One of the things I have specialized in over the years is getting natural, great expressions from kids in photos. It’s not the easiest thing, and I’ll tell you why. Children are naturally curious, interested creatures. They move. They are used to interacting with people by looking at them in the eye, not down a scary round black hole, and Continue Reading
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[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]
Why don’t rooms for adults come with cool tent-shaped beds, oversized Legos, slides, tree houses and secret compartments? These fun and imaginative kids room ideas include furniture with built-in entertainment, fort kits, fully customized themed rooms complete with murals and even a three-story slide built into the design of the house.
Design firm Mathy by Bols has created a series of handmade kids beds shaped like tents, caravans and treehouses. The A-frame Cabin Tent Bed features a closable side panel and a bottom section that pulls out to offer storage or a second mattress, the Camper Bed looks like a mini teardrop trailer with a toy box mounted to one side, and the Treehouse Bunk Bed will definitely have kids fighting over who gets to sleep on top.
Any staircase turns into a slide in seconds with the ‘SlideRider,’ an extra-long foam mat with safety bumpers on the sides that stretches over stairs and then folds up neatly when it’s time to put it away.
Each design in the Rhapsody collection of kids’ beds from CedarWorks is a fantasy world of its own, with a variety of play areas built in ranging from slides to ‘secret’ rooms. They offer so many opportunities for self-entertainment, you might just get a little bit of extra sleep in the morning while the kids keep themselves busy.
The LEGO Furniture Collection for Kids by Lola Glamour uses the look of these iconic plastic brick toys to make a big visual impact in children’s rooms. The ones mounted to the bed hide drawers and cabinets, while the rest are purely decorative.
A swing, a fake tree, climbing ropes and a storage platform that doubles as a stage aren’t even the coolest things about this imaginative kids’ bedroom idea – that honor goes to the awesome miniature treehouse tucked up into the corner of the room next to windows overlooking the yard.
Why spend a fortune on a virtually endless array of aesthetically questionable kids’ furniture, from birth to their teen years, when you could choose …
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Everything a kid or teenager needs, from study space to extra beds for overnight guests, is cleverly contained within these colorful lofted bedroom sets.
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These 14 colorful bedrooms for kids offer everything that growing children need while maximizing use of space, and looking so cool that adults will be jealous.
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[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]
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[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]
Why spend a fortune on a virtually endless array of aesthetically questionable kids’ furniture, from birth to their teen years, when you could choose customizable, transforming, modern furniture elements instead? These 13 smart space-saving solutions are just as well-thought-out as furniture made for adults, and can keep up with kids’ growth.
The Magic Module is a bunch of colorful foam and fabric cushions that can be clipped together to resemble a giant Rubik’s cube, or disassembled into seats, lounges, footrests and beds.
This kids bedroom-in-a-box starts out as a solid birch and plywood crib and then reconfigures into a variety of items that can be used throughout childhood. Take it apart once your toddler is too big for it and re-assemble it into a playpen, junior bed, desk or chalkboard and book rack.
Tuck Beds by Casa Kids are ‘modern murphy beds for kids,’ with the ability to be mounted horizontal or vertically to practically any wall. It takes up just 13 3/4″ of floor space when it’s all closed up, leaving lots of space for play. An integrated shelf doubles as leg support.
The Yiahn Bassinet is another design that goes from birth to late childhood, starting out as a safe place for baby to sleep and transforming into a toy bin and bookshelf for toddlers, and then a chair and table for kids aged 4-8 years. If the family has a second baby, it can be reclaimed for its original use.
Free of all the visual clutter typically associated with children’s bedroom sets, SPOT by Polish designer Wiktoria Lenart is a space-saving furniture set with a neutral look and highly customizable character so kids can craft their rooms according to their own personalities and needs. Lofted beds, sliding compartments and a bed frame that doubles as a play space make it fun and easy for kids to create their own personal spaces.
