Who said papas are the only ones who get to play the paparazzi?? Each Monday I’ll bring you a different tip to make your personal photos better, more impactful, more creative, and bolder. Hopefully by utilizing the information I post here, you’ll be able to make a dramatic difference in the images you capture.
So-off we go.
You don’t have to have a fancy camera to make the most of any photo opportunity. If you have a DSLR, you’ll be able to use more creativity, but a regular Point and Shoot (P&S) will do just fine. It is more about the artist than the equipment, anyway. Just as owning a pair of scissors does not a hair dresser make, the same goes for photography. Its all about knowing how to use what you have.
This week we’ll be talking about an often overlooked method for taking pictures of little ones or even pets.
GET DOWN ON THEIR LEVEL.
This tip makes a lot of sense when you think about it. If you are trying to best capture your child, why take the picture as you see the world? Getting down on their level means that you’ll be able to fill the frame better, you’ll most likely get better eye contact, and the connection with you will be much more apparent. If you were to take the image I’ve posted below from adult eye level, you’d get a photograph where the subject was much smaller (fills less of the frame) because you’d have to get further away to get his face visible. Otherwise, you’d be staring at the top of his head! You can also tell, he is really engaging with me in this image-because I got down on his level.
When I took this image, I was sitting indian-style and hunched over a little bit. I talked to him a lot from behind the camera, and often dropped my camera from my face so he could tell it was still Mama behind there! I find that he is much more at ease with me taking photos of him when I take the time to make him comfortable.
So, next time you whip out your camera to capture the daily lives of your sweet children…do yourself a favor. Get down on the ground with them, lay down if you have to…but make sure to see the world as they do. You’ll get a much more intimate shot that way.