Thursday, March 10, 2011

How to photograph toddlers and teenagers

A couple of days ago I read this darling post about how a cute mom (who is already a genius behind the camera) goes about photographing her toddler. It included tips like..take the picture/check the lighting/close the curtains/shift the toddler slightly to take advantage of better lighting/change camera settings....

They were great ideas. Ideas I wanted to try. But the next time I got the camera out to take a photo of my teenager's very creative "European Rock Climber" outfit he picked out for a youth activity this was the process:

1. Go to get camera. Overhear your two boys say, "oh crap, here comes the camera."

2. Try to stand in front of teenager as he proceeds to walk toward the door. Fumble quickly to get the lens cap off.

3. Try to look at last camera settings but realize that with every second I waste teenager is getting closer to the exit-so commit to using whatever the last camera settings were.

4. Beg teenager to stop moving. Snap a quick photo. Look and realize that half of him is cropped out of the photo.

5. Back up quickly (watch out for the kitchen table). Ask teenager to back up (I have a fixed lens on the camera). Teenager sighs/grunts/and tells you to hurry.

6. So you hurry and snap one last photo (that makes two) as the door shuts behind him.

7. Love and cherish every poor quality, crazy faced photo you get.

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