Category: 4. Trade Tips!
Ok – how to capture those kids that move 100 miles an hour! Not always easy – even for us pros it can be a test!
Now first things first – to capture movement you need light, good light – or a flash with a camera that you can dial in exposure compensation or shoot in Manual mode.
- Which mode on my camera do I use – if you have a point and shoot then select SPORTS mode. This will give you the best chance of capturing those lightning quick kids. If you have an SLR then choose Shutter Priority or Manual. I suggest you only choose manual if you know what you are doing. DSLR Users or users of cameras which you can shoot in shutter priority or manual, you’ll need to set your shutter speed to 1/500th. This should freeze any movement with any lenses up to 300mm. Please note that you will need lots of light (ie outdoors).
- Flash – you have to be careful when you use flash as flash can actually cause blur. Using flash in daylight or bright conditions is when you may get ‘ghosting’ blur. If you use flash when it’s dark you’ll be safe as flash will freeze any movement as long as the available light isn’t too bright. DSLR USERS - Camera setting – dial in exposure compensation minus 1.5 . Or in manual, set the exposure to 1.5 stops under correct exposure. Your flash setting should be set at correct exposure, do NOT dial in any exposure compensation for your flash. Even if the shutter is slow, the flash will be the main light source and will freeze the motion.
- Focus Modes explained – C- stands for continuous, the camera will follow focus a moving subject. I personally find this to be very hit and miss and prefer to focus myself. S – stands for single focus, this is where you focus on the subject. Pre Focus – this is where you use S focus and focus on a pre determined spot. When your subject comes into that spot you press the shutter knowing that spot is where the focus is at. If you own a point and shoot you’d use the center point for S and pre focus, Tracking for Continous focus.
MOVEMENT, SITUATIONS AND CHOICES.
- PARALLEL TO THE CAMERA – This is the easiest to photograph. You’re sitting in the bleachers and your kid is running a hurdles race. As this is parallel to the camera, all you need to do is follow the subject with the camera, focus and shoot. Continuous (tracking) or Single focus works well here.
- AWAY FROM CAMERA – This is next easiest – imagine 2 kids running away from you through a paddock of long gorgeous grass…all you need to do is single focus shoot, simply refocusing as needed. You can try continuous here too, not my fave but it may work well for you.
- TOWARDS THE CAMERA - This is definitely the most difficult, especially if coming at you quickly. If your kids are walking toward you hand in hand, then you should be able to use S focus or even tracking. But if there is speed involved, like a kid on a swing or kids running toward you, then pre focus is the way to go. Simply focus at a predetermined spot, keep your finger depressed on the shutter so that the focus doesn’t ‘refocus’, then take the photo when the kid reaches that focus spot. Some photos will still be a little out of focus – as you may hit the shutter a bit too early or late, but you will get some. And you can’t control the kid’s expression when they hit that focus spot…often they’ll look the other way or whatever. But with a little patience you WILL get an awesomely sharp, in focus, action shot. I use this kind of focusing technique for swing shots, Dad throwing kids up in the air etc. I’d also recommend this for kids running towards the camera (although I use single focus as I’m fast at following their movement and refocusing). DSLR users: I close down my aperture a little for these type of shots. I shoot a lot at f3.3-4 but for action I’ll use f4.8-5.6. This gives me a little bit more depth of field to get my shot.
You’re going to need some patience – you probably aren’t going to get it the first time, it takes some practice. If you can think a little, and preempt the action then you have a far better chance of capturing it. With older kids (3+) you can coach them a little by asking them to run toward the camera, but asking them to look up at the camera and shout HURRAH when they get to the ‘stick in the grass’. By doing this it means that you have a better chance of getting them looking at the camera, with expression when they run into your ‘prefocus’ zone 
Happy shooting 
I use prefocus for swing shots
I'd also use prefocus for this - I also use single focus but I'm fast at follow focusing
this movement was parallel to the camera, all I needed was a fast shutter (or sports mode) and single focus
Write a Comment
Shooting outdoors can be quite tricky for portraiture, but also yield some lovely results. Even if you are just using a compact point and shoot camera.
