I enjoy making photographs of children. I really do. They are unpredictable; they are temperamental; they are unrestrained; they are wild; they are difficult to capture. Then why do I still enjoy photographing them? Well, that’s the challenge I love. Especially children who are highly active and their attention span is about as long counting from 1 to 2. “Ready? 1, 2… Hey I’m not done yet!”
With children, we adapt. We conform to them. We flow with them, or some of the times, run after them. But that’s when the fun begins and we go treasure hunting for the perfect shot. We need to be ready for that moment. Asking them to do the thing they just did so that we can have on film… uhm… more likely memory card, will not work. If we have to stage a moment, THE moment has been lost. How many times have we regretted not having a camera with us? “If only i have my camera here!” How many times have we lamented that our camera is not fast enough (aka blur pictures)? “Can you run a little slower?”
I’ve been making images of children for a while now and I’ve thinking about sharing some of the lessons I’ve learnt in my engagements as a photographer. So today, I start on a series of tips for the parent who wants to capture moments of their children. Whether you’re using a camera phone, a point-and-shoot camera or a DSLR, you’ll be fine if you follow these tips.
First tip to get the shutter going – Get Down Low.
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but children are generally short. I mean really short. So you will want to get down to their level and see eye to eye with them. If they are laying down on the floor on their tummy, do likewise. If they are sitting on the floor or even just standing, get down to their level. By doing this, you’ll begin to see the world through the perspective of your children.
If you have images you have taken of your children at their eye level, do feel free to share them in the comments section!
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