Do you know that song?
>Yes.
How does it go? I can never remember. Twinkle.... twinkle... little.... huh. What is next?
>Star!
Oh, right! Thank you. Let me try again. Twinkle... twinkle... little... PIZZA!!!
Oh dear! Was that wrong? (see, keep their attention looking at you, cause this is your money shot)
Oh my. Let me try that again. I think I did it wrong. Twinkle... twinkle... little... PIZZA!!!
Oh no! I did it wrong again!? (got her attention, money shot time)
And so it went on and on. She was in tears by the end of the session from laughing so hard. Mom was rolling as well. Remember it isn't just the images you are selling, but also the experience.
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OP I think 1 is a decent shot - this may not be your forte, but I think you managed just fine! For some of those others, can you do any head swaps to get a decent expression worked in there? Yeah, it takes time, but it can be worth it if it creates a great shot from two meh ones.
When I've been asked to shoot toddlers - definitely NOT my strong suit - I've typically just let them run around and done it more as a "lifestyle" shoot than trying to get actual portraits per se. They just won't stay put at this age, and since their response to most requests is "no", it's easier just to go with what they give you than to try and force it.
One other thing I've found helpful was a bottle of bubbles. Last itme I did this we had a VERY cranky girl as a subject - she'd refused to go down for her nap - but even with that, the bubbles were a major score....
A photographer patients of a saint required
The less directing and more waiting with small kids, the better.
The best kid shots I get are when the parents back off and set me free with the kids. The worst are when the parents hover next to me - I'm waiting for a particular candid angle, and the mom suddenly says, "Johnny, look at the camera and say cheese."
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Yes, that'll kill it every time. it seems funny, but a lot of child photography seems to involve managing the parents more than the child. We are all guilty to some extent, I suppose.
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