My son just had a birthday. I took photos and while they look fine, they are nothing more than snapshots. So this photo is the best of what I have recently uploaded.
What kinds of things go through your head when you are taking photos of people or events? My thought process is always, "the faster the better" but that isn't working....
Help!
What a great question! I've never thought about it. The faster the better sounds like a good plan to me, especially where kids are involved (I figure you can always crop, right?).
ReplyDeleteI suppose if you have an artist's streak in you a few framing, angles, and composition thoughts go through your head in a split second.
If you're a photo nerd like me, you sometimes have thoughts like, "i should take the kid's on a hike to the beach, just so i can take pictures for fun" but good moms take their kids on hikes so the kids can have fun and bringing the camera is an afterthought.
I try to create a low stress environment for myself when taking photos, which is why photos of birthday parties and Christmas mornings are scarce in our home.
I'm curious what other's have to say about this though.
I think that when you have small kids, "faster the better" is almost the only way to take pictures. If you're the only adult with the kids, it is really difficult to have your face pressed to the back of a camera (although a point and shoot does make it easier).
ReplyDeleteMaybe the next step in your photography is becoming more thoughtful when you're taking your pictures. Sometimes if the conditions are right (family gathering with other adults supervising the kids for example), you can slow down and try to get a good shot. I try to think about the lighting first and then take time with kids individually. I also try to think ahead of time about what kind of pictures I want to get for a particular event. For example, if I'm taking pictures at a birthday party, the only two pictures that I feel like I have to get are one of all the kids singing happy birthday and another of the kids blowing out the candles. Then when those moments are coming up, I try to make sure I'm standing with the best angle even if that means I have to say "excuse me" to other guests (I really only do this with my own family!).
I also do like Emily and try to set up situations where i can take pictures of the kids. Sometimes I go places and I just know that I won't get a good picture so I don't stress about it. I have been to the Cal Academy tons of times and I think I have maybe 1 good picture there. I'm not sure if it's the layout or the crowds or the bad lighting but now when I go, I don't stress about it.
Hopefully you don't get tired of reading this but the other thing I do if we go somewhere like a farm or park or something is that I try to get some pictures to set the scene. Like at the zoo, I take pictures of the animals and the kids or the kids with the animals in the background so that you know where the pictures were taken.
The most important thing is to keep trying and, like you're doing now is to think about what is challenging you and figure out how to overcome it. The comment would be way too long if I had to list all that challenges me!
So in pondering this a little more... I realized that the more I take the time to concentrate on my photos, but more it becomes a natural process and you don't even think about it... I realized that I'm doing things on auto pilot that I learned in that photography class I had in 1993 with an old 35mm camera... so hopefully at the stuff I want to learn will someday become habit and I wont HAVE to think!!! Being in this club, I'm part-way there.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ladies! Great thoughts - ones that I will refer to again. Can't wait to meet you on May 27th.
ReplyDeleteKirstin