© Tim Pannell Photography
Having trouble taking good pictures of your incredible children? Do your kids look like they’re just showing you their teeth instead of smiling? Are you trying too hard and getting no real results to show for it? Do you need help?
Chances are you’re not as far off as you might think. For some of you though, the previous statement doesn’t apply. Some of you might actually be taking absolutely horrible pictures. Don’t despair, there is always hope, especially in this day and age.
The first question you need to ask yourself is what type of images do you want of your son or daughter. Are you looking for images that document the way they look or do you want images that express who they are as people. Your answer to that question will dictate the approach you should take.
If you are looking to just document what your kids look like then I would suggest trying out a different website, maybe www.HowToShootMugShotsForPrisons.com. Photography has so much more potential than just showing what little Johnny looked like when he was 4 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 5 days old.
The greatest invention in the photographic world has to be the digital camera. There are plenty of close second place finishers, but the digital camera absolutely rules! I used to spend up to $10,000.00 a month on film and processing with my commercial photography business on a fairly routine basis.
Think of the money you’re saving by shooting with a digital camera, I don’t care how expensive it is. You can shoot til your fingers bleed without going broke on film costs. That means that it doesn’t cost you anything to play with your camera. You can experiment to your heart’s content. What a great deal this is!!
There are many rules of photography and it’s important to know and understand them, if only to know when it’s appropriate to break them. Never say never and never say always when it comes to photography. I will give you some beginning photography tips in future posts of what I think is needed to make a great photograph, but they’re just guidelines, not hard and fast rules.
As you explore photography while shooting your children you will eventually start recognizing what you like and what you don’t like. You will begin creating your own unique vision and way of seeing things photographically. It’s a great adventure and one I’m sure you will enjoy.
© Tim Pannell Photography
Don’t get caught up in “directing” her and just experience her. Give her something to do, no matter how simple it might seem and see what she gives you. Some of my favorite images of all time, are those happy little accidents where a kid will just do his thing and be completely oblivious to me and I get an amazing timeless image out of it.
A word of caution: don’t force it. It’s difficult for control freaks to let a 3 year old be in charge, but trust me, they are. You can nudge and prod , but when push comes to shove if your little angel doesn’t want to take pictures, you’re not going to take pictures.
I have shot countless images for countless clients with tons of children and have always come away with great shots without throwing a tantrum or spazzing out on the set. For some reason though, I can’t say the same thing about shooting my own children. Truth be told, I get way too attached to getting a great shot with my own kids and I have at times forgotten all of the techniques I use as a professional to “convince” kids that they want to have their picture taken.
Several years ago we “tried” to shoot our family portrait and my assistant of 10 plus years came along to help. He had never seen me “lose it” ever, always calm, always cool, no ruffles, no worries. That wasn’t what he saw that day. I was a wreck. It was entirely because it was my family and I wanted perfection and complete co-operation. We got nothing that day…….all my fault. My assistant even asked, “Who the hell are you, and what have you done with my friend?”
For some reason, I have unrealistic expectations when I shoot my own kids, but am the most patient person in the world when I shoot someone else’s children. The lesson is not to ruin the whole experience. You want to be able to shoot with your child on a routine basis so make sure that they don’t perceive any pressure when you do shoot with them.
You want them to have a great time so they actually look forward to doing it again. Make it fun, make it easy, make it a blast and you’ll be rewarded with amazing pictures that capture your child’s essence, whether they’re little or big.
© Tim Pannell Photography
One of my most obvious child photography tips is to get on their level, not yours. So, for starters, the next time you shoot your kid, try getting “down and dirty.” Get on the floor and roll around a little bit at their level and see how differently things appear to you from down there.
Your first assignment is to just try it. Keep the lighting setup simple and easy. Find a nice window to shoot next to and focus on letting the child do what they want to and see if you can capture their experience. Stay calm, stay focused and for heaven’s sake don’t throw a tantrum yourself.
Have a great shoot!
