|
|
Ready, Set... Shoot!
Professional tips on taking your own family portraits
By Katie Beach of www.katiebeachphotography.com
You're playing with your children in the backyard and it happens - your children look at you with that amazing smile that melts your heart instantly and all you can think is "Where's my camera now????!?!" We've all been there. Your kiddos are giving you their best looks and there is no photographer in sight - so it's up to you. Not to worry, with a little extra know-how you can take great pictures that even your pickiest aunt will be happy display.
Lighting, Lighting, Lighting!
I'm sure you've heard the phrase "Location, location, location" as the golden rule to realty. Well if there was a similar saying in photography it would be "lighting, lighting, lighting!" There is nothing (no, really I mean it - nothing ) more important to taking a good photograph than the lighting. Light can single handedly make or break your pictures. Here's a few tips to use:
- Windowed rooms are great. The natural sunlight bouncing around makes for great pictures - hands down! If possible choose a room facing north or south - the lighting from window facing east/west may be too harsh.
- Turn on the lights! You may think that you can rely solely on your camera's on-board flash, but the light emitted can be overly harsh leaving your pictures flat (not to mention producing the annoying red-eye effect). Compliment the ambient light by adding some elsewhere in the room when possible.
- When outside, consider actually using your flash in daylight. The added light coming from your camera can help to fill in harsh shadows caused by direct sunlight - such as the light you have at noon when your son scores his very first soccer goal.
- Speaking of which, avoid the direct sunlight! While sunny days are great for family fun, some of the best days to take family pictures is actually when it's cloudy outside. Since the light is diffused by the clouds overhead you'll get a softer look (trust me as a fellow mom who has definitely been there, much more figure-flattering).
- Don't be afraid to use light creatively. Some of my favorite shots of my kids are backlit - meaning the light source comes from behind them leaving mostly silhouettes in the shot.
Ruling Your UNruly Brood
Ok, so you'd think that as a photographer myself I would have a handle on what to do to make my kids "sit" for a picture... Well I would have to ask you to think again. No matter how many professional shoots I've been on, not one can compare to the stress it can be to photograph your own children. I've come across many photographers that have the same problem - so fear not. Even the professionals feel your pain!
The problem is simply this - your child is just that, your child. Mommy will always be Mommy - and the role of photographer does not play well into your child's well laid out plans for you. As soon as you try to shoot that classic shot of your child having a quiet tea party with the family kitten she'll take notice that not only are you flashing a light into her private reverie, but you have the nerve to actively not participate in the event. And the latter is, from my experience, generally not considered acceptable. I can't tell you the number of times that I have jumped faster-than-life up from the floor to keep chubby little (but none-the-less adorable.. sigh) toddler hands from griping the camera in joyful a scream of "Mommy plays too!!!"
The solution - give in! Put the camera down for a few minutes to play together so that your child is comfortable and feels like she's had some Mommy-time first. Once she's satisfied, quickly reposition yourself and shoot away. Remember that this may not buy you endless amounts of camera time, but your child will definitely be happier in the pictures, and you'll have a memory to go with it - "Oh Mommy, look!! That's when you and I had a tea party!!" Now think about hearing that phrase in 20 years with your grandchildren on your lap… enough said.
Another way to get the smiles if your child is older and you have a digital camera with an lcd display - flat-out bribery. All kids love to see themselves in pictures (ok, who doesn't really??). So use that to entice them. Take a couple of shots (even if your little one is pouting) and show your child what they look like. 9 times out of 10 they will perk up quickly and want to smile for you.
Smiling Away
Ok, so you have your lighting just so and you've managed to subdue the crowds - now you need a smile. If your child is anything like mine, there will come a point when her smile will become a little more, shall we say rehearsed? While these can be comical pictures too (and you'll probably want to take some to smile and laugh over yourself when your child has grown up), you're most likely looking for that real smile that your child has that you know so well. The secret - laughter. You have to know some silly joke, gimmic, something that will make your little kiddo laugh. My sister-in-law actually has great success with joking about stinky feet - it works every time! The key is to know your child's comical weak point and exploit the world out of it.
Think Outside the Box
Or in this case, from in it! To get a really interesting, playful shot of your child sometimes the best thing to do is to act like one. You need to see the world from you child's angle - get down on the floor and look around. So often the angle we see our children from is looking down on them. Why not try looking up at your child? Or laying down on the floor together and see what ideas come to your mind. I find that, with my kids especially, getting down on the ground with them is fun, exciting and opens worlds of opportunity in terms of once in a lifetime shots.
Calling In The Troops
Even when you have taken all the tea-time shots that you can handle, you may still want to consider professional help. Unless you're willing to study, practice, spend a small fortune and use your children as photographic guinea pigs you should consider investing in getting professional portraits taken to artistically capture your child's beauty, not to mention your whole family dynamic. There are tons of resources for you to search out your local photographers, so check out your local news groups to see who's out there. My favorite resource - your friends, family, co-workers, etc. Personal references are the best way to know if you're going to like a photographer. And let's face it - you have to actually like the person you're inviting into your home to capture such intimate memories! Make sure you choose someone that you can trust.
|
|
|