So here is a basic guide that will suit most people. If you are a more advanced shooter then you can apply what suits for you.
Shooting kids
If you have a point and shoot, set it to sports. This will allow you to freeze movement but also gives you a more out of focus background. If you have an SLR then keep your aperture wide (the lower range of numbers f4–f5.6 range is good), and your shutter high. On my 24-70mm range I use 1/160th as my shutter and on my 70-200 I use 1/400 to freeze movement and minimise shutter shake.
Easiest Light
The easiest light to work with is diffused light. Cloudy conditions are perfect, if the day is sunny get them into shade. This will prevent awful shadows and bright spots. One of the most important things when we shoot people is to make sure that they have light in their eyes, otherwise their eyes look like black holes! To do this it is important that even if they are in shade, that they are facing light. So if you are shooting under a tree, you would have them facing away from the trunk looking out. If you are in open shade of a building you could have them facing away from the wall, or if the wall is light that may be enough to light them up. Just check their eyes, if they don’t have light in them – move.
under a tree facing an open grassy area.
Dealing with Sun
Now this is where things get trickier. The best way for an inexperienced shooter to deal with the sun is to try and get into some shade. The more the sun is overhead (middle of the day), the harder it is to shoot in. Why? Because the shadows are dense, the highlights are super bright and the camera can’t record this much information. Something has to give so it will make the highlights go yellow with no detail, or your blacks will go like big blocks of solid black with no detail. It also makes the eye sockets fill with shadow (raccoon eyes) and can give patchy light on the face which is never a good look!
If you can’t get under some shade then force your flash to fire. This will help to get some light into the shadows and light up those eyes. It isn’t the most flattering light but it will look heaps better than a shadowy mess.
Back-lighting or Bright Backgrounds
Have you ever taken a photo and your subject has turned out a silohuette? It’s because strong light from behind fools the meter in your camera. You camera thinks it has plenty of light and photographs the background perfectly. But your poor subject is black because your camera doesn’t know that you actually want them to be exposed correctly! There are 2 ways to deal with this.
FILL FLASH – whether you have a point and shoot or an SLR you can use this method. Simply pop up the flash, the flash will light your subject, the camera will then take a pic of the background exposed correctly with a nicely lit subject. The below photo is a snapshot that illustrates this perfectly. If your camera allows you to control the strength of the flash, then play with it till you get a result that you like. I would have preferred to have this photo with the flash toned down a little.
Background (sky) was bright with out flash (pop up here) they would have been silohuettes!
SET EXPOSURE FOR THE SUBJECTS – BLOW OUT THE BACKGROUND - if you own an SLR or a point and shoot with some manual features you can set the exposure for the subjects which will overexpose the background. There are 2 ways to do this. 1. Use your spot metering in your camera (check your manual everyone should READ their camera manual). The camera will then expose for whatever is at the center of your viewfinder. So make sure you focus on their face (skin) to get the correct exposure. DONT FORGET to change it back when you have finished. You have to be very aware when you shoot in spot so unless you plan to be like this, change it back to matrix or evaluative. 2. Toggle your Exposure compensation button till you like your result.
see how the sky is all blown out but she is correctly exposed
So these are the basics of shooting outdoors. Feel free comment if you have any questions
2 Comments
-
Marcela
Thanks Amanda! it help a lot of. Keep posting more
I will need to practise it now… -
such a great read about lighting! ?
Write a Comment
The winner of my Mother’s Day Competition is CHEREE ROBINSON!!!!
Cheree won a Bronze Collection worth $350 for her story below.
Join my Facebook Amanda’s Photography Melbourne Fan page for updates, promotions and competitions. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5791181&id=704745030#!/pages/Amandas-Photography-Melbourne/115893635095452?ref=sgm
Write a Comment
Hahaha – hehehe ……… it can really be fun, I promise!
