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© Tim Pannell Photography
One of the best photography tips I can think of is to not over think your shots.
Over thinking leads to overproducing.
Overproducing leads to frustration.
You don’t have to make a big production every time you go to take pictures of your kids.
You do, however want to control the things that you can control.
Just don’t try too hard to control your “subjects.”
Picture a scenario….the less contrived the better.
Pick good angles to shoot from so your background doesn’t detract from your images.
Be sure to shoot when the light is pretty – morning, late afternoon, open shade.
Have your kids and anyone else in the shots wear nice co-ordinated clothes.
Then, when you’ve got everything ready….go out and play.
Give people a basic idea where you want them and have them do their thing.
© TIm Pannell Photography
If you see something you really like give your kids some feedback and have them continue doing what they’re doing.
If it’s not working, don’t let them know it. Give them encouragement until it starts to look right.
Take your time, let the shot evolve. It doesn’t have to be “perfect” right off the bat.
Be playful, make it fun.
Springtime is coming soon…..even if it is snowing here in Utah…..ridiculous!
There are lots and lots of Springtime activities to shoot – gardening, water fights, picnics, playgrounds, parades, barbecues.
Pick something and shoot away.
© Tim Pannell Photography
Another good photography tip – you don’t have to make people look at the camera to get a great shot.
Shoot your kids interacting.
The kids will have fun no matter what their ages.
I take that back….if they’re 17 they won’t have any fun.
If they’re 17, find a different hobby. lol
© Tim Pannell Photography
Ever have to shoot in the wind?
It sucks!
Well…..technically, it blows.
We’re in that in between stage of weather here in Utah when it doesn’t know if its still winter or Spring.
2 days ago it was almost 70 degrees and yesterday it was cold enough that it started flurrying snow.
I don’t really enjoy this in between time…..either snow a ton or get on with it and bring on the Springtime.
It’s no fun shooting kids in cold weather when there isn’t any snow for them to play with.
I went out and shot a bunch of scenics instead.
My wife called while I was shooting so I turned my back to my tripod (something I never use shooting people) and had a little conversation with her.
The next thing I know is the wind blows my tripod and camera into the back of my head.
I’m glad my head was there to keep the camera from hitting the ground, but it really hurt.
It was extremely windy that day and cold and rainy – sleety.
I don’t know why I was out in it…….low I.Q. I guess.
© Tim Pannell Photography/Corbis
In any case…..it reminded of a much warmer day on assignment in Fort Meyers, Florida.
It was at least 90 degrees out and close to 1oo% humidity with 40-60 mile an hour wind gusts.
It was one of the most miserable days I’ve ever shot in.
I would lay on the beach to shoot and the wind would create these little mini tornadoes of sand that would blow into my nose and eyes.
The sand there is almost pure white, which is nice for providing fill, but causes snow blindness after a full day or working in it.
The other frustrating thing is what that much wind does to hair.
A little breeze is always great for getting hair to flow and move, giving your shots some life.
But that much wind just becomes a giant killer pain in the butt!
What should you do when this happens?
If you were smart and you were just out shooting for yourself, you’d bail out and head inside.
If you were on an assignment like I was or were as dumb as I am, you’d stay out and give it a go.
We pow wowed and decided to turn the day into “hair day”.
Most all of the shots we took that day focused on peoples hair in the wind.
It would have actually been a lot of fun if the wind and the sand hadn’t exfoliated at least 3 layers of skin from by body.
© Tim Pannell Photography
With the exception of the 2 year old we had with us, who had no hair.
She would have normally been my “workhorse” that day, but since she was 2 she ran out of gas pretty quickly.
Who could blame her?
The balloons in this shot with her only lasted for 3 frames anyway before they “Auntie Emmed” there way into the stratosphere.
We failed to explain the whole helium concept to her………ooooops.
It reminded me of all the times at Disneyland when there are always several balloon “escapees” at any given time in the air over the park.
We actually got quite a lot of great images that day in spite of the ridiculous amount of wind.
A couple of the images are still among my favorites.
I guess no matter what, it’s important to learn how to work with what the situation gives you.
In this case, we made the blowing hair the subject and quite trying to fight it.
It worked.