If you want something comfortable and conventional you might want to look elsewhere. If you are looking for bold and creative furniture designs you are in the …
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Multifunctional and convertible furniture solutions from Resource Furniture unfold and expand in unexpected ways, fitting lots of function into tiny rooms.
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While much of it can be boring, some designers are putting the fun back into kids’ furnitures. These pieces are a delight not only for kids, but for their …
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[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]
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I am a hunter. My prey, however, does not scurry through the woods, fly through the sky or swim in the streams. My trophies are instead moments, which I stalk, camera at the ready. When the time is right, the target is placed squarely in my sights. Click.
I’m constantly on the hunt for that fraction-of-a-second gesture, facial expression or scene that takes an ordinary photograph to the next level. Hunting can be tiring and a little like war, in that there are long periods of boredom interspersed with brief moments of excitement. But those moments of excitement and the superior images they provide are well worth this mental approach to photography.
Seeing the potential for a nice Halloween silhouette, I waited at the bottom of the hill for several minutes until the perfect moment presented itself.
When I first began the journey of documenting my children’s lives, my methods for doing so were ineffective. Whether the scene was ‘created’ for the purpose of the photograph, or I caught my children in a natural setting, I would go after the end-result with a rapid-fire intensity, hoping one of the many images captured would result in success. Sometimes I would get lucky and catch the optimal moment with one of my stray shots. Other times, I would realize immediately before, or after, I’d pressed the shutter that the best frame had evaded capture. What an awful feeling it is to have your prize slip through your fingers, never to be seen again.
I would also try to control my subjects, in the hope they would appeal to reason and take requests from the man behind the camera. Sensing dad’s genuine desire to capture the moment, the little darlings would naturally do everything in their power to ensure I was unsuccessful.
Over time, my approach to photography evolved. Instead of aggressively spraying bullets into the woods, I now calmly sit back and monitor the scene. Rather than attempting to control the scene and my subjects, I now try to take the best photos the situation will naturally allow, without my overt intervention.
As with real estate values, photograph hunting hinges on location, location, location. Make sure to set up shop in the ideal location, so that when the moment arises, you’re not scrambling to get into position.
The first rule of photograph hunting is to know your subject. My subjects are two energy-filled kids, interested in anything but sitting stationary and smiling for dad. They have other things on their to-do lists and, if I ever hope to make decent photographs, my approach has to be the yin to their yang. If they are constantly moving and unpredictable, I have to be patient and watchful. If they refuse to pose, I have to fabricate poses using their natural movements and expressions. Essentially, I have to become a hunter, constantly focused on the situation.
Getting used to this alternative strategy may take time, but the transition can be relatively pleasant. Eventually, you won’t get as frustrated when that perfect moment slips away. But more importantly, because you’re strategically lying in wait for the right moment, fewer moments will slip by you in the first place. The days of rapid-fire documentation will gone, which means lower quantity, but higher quality. This reduction in the number of images produced has secondary benefits, in terms of processing time and data storage. Simply grab your camera, get into position, and wait patiently with the camera to your eye for that special moment when the stars align and the shutter goes click.
When the subject has no awareness of the photographer’s presence, the results tend to be more intimate.
Become the wallpaper, so as to not influence your subjects’ movements and actions. You want them to be immersed in their own little worlds, as once they become aware of your presence and intentions, the entire situation can quickly unravel. Remaining an observer of the scene, as opposed to a participant within it, results in a more relaxed shooting environment, which fosters superior results.
Know your camera and know the basics of photography so that you can quickly adapt to new light, positions and situations – without having to take the camera down from your eye. Too often, you will find that it is during those few seconds when you are not ready to take a photo, that the best photo opportunity will come and go.
Always maintain your mental focus. If you’re personally invested in the opportunity, and if the chance for a trophy photo exists, be ready. It’s amazing that such fleeting moments, which last mere fractions of a second, can have such long-term impact when viewed again and again. Stay focused on the subject so that when that split-second gesture, facial expression or scene presents itself, you’re there ready to capture it.
