If you have ever tried to take a picture of a child or children then you will understand its often challenging to get the child to pose and more you have harder it is. This guide could help you with taking the ultimate photograph.
Equipment Needed:
- Camera
- Tripod
- Smile or possible children’s toy
- What background will complement the picture, its normally best to use a solid colour or plain background. Anything with too many colours or patterns could pull the viewers eye from the child. Try to remember to contrast the colours so the child stands out. If you use a solid background with multiple children it means you can cut the pictures and mix and match the poses through editing software.
- Children’s attention span can be very short, this could range from 30 seconds to 30minutes and they are often impatient. Before you even think about taking the picture visualize the scene and the picture you want to achieve and have this in your head. Before you place the child into the stage or scene make sure everything else is ready and lights have been tested and working. You might only have a few chances to get the picture taken before the child decides it wants to turn around or eat its hands.
- Arrange the children so that their heads and not just faces are not being blocked, this means that they will have space to move around slightly without destroying the picture. If your shooting a group try to arrange the children in a diamond or triangle with the tallest at the back. The easiest way to photograph one older child and two younger ones is to have the elder on a seat or stool and if you have two children have them back to back facing the camera so they have to concentrate on being close rather than playing or rubbing eyes or anything that doesn’t help with the photo.
- Position the camera so it is the same height as the tallest head on a stock pose shot. This ensures that the top head is not cut out of the photo. This works with a tripod and is a very basic pose and can look very much staged which we are finding people are specifically staying away from with the child photography we have carried out.
- If you can, try to ask the older child to pose and hold it will you try to get the younger ones to smile, pose and look at the camera? You can make funny faces or noises, maybe have the favourite toy positioned just out of the shot or on a while background that can cropped out at a later stage. When your ready to snap try to gain all the children attention onto your hand or fingers and then place these around the lens or near the camera so all of the eyes are in uniform. Younger children might need a rattle or click of the fingers.
ABOVE ALL JUST SNAP THE PICTURE!
Tips:
Be patient and quick to take shots and change scenes. Many children will not care about the picture or bribes they will want instant results and presents and can make them even more unhappy in the short term if you’re struggling to get them to pose. Don’t hesitate to take the shot, if you have one take it and it can always be deleted, kids will not wait for you but they will however get crabby tired, fidgety and bored. Above all have fun and keep their interest, they will become agitated eventually and so its best not to make picture time a dreaded experience for them.
Suffolk Photo Studio
01787 468680
Sudbury Suffolk – CO10 7HJ
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