Friday, August 1, 2008

CAPTURING YOUTHFUL MOMENTS IN TIME

A well known Comedian once said, “All children are brain damaged”. Another Cliche’ is,
“Be kind to your children for they are the ones who will pick your nursing home”. Our children are our future and the future of this and every nation. They are the treasured legacy of what we leave behind. We need to document these moments in time because in the wink of an eye, They’re Gone!!!

Equipment
I will assume you have a good film camera. Or if you’re using a digital camera, one of at least
five mega pixel. With film cameras you will require ASA 100 for indoor and ASA 200 for outdoor shoots. I prefer ASA 200 for outdoor photography for the simple fact that anything higher
renders a photo that’s too grainy. Filters for child photography really can be limited to a very few.
The first is a polarizer, circular polarizer if you’re using a digital camera. This filter helps soften the harsh outdoor light and to some extent, the subject. I’m not in favor of using filters at all on children. Their features are naturally softened by their youth. I believe using a polarizer filter in this case is a necessary trade off.
A Polarizing filter is designed and manufactured with technology one step below that of rocket science. You definitely Don’t need a Masters Degree to learn to use one though. The main thing to remember is that a Polarizing filter only works when the sunlight is at 90 degree angle to the subject or if the light is directly overhead or on an overcast day. Just position yourself and your subject properly and adjust the Polarizer filter for the desired effect. It’s as simple as that.
The only other filters I would recommend are Warming filters. These type of filters are primarily used on film cameras to correct color casts. Digital cameras are not subject to this problem due to the automatic white balance correction built in.
Another definite necessity is a good camera tripod and cable release for both indoor and outdoor work. A portrait lense is beneficial for photographing children
but not an absolute necessity. Both film cameras and digital cameras, because of their high resolution, gives one the option of enlarging a photograph without losing much detail. Be sure to have spare batteries for your camera if it’s a digital. Don’t forget plenty of film and if you’re photographing with a digital camera, a spare media capture card as large as you can afford. I use the camera raw or tiff format for human and wildlife photography and at 23 to 25 mega pixels per shot, it don’t take long to exhaust a card. With the post view option a digital camera offers you have the option of deleting unwanted photos.

Location
Whether your photographic session will be in doors or outdoors safety should be a paramount issue. Especially outdoors, make sure all the garden tools are picked up or out of the way. This is not only for your subjects safety but for yours as well. You’ll be concentrating on getting that shot of a lifetime and not of that garden rake or hose you’re going to trip over. I’ve been there, done that and have the scars to prove it!!!

Situational Photographic Sessions
As the term imparts, means creating unique situations to photograph in. You’re pretty much limited only by your imagination when it comes photographing children being children. A few of the situations I have used in the past include:
a. Water Balloon Fights- On a hot summer day fill up a bunch of balloons and keep them on ice until the session begins. The resulting shots are Priceless!!
b. Churning Butter- The results include boredom, more boredom and then amazement
c. Making Ice cream- Every child will jump at the chance to gorge themselves into a coma with homemade Ice Cream. Let them do all the cranking and I guarantee the resultant photographs will be memorable.
d.. Children and Pets- They go together like pork and beans. What you will see in the results is
unconditional love, devotion and commitment. I lost my Rottweiler, Sadie, to my youngest Granddaughter years ago. They bonded at a very young age and were close their whole lives. The
resultant photos I have are treasured memories.
e. Take a Kid fishing- This pretty much speaks for itself.
f. Children and Food- Just watching children eat is a treat and presents many photographic possibilities.
I’m sure that other situations exist. Use you own unique creativity to capture those memorable photographs.

The little people in our lives are just that, little! Photograph them from their level. It’s safe to say
a Kodak moment happens in a household at least once every day. Br prepared. Keep your camera at close hands for those once in a lifetime photographs.