Take fewer shots, with more precise aim. Put down the fully automatic in exchange for a nice, simple single-shot. Taking fewer photographs, that are each precisely timed and focused to hit the target, will result in more trophies hanging proudly on your wall, and will remove some of the post-process burden associated with sorting, editing and storing images.
Photos don’t have to be 100% natural to employ the hunting technique. If I notice a scene with nice light, I’ll place my kids in the right position and watch them play until I see the ideal look or gesture.
Do you have any other tips for photography kids? Please share in the comments below, and show us your images as well.
Happy hunting!
The post Photography Hunting – Play the Waiting Game with Kids by Ryan Pendleton appeared first on Digital Photography School.
A few weeks ago we launched a brand new Kids Portraiture Printables collection in the dPS store with a 25% off Early Bird Discount (40% off if you get it with the companion eBook).
This post is just a quick note to let you know that that discount ends in just over 36 hours.
The printables collection is just $ 14.99 and gives you access to five kids posing models that cover all ages – Babies, Toddlers, Little Kids, Bigger Kids and Tweens.
Each of the 5 modules includes:
As an optional extra you can bundle this posing collection with our previously released Kids Portraiture eBook and save 40%.
The collection and eBook have been getting fantastic reviews from other websites like Two Days in Dublin who writes:
“If you want to improve your photography and capture those special moments, I recommend this e-book for those already in the business, just starting out in picture-taking, or for moms looking to capture great photos of their own kids!”
The Early Bird special ends in just over 36 hours so grab yours today here and start taking gorgeous photos of your kids.
The post Kids Posing Guide: Early Bird Discount Ends in 36 Hours by Darren Rowse appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Over the last couple of weeks we’ve published a few posts that touch on the topic of photographing kids – so we thought that this week it might be fun to focus our weekly challenge upon the topic of photographing children.
Feel free to photograph kids in any setting. To help you – check out these recent posts.
Also check out our Kids Photography eBook for a comprehensive guide to the topic.
Once you’ve taken your ‘Kids’ shots, upload your best ones to your favourite photo sharing site either share a link to them even better – embed them in the comments below (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section as pictured below).
If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites with Tagging tag them as #DPSKIDS to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.
Also – don’t forget to check out some of the great shots posted in last weeks Backlight challenge – there were some great shots submitted.
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
KIDS: Weekly Photography Challenge
The post KIDS: Weekly Photography Challenge appeared first on Digital Photography School.
A Guest post by Rachel Devine – author of Click! How to Take Beautiful Photos of Your Kids.
If you search for advice on how to take better pictures of children there are certain gems that are sure to appear on any list of tips. “Get on their level” and “Get Closer”, are the two that come to mind right away and they are both solid ways to improve your kid shots. Let’s look first at why these work and then how to expand those ideas to create infinitely more interesting images.
The top tip on any list you find is often going to be “Get on their level”. There is a reason that it should be as it is great advice and will make a big difference immediately. If you get down on the same level as a child to take their portrait, you give them power by allowing them to look into the camera straight on. Kneel down so that you become the same height as the child. Chat with your subject and engage them before just going right into taking their photograph. When the time is right, lift your camera and ask the kids if they can see themselves (or a fairy or a pony or any other magical subject) in your lens to get direct eye contact.
Photography is a visual language and the angle with which you shoot the photograph is an integral part of the structure of your story you are telling. Think of composition as part of the “grammar” of this language and that the choices that you make should serve a purpose. Photography is a common language that even kids can understand and when you make the effort to physically go down to their level you are showing them a certain respect.
Tech tip: Use a long lens so that you can put some distance between the camera and the child’s face. That is just another layer of respect.
Once you have begun to incorporate the “Get on their level” angle into your regular routine, here are four other ideas to break the cycle of the adult eye level shots:
Over Their Shoulder: You are down on their level, you have taken a straight on portrait, now move around the child and have a look at what they are doing. Immerse yourself in their world and let your camera see what they see.
