photo friday--"photographing children" & link party

happy "photo friday" everybody! 

i'm beyond excited to have my first ever--guest blogger.
if you are looking for the photo friday link party, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Jamie--take it away! 

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Hello All!!  My name is Jamie and I'm the Blissfully Happy Housewife.  I would like to start off by thanking Andi for having me here on this beautiful Friday!  I'm honored that she asked me to post about something that I am deeply passionate about...photography!

While I have practiced photography professionally, I started out just like many of you.  I was a mom that was obsessed with photographing EVERY. SINGLE. THING. my children did.  I had always loved photography, but once I had children it went to a whole new level (by the way, those are my two cutie patooties in the wildflower picture above).

Once I came to the conclusion that it was out of the budget to hire a full time photographer to just follow my children around 24-7 (darn budget!)...I decided I better develop my own skills! 

Fast forward a few years and I now have a bit of experience photographing children..my own and others.   One comment I often get when people look at my photographs is that they wish they could get their children to "pose" like that.  So today I'm here to teach you a few tricks I use to get very natural authentic pictures of your children.  Sit back, grab a glass of wine (or coffee...depends on the time of day...or maybe it doesn't...that's a whole different post), and here we go....

First I'm gonna let you in on a BIG secret...are  you ready?

The trick to taking great, natural looking pictures of children is NOT to have them pose!!  That's right friends, I don't want to hear any of you saying, "Here Johnny, stand here and say cheeeeese!!!"  Well, you can say that but your pics will look a little...er...cheeeesy (no pun intended)!  Ha!  I once read that a great photographer does not change the subject, but rather the subject changes the photographer.

That stuck.

When I am photographing a child I am constantly moving, constantly talking to them, constantly asking them questions that will allow me to photograph different facial expressions.

I may also ask my subject  to do something..."Can you show me how fast you can run?"...."Can you jump SUPER high?"..."Do you know how to play peek-a-boo?"

By talking to children, and having them talk with you, it allows you to capture the expressions that make them the special little person they are! 

Another trick I use when photographing children is to photograph the details...

Pictures do not have to be dead center with the children smiling...in fact, I think it's more creative if they are not.  Children change and those chubby little fingers aren't going to be around forever...and those little girl hands that grip around Daddy's aren't always going to be so willing to do that.  Capture it while you can.

Last, you should know that when I am photographing children I am always snapping my camera - always, always, always.  It's rare to look in your viewfinder, aim, and capture the perfect shot the first time you snap it.  At the end of a photography session I will often have nearly 300 photographs (or more!) and I would only end up offering the clients maybe 50 of those.  The reason I would take so many is that, as I said before, children are always on the go and their little expressions don't stick around long!  The beauty of digital photography is that it doesn't cost you a penny more to take 300 as opposed to 30. 

Well my friends, I hope this all helps you out.  I encourage you to visit me over at The Blissfully Happy Housewife and drop me an email if you have more questions...I am more than willing to share all that I've learned (and am continuing to learn) with you!  Have a beautiful day and happy shooting!

"I think a photography class should be a requirement in all educational programs because it makes you see the world, rather than just look at it."

--Unknown

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thanks, Jamie for all the very useful info about photographing children!  i especially appreciated the tip on asking questions to get them to do "natural" expressions/movement.  can't wait to try it out on my two.

you can become a follower of Jamie's blog, here.  believe me, you will be so happy you did!

now, on to our week in review photos:

friday:

saturday:

 

sunday:

monday:

tuesday:

wednesday:

thursday: