People often ask me 'How do you do it? How do you get them to stand still/all look at the camera at the same time/pose just the way you want them to?' The reply is, I don't!
The idea behind taking a picture is to capture a occasion in time, to ice it so that it becomes a report we can share and recollect for years to come. And it is the nature of childhood to be exuberant, joyous, exploring, belligerent at times, and yes...disagreeable when you point a camera at them. It is these moments you want to capture, full of life, of the essence that makes you children who they are, not static head shots and cheesy smiles. The cheeky exchanges between siblings, the wild abandon of nakedness under a sprinkler, the muddy fingers and streaked faces from manufacture mud pies, these are the memories you will cherish long after the shutter has clicked. So, as a first rule of thumb, don't try to mold your children into a likeness you will not recognise down the track as being true to the moment.
Umbrella Childrens
Having said that, there is a knack to capturing the occasion in a way that renders it a work of art rather than a snapshot. You do not need fancy camera equipment to achieve this, but you do need an eye for composition, and above all, an awareness of the lighting, where it is falling, what it is emphasizing and how your camera will reply to it.
Most self-operating point and shoot cameras come with shooting modes that you can set agreeing to the image you wish to capture. These cameras work on a series of presets so that you don't have to worry about the technical aspects. In my sense most habitancy leave it on self-operating and hope for the best. Take the time to read the manual. It's as uncomplicated as comprehension that in night mode, the camera will slow the shutter speed to allow as much light as possible; in portrait mode, it will open the aperture to blur the background a little. These basic understandings will begin to make a vast revising to your images.
The next foremost factor is the light, and how to work with it. If you have the capability, turn off the camera's self-operating flash and look for natural light where possible. Be aware that the camera's in built exposure meter will be working to accommodate the ambient light. If you stand your children in front of the light source and point the camera to them, the light streaming in from behind will 'trick' the camera into believing there is a lot of light, and it will adjust accordingly by dimming the exposure. There will be too much distinction between the radiance behind the subject, and the light on the subject, resulting in a dark field against a animated background. The unavoidable fix to this is to turn the children around, in that time honored tradition of retention the light behind the photographer, shining onto the subject. This does address the qoute of exposure, but the effect is often deep shadows in eye sockets and squinting expressions.
So, a catch 22? Yes, in some ways, but there are things you can do to minimise these issues. For a start, select the time of day carefully. Early morning or late afternoon will supply a much softer light source and avoid harsh shadows. On cloudy days, the clouds act as a huge softbox, diffusing the harshness of the light and providing for optimum shooting conditions. Also seek ways to diffuse the light, bring children up to windows indoors to put light on them without direct sun, or look for open shady areas under verandahs or trees.
Next, think about the posing and composition. Achieving natural unposed shots is not about guesswork and pot luck. Snapping children randomly at play is likely to effect in half turned faces, or limbs in the way of the shot. But snapping children blowing bubbles, eating strawberries, retention a kite or umbrella...all of these things supply a focus, keep the children busy and give you time to in effect set up the shot you want.
Finally, have fun!
© Janine Guidera 2008
Photographing Children - Practical Methods For expert potential Portraits
0 comments:
Post a Comment