Tech tip: If you have a fast 50mm lens, use it now and include some of the child in the frame. If they are busy, you will need to use a faster shutter speed to freeze the motion. Using a fast 50mm lens means you will be able to open up the aperture to allow you to use that faster shutter speed indoors and avoid triggering your flash.
Go Low: Kids are short and you may have gotten on your knees to get their eye level, but now, go further. Come on, you can do it, lie down. You may be amazed at what the world looks like from the ground. Babies tend to hate tummy time, but if you get down with them, they may even enjoy it more and you can end up with some wonderfully funny faces. Or, how about that mountain of toys on the playroom floor? You think it looks bad from where you are standing? It is massive from down here!
Tech tip: Keep your aperture as wide as your lens will let you go so you can blur some of the floor in the foreground of these shots. That will help you isolate your subject even more.
Bird’s Eye: Breaking the adult’s eye level angle is not always just about sitting “criss-cross applesauce” or laying on the floor. It is about carefully observing the world that your child inhabits. It may be the same one as you, but it sure can appear different when you make an effort to look from unexpected points of view. Climb (carefully!) up above the kids and shoot directly down on mealtime, playtime, naptime, story time or bath time…anytime really. I have balanced (carefully! yet precariously) on the edges of various bathtubs, crib railings and dinner tables to get some of my favorite shots. It may be easier to grab a step stool though.
Tech tip: Use the widest focal length that you have and really get a sweeping scope of the children in their environment. Just watch out for your own feet getting into the frame.
Reflections: Use reflections to not only capture yourself with kids, but to catch their expression when they don’t realize the camera is trained on them. You don’t need a house full of mirrors to do this either. When you start looking, you will find shiny surfaces all around you.
Tech Tip: Show yourself in the shot. Set the camera to closest subject auto focus mode and take the camera away from your face before you press the shutter button.
Almost as often, when searching for ways to improve your photos of children, you will be told to “Get closer.” Children’s faces are so perfect and beautiful that it is great advice for you to fill the frame with them. Isolate the tiniest of details by photographing in close on things like newborn lashes, pursed toddler lips going in for a kiss or the drips of a juicy orange picked right from the tree. These shots make for beautiful additions to your collection of images.
Tech tip: Use a macro lens, close-up adapter (or the little flower icon for point and shooters) to get the closest focus possible.
Far Away: Now that you have that powerful and fantastic full frame eye contact shot of your child, step back and let the kids in your photos breathe. You will need to really step back and feature the children in their big world. This angle will emphasize their smallness, but their confidence at being alone in the frame will be their strength.
Tech tip: Use color and negative space well. A messy shot will not be as powerful.
Image by Peta Mazey
Enjoy this post? Check out Rachel’s new eBook – CLICK! How to Take Beautiful Photos of Your Kids
Rachel Devine is an international commercial kid photographer and daily life photo blogger from the states. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia. Rachel and Peta Mazey are the photography duo behind “Beyond Snapshots”. They teach and mentor (in person and online) photographers of all levels on how to take better photographs of life. Their book will be published next year on Amphoto/Random House.
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
How to go Beyond the Regular Composition Advice for Getting the Best Shots of your Kids
Notice something about the title of the article? It doesn’t say how to take “portraits” of kids! Kids, especially those five and under, pretty much dictate how the photography session is going to unfold, and it usually involves moving. Fast! Over the years my style has evolved from format portraiture with medium format film camera (which is NOT conducive to movement) to 35mm, and finally to digital. Digital allows much more freedom of motion and with a few tips you should be on your way to some great photos of kids.
When photographing kids sometimes you get a whole lot of nothing for a while, or they may be shy to start, or play coy. Even kids that know you may decide they don’t want you to take their picture and say so. My three year old niece did just that when I spent the day photographing her. “Don’t take my picture Auntie!” she said as soon as I pointed the camera at her. She’s a regular ham for the camera usually and I knew she’d warm up. Eventually she was giving me “the wave” that you see below which sort of means “don’t take my picture but I’m going to act like I’m the star anyway just in case you do”.
So if you get this kind of behaviour don’t rush or force it. Just keep hanging out with them, play and interact and eventually they’ll come around. A couple hours later she was telling me to take her photo. 
This is almost a given, but be ready for anything with kids! Expect the unexpected and be ready to shoot it. One of the things I say to my students is that photography is about being in the right place, at the right time, with the right lens on – there’s a lot of truth to that! So learn to anticipate what might happen, and where you need to be to capture it. Have the right lens on and make sure your settings are all good. Be ready technically, and in all other aspects. Be ready to move fast if this happens:
Oh yes she did!
I fired off two shots and then she fired right at me with the water gun and I had to turn to protect the camera. I however, took a direct hit in the backside. Luckily it was a nice warm day and it was refreshing. I got the shot, saved the camera from drowning and had a lot of fun with her.
Here’s another of my nephew at the same age. My sister was watering the flowers, nobody knew he was going to do this. Be ready!
Part of being ready also means to stop looking at the images on the back of your camera! If you are looking there you are missing something happening live. You can review them later, so stop chimping!
We set her up with the streamers. So being ready here meant making sure I got it all in the frame and captured it when she threw it up in the air.
When you photograph little ones doing so from an adult perspective makes them look even smaller. Getting down to their level puts you more on equal ground. Get in the mud or sandbox with them, don’t stand over top looking down. Crawl around on the floor and play trucks.
Get down to their level literally, and figuratively. You nee also to get skilled at holding your camera and playing, coloring, or any number of other interactive things with the child.
We tied the dinosaurs together, I had to hold them sometimes while I was shooting.
“When should I use flash?” is a common question I get in my photography classes. My answer to that is two part:
Part one, not enough light, is fairly obvious. It’s too dark if you have the aperture on the lens as wide open as it goes, and you are still getting a shutter speed that’s slower than your lens focal length (see Tips for getting Sharper images for more info on that). It helps to use a lens with a large aperture either an f/2.8 zoom lens (but they’re pricey) or even better an f/1.8 prime lens like the handy little 50mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.8.
But what about part two, what is “good light”? How do you know if you have bad light?
That part is a bit subjective but tough lighting situations like backlighting, or strong overhead light would be some times where you might want to add flash to balance out the light or overpower the natural light entirely. I tend to use flash to supplement natural light whenever possible, and to try and correct the lighting where necessary. Notice the image above – there is NO flash used for that image. The light coming from the windows in the living room on the right provided a nice soft directional light on his face. Selecting a large aperture allowed me to use that light.
Now look at the image below. Can you tell if there was flash used or not?
Flash was used here, bounced off the ceiling but aimed slightly back.
Flash was used for the image above because the windows behind him were leaving his face in deep shadow. So I used a flash bounced off the ceiling, angled slightly behind me. Avoid direct flash whenever possible as it flattens out the subject and produces harsh shadows. Bouncing off walls and ceilings is ideal if you can do so. In this case I aim my flash backwards slightly as well so the result isn’t light coming straight down on him and making dark eyes. I use this technique a lot at events, even with 15-20′ high ceilings.
Capturing moving subjects of any kind requires the right camera settings, practice and trial and error. Most cameras have different Focus Modes – read your manual to find out more. Select the one for continuous or tracking focus. What that means is the camera does not lock focus when you push the shutter button halfway down. Instead it “tracks” any moving objects as they come nearer and farther away from you. If you hold the shutter button down the camera continues to look for focus and if the object is moving towards you some cameras actually anticipate their speed and prefocus in front of them so when you press the shutter fully your image is sharp. There are too many camera brands and models and each are different and offer different choices, so I can’t tell you what to choose. Just know that when shooting moving objects you want the tracking option.
