Photographing
your kids
by Rob Cruse
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USE
AVAILABLE LIGHT
When
using flash in dim light (when the flash will be the main
source of illumination) it is very hard for me to avoid washed
out, featureless faces with little sense of feeling or depth
(this comment applies to 'on-camera' flash -the one built
into your camera or that attaches to a 'hot-shoe').
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| "Breakfast
on Top of the World" |
The
flash is there for a reason: to keep the shutter speed up
so that you don't end up with blurred images when without
a fast lens. There are a couple of ways around this problem.
With a film camera, use a fast film; 400 or 800 ASA will work
well inside many homes when 100 ASA would require a flash.
If you are using a digital camera, read the manual. The more
advanced digitals will let you set the ISO equivalent speed.
Others turn up the ISO automatically. Learn how yours works.
Most digitals will give good results up to about 800 ISO before
the images start to get noisy, and modern films are terrific
at least to that speed. Don't forget the Black and White C-41
films like Kodak T400CN (400 ASA - developed at the local
minilab).
WORK
THE WINDOWS. Windows
are a terrific source of natural, often diffuse; almost always
appealing light. Windows can also act to grab a childs attention
and create some lovely moments. A large window with an overcast
sky outside can be the most sublime lighting for the soft
skin of a child or baby. Get the reflections, get shots from
the outside looking in, get a silhouette. You could write
a book on the possibilities of kids and windows.
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A
PHOTO FOR EVERY OCCASION.
Many photo opportunities involving
kids are repeated daily around the world. Here are
some thoughts on how to take advantage of some of
these moments.
AT
THE PARK: Slides, swings, carousels
(or merry - go - rounds, depending on where you come
from), climbing equipment; they all work for a great
photo. The biggest problem here can be lighting. You
are now outside (probably) and in the middle of the
day shadows from an overhead sun can dominate. Late
in the day can be good, but this is often when the
kids are at their worst. The answer: MORNING. The
sun is low in the sky and provides a nice side light,
the kids are 'fresh' and the air is usually clearer
than in the afternoon.
In
general, keep the sun behind you or to one side. As
it's low(ish) in the sky, shooting into the sun will
generally create problems (unless you are after a
backlit or silhouette effect and are careful to control
flare). Also if you have a fill-flash capability on
your camera, give it a go (especially if it's towards
the middle of the day). This can lighten some of the
shadows under the eyes and hats -read your camera
manual or a book for more info.
Longer
lenses can be useful outside; certainly a 200mm
or similar will find plenty of use but obviously
isn't a pre-requisite. The long lense lets your
kids roam and you don't need to be 3 steps behind
them. You can also get in nice and tight for
a great portrait when the moment arises. I'd
suggest colour film (or digital captures) with
the slowest film or ISO the light will allow
(hopefully 100 or 200). |
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ON THE SLIDE
(slippery dip?): Here there are a couple of approaches.
Use a fast shutter and freeze the expression as they
are part way down, either in profile or from towards
front. Another approach is to slow things down with
a shutter in the 1/15 sec range and pan as the child
goes down the slide (shooting from the side). A sense
of movement results with (hopefully) a reasonably
crisp and suitably excited expression. This can be
good from really close (with a wide angle lense) for
a more abstract effect. Get mum or dad on the slide
as well for some real fun. Of course, these approaches
work on pretty much any moving target, even 'Wagoneering'
(see image to the right).
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THE
SWING: This one is challenging
- it is much harder than you might think to get a good
shot. When the swing is static (at either end of the
travel) there is a nice shot to be had, often with a
good expression or the legs flying out. Prefocus is
good here. To capture movement is a challenge, especially
without getting thumped by the passing child (or an
adjacent swing). Experiment and let me know your hints! |
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CARROUSELS
(merry - go - rounds): Slow shutters and panning as
your child goes past works a treat here. Once again
something around 1/15 sec can be great. If you are aboard,
get that wide angle lense out and put your child in
the foreground and (once again with a slow shutter)
blur the background as the world goes past. If it's
a particularly attractive carousel (or old and historic)
the details can be superb and deserve a couple of close
ups. |
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CANDID
PORTRAITS: |
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we are talking tighter crops of your child (putting
that 200mm lense to work). The kids are engrossed in
something fun, the morning light is working a treat
and you are guaranteed some great expressions. Use a
wide-ish aperture (say F4) to reduce the background
to a lovely diffuse blur, focus on the eyes, and wait
for the perfect moment. |
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