Kids are not always ready for family photos. Or any photos at all. That’s okay! I know, as a photographer and a mother, how stressed parents feel when their kids are less than cooperative during a session. But I just run with it! Kids are kids! They want to run, explore, play, and not sit still. So I just explore capturing kids using that energy.
For the Heritage Park family session that included B, both he and his sister wanted to run and explore. So I just went with it and found ways to tie their desires together with capturing great images.
The Challenge
It was late in the day, great for photos, not always great for kids, they had been going all day, and they were not interested in sitting still for photos. I get it! I have kids that do that same. SO I had to be patient, observe, and come up with some ways to help them engage with my camera.
The Gear
I had my 70-200mm lens. That means I have to be far back from the subject to get them in frame. It also means soft, dreamy backgrounds. This was a blessing and curse. I could get out of their space, let them do their own thing, and capture it, but I also had to move quickly if I had to get close to them to hand them something or point something out.
The Tricks
With this particular session, I decided to embrace their current focus. The water near us was lined in rocks. All this little guy wanted to do was throw rocks. Deal. I told him to grab a rock, throw it as hard as he could, and then look at my camera right after. He was so proud of his throw. The celebration smile was genuine and perfect for capturing a portrait of him.
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