You may also want to shoot in burst or high speed shooting mode. That’s when you press the shutter all the way down and hold it, the camera takes multiple images until you let go or the camera can’t hold any more information. Most SLRs have this feature but vary in the frames per second rate they are capable of shooting. Even three frames per second will give you more options than just shooting a single frame at a time.
This was shot using the tracking focus mode – on my Canon that’s called Servo
Another example using focus tracking. I keep the camera pointed at him and the button partly pressed and it follows him with focus. Make sure to get out of the way of errand water sprays during water fights!
I’ve often been told that I’m good with kids during sessions because I get silly with them. I make fart noises and silly faces. I play with puppets with them. I get down in the sand and play. Too often we adults worry about our dignity and how we “look” – throw all that out the window and get over yourself and let go a little, Give yourself permission to be a GOOFBALL for a little while. Who knows you might actually have some fun!
The image below happened because we were blowing raspberries at each other and having a face making competition of sorts. He won, but I got the shot! He was also soaking wet from running through the hose several times and the read dye in his hair was running down his forehead, which just adds to the image!
Really, you will never be in control anyway so why not relinquish it right from the start and call a spade a spade. The child is in charge and will run the session, so the sooner you accept that the more fun you’ll both have. Here’s a few DOs and DON’Ts.
You must test the chalk to make sure it writes don’t you know! So serious.
I was literally putting my bag in my car to leave, camera all packed away when the sidewalk art began and the light was so perfect. So out came the camera again! This image follows pretty much all the points above: be ready, get down on their level, use the natural light when it’s good, play with them.
I just can’t resist good light! I have a slight case of Photography Compulsion Syndrome, perhaps you suffer from it too?
If you photograph kids or have some of your own, go out and practice using these tips and tell me how you did. Do you have any additional tips you’d like to add, please share in the comments below.
Now get out there and go do some photography! Happy shooting.
Cheers, Darlene
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
7 Tips for Photographing Kids
A Guest Post by Jeff Guyer.
We love photography. We love our kids. So, it would stand to reason that if we can find a way to combine photography and spending time with our kids it’s a big win, right? Of course it is. If your kids are anything like mine, however, they’ve either already reached a point where they vanish into thin air the moment they even sense a camera coming out of a bag, or will reach that point soon enough. So, how do we enjoy our cherished hobby without abandoning our kids for hours or days at a time? If they’ve grown weary of their time in front of your camera, maybe it’s time to help transition them from test subjects and guinea pigs to budding photographers themselves.
I know– the mere mention of Auto Mode makes you cringe. Ordinarily I’d agree, but it’s time to get over it (at least for a little while). I’ve been teaching a kids photography class for three years, and I can state with absolute certainty that if I tried teaching my own son the way I teach my students, he would most likely never pick up a camera again. In the classroom, I start each semester with a demonstration. We talk about the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO).
To illustrate, I pull out an old, 1972 Pentax Spotmatic and do something that would be impossible with any of today’s DSLR’s– I open it up. I take off the lens. I open up the back. I show them how the shutter stays open longer at slower shutter speeds. I demonstrate how the aperture ring works on older lenses. Let them see what’s going on from front to back. I show them how these concepts work on a practical, visual level. From exposure, we work our way to composition, to lighting, etc. It’s a logical progression and it works. An effective classroom approach, however, won’t often be the same recipe for success when we try it on our own kids. Why?
Because our kids just want to spend time with us and take nice pictures. They spend enough time in school learning nuts and bolts. If you are going to get (and keep) them interested in photography, you’re going to have to teach them without teaching them.
Huh?
You’ve taught your kids all kinds of things without sitting them down and making a formal lesson out of it. This is no different. But whereas in the classroom I start with the technical, with my son I start with composition and let the technical fall into place later.
We all know that composition consists of the placement of our subject and other elements within the boundaries of the frame. What you have to remember, though, is that your child views the world from a much lower vantage point than you do. So, start by getting down on their level and see things as they do. It may also help at first to leave the big guns at home and use a point & shoot or even an iPhone. The iPhone is an amazing compositional tool. A live view that you can share with your kids will be a huge help in guiding them towards alternate angles and helping them get what they see with their eyes within the confines of the frame.
This is where they will start expressing themselves creatively. It also gives you a chance to get inside their heads and maybe even let them teach you a thing or two about creativity. In some ways, pressing the shutter button is almost secondary at this point.
Start by thinking about what frustrates you most about basic photography and make sure to remove as many of these stumbling blocks as possible. The more you do to create a successful environment for them, the better your chances for successfully instilling a love for photography. Stationary subjects like landscapes are a great place to start, as are pets, toys, or even cracks in the sidewalk for that matter.
As long as you are helping them select relatively stress-free subjects on their visual level, you increase their chances of success. Remember also, that creativity does not usually fall too far from the tree. Free from our adult notions of creativity, your kids might very well have some pretty awesome creative visions of their own. Be open to those visions and be sure to give them a chance to guide the journey as well.
Once they get more comfortable with capturing their vision in a box, you can start introducing games, challenges, and scavenger hunts. You’ve got their interest and attention. Now hold onto it by making it fun and exciting. Shooting themes (e.g., “Lines,” “Red,” “Doors,” “Reflections,” etc.) is a great way to both engage their imaginations and expand how they see the world around them.
As children become more and more comfortable with the ideas of composition and choosing their subjects, they will be in a better position to not only start asking questions about why their photos are too light or too dark, but to understand the answers as well. By now you are hopefully comfortable with your own grasp of exposure, as well as the interplay and symbiotic relationship between the three elements. Once again, it’s all well and good, but your 8-year-old is going to get a glassed-over look in her eyes and expel the biggest yawn you’ve ever seen the moment she starts hearing things like “depth of field,” “stopping down,” and shooting “wide open.” So what do we do? We teach it visually by example.
Imagine a room with a large single window covered with a curtain. Congratulations– you’ve just stepped inside a camera. The window and curtain combine to act as your shutter and aperture. If your kids can get their heads around the concept simply by way of discussion, great. If not, pick a room of your house and demonstrate. If I open the curtain just a little, I have a smaller aperture. If I open it wider, I have a larger aperture. If I open and close the curtain very quickly, I have a faster shutter speed, and if I open and close it more slowly I have a longer, slower shutter speed. Demonstrate this with various combinations, showing them how their choices affect how much light enters the room and for how long.
Once they have a handle on aperture and shutter speed, you can add ISO to your demonstration with the use of sunglasses. Technically, ISO is a measure not of the light entering your camera, but of your camera’s sensitivity to that light. For purposes of this discussion, starting with sunglasses on and taking them off will be comparable to raising the ISO. The light entering the room has not changed, but it obviously becomes brighter with the removal of the sunglasses.
I suppose my most important piece of advice is to make sure you keep all of this in perspective. We love our kids first and photography second. “You’re doing it wrong,” or any variation of it is strictly off-limits. Allow for mistakes and imperfections. Celebrate and embrace them. Just remember, though, that your kid can read you like a book. The second they realize you’re getting pushy or not having fun, it’s over. You didn’t just wake up one morning an accomplished photographer. You worked at it. If you guide them right your kids will work at it, too.
And one day they might even take a killer, life-altering photo and thank you for it.
Jeff Guyer is a photographer based in Atlanta, GA. In addition to shooting portraits, architecture, sports, weddings, and just about anything else that pauses in front of his lens, he also teaches a Digital Photo Challenges class for kids. Follow him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/guyerphotography or on Twitter @guyerphoto
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
What to Teach Your Kids about Photography
If they’re young enough, your kids have always known a world in which smartphones are the most-popular devices for taking photos. That’s too bad. In this article we’ve rounded up a selection of cameras that will suit aspiring young photographers of all ages from under-10s to teenagers. Click through for a link.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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