Take Better Pictures~~Lesson 7~~7/27/02

[scooby]

Kids Make Great Subjects


There's no doubt that kids make the best subjects for photography. They're cute, adorable and spontaneous. They also make the worst subjects mostly because they're easily bored. For great pictures of your children with minimal grief, follow these tips:


Think candid: The best photos of children capture them unaware of the camera. Don't stop your son in the middle of his game and ask him to smile. Just step up nonchalantly and snap the picture. Gotcha! A camera with a zoom or telephoto lens lets you shoot candids from further away.

The great outdoors: It's big out there. Don't make the mistake of standing so far away that your little one gets lost in the picture. Step up and fill the frame with her smiling face (and dirty hands).

Keep it simple: The background, that is. A cluttered, multi-color background distracts from the star of the show, your child. So keep the background simple and neutral. Outdoors, shoot downward from eye-level to use plain green grass. Or walk around until you find an angle that gives you a pleasing, non-intrusive background.

Plan ahead: If you insist on a posed picture, set up ahead of time. Don't make your child sit down and wait until you're ready to shoot.

When you least expect it... that's when kids will look most photogenic. So keep your camera handy, loaded with film, ready to go. Indoors, a fast 400 speed Film will give you the flexibility to shoot with or without flash. Outdoors in sunlight, use a 100 or 200 speed Film .

Beached? Waterlogged? There are some places you just don't want to take your regular camera. For those times, consider single-use cameras. KODAK makes a Waterproof One-Time-Use Camera, which is completely waterproof.

Level the playing field: Instead of always shooting down at your child, crawl around with him for a while. Snap some playtime photos from his perspective; it's a whole new world down there.

Food fight! Kids in high chairs are captive subjects and plenty of fun to watch as they mash sweet potato all over their face, usually with a big smile. Even when they're a mess, kids make great subjects!

I can't believe it! When you come across one of those ' kids do the darndest things' moments, don't rush to the rescue, rush to the camera. When she's eating sand, or washing the dog, or spraying her face with the hose or picking snails off the sidewalk, why interrupt? Get it on film.

Skimping again? If you grabbed the camera to capture an incredibly cute scene, rest assured it's worth shooting more than one frame. You never know what kind of expression may pop up - especially with one or more kids in the shot. Take several shots and boost your chances of getting some excellent shots.

Remember, these are the good old days!

[KathiS]

Thanks again! I am one of those folks that tend to have the kids pose too often. The candid pictures do seem to be better.

[PrairieRose]

Scooby, thanks for the tips! Great ideas indeedy.