Tip #1
Patience, patience, patience. Really! Seriously though, don’t be in a hurry to put your camera down. Toddlers have an uncanny knack of being super cute the very second you put down the camera.
Tip #2
Put yourself in your toddlers shoes (or sandals).
I find so many people say to me ‘I can never get them to look at the camera’. Why is this so? Because toddlers are industrious, inquisitive little people. Photograph it…doesn’t matter if they are looking at the camera, capturing their wonder is priceless. Most toddlers love singing – so sing. You’ll most likely get them to look up at you if you burst into a rendition of ‘twinkle twinkle’ or whatever their favourite song happens to be. If you can capture their interest you’ll get your shot. Most toddlers aren’t interested in Mummy calling out their name when they are engrossed in something else. So capture their fascination then sing to them to get their attention and some eye contact. Play games like peek aboo or silly faces and noises. If you have another adult with you then utilise them…they can keep your tot safe and sound, and can do things like peek aboo behind you to get your toddler looking toward the camera.
Tip #3
DON’T GET CROSS WITH THEM if they don’t do what you hoped. It’s so easy to snap at them in your disappointment at missing a shot. If you keep photo sessions fun then they will be more likely to be cooperative with you as they grow older. I have soured my own children 
I just have to add here that of course, I never get cross with my clients tots!! Just my own.
Tip #4
Get down on their level. In fact I’ll often get down on my tummy to shoot a toddler when they are engrossed in some activity. It gives a much nicer perspective than shooting from a standing position where all you really see is the top of their head! It’s also much nicer and easier for you to interact with them when you are down at their level. And don’t forget the little things – dimpled hands, cute little toes…..these are the things that in years to come you will treasure.
Tip #5
Outside! I LOVE toddlers outside….they look so small against the big wide world. Being outside will also give you enough light to freeze their erratic movement.
Tip #6
If you are shooting with a point and shoot camera, set it to sports mode. It is designed to freeze movement and gives a more blurrier background which helps to isolate your little one and make them the main focus.
Tip #7
Try not to shoot up really close. You are better to zoom in a little bit. When you shoot really close up you go into wide angle territory which a/ gives distortion which can really alter your tot’s facial features and b/ is much harder to keep the face in focus when shot up close.
Tip #8
Like everything you photograph – check the background and surroundings. If your background has a bright green shopping bag in it then that is really going to detract from your little one. I recently shot a photoshoot at a river which had a shopping trolley in the middle of it. GRRRRR….not much I could do about it except change my position slightly so that it wasn’t behind the little girl.
Tip #9
Don’t ask them to say ‘cheese’ or ask them to smile. It ends up with what I call the ‘crocodile smile’ - you know the one when you say ‘Smile – show us your teeth’ and they do their best to do what they think is a smile with their little teeth showing. It rarely is an attractive smile and will never be as beautiful as the giggly smile you’ll get from them when you’ve made them smile for real.
Tip #10
Enjoy them. Toddlers are so natural and so open in front of the camera. They haven’t learnt yet to ‘pose’ and be unnatural. And don’t forget to capture it all – tears, tantrums as well as the fun. One of my fave photos of my son is him in mid tantrum, red as a tomato! Memories………
Capture the tears and tantrums too.
Capturing them outdoors gives a sense of scale, it shows how small they really are
Zoom in and zoom out - get nice close ups....don't be afraid to 'chop' the top of a head off.
Write a Comment
I get this question quite often from parents who own an SLR or DSLR camera (the type which you can swap lenses on). There is no easy answer to this as there are several variables, but here is a guideline.
I have to diverge a little here as there is one very important thing to consider.
Most entry level DSLR’s have a 1.5X magnification factor. In lay terms, this means that a FILM 50mm lens on a film SLR will now become 75mm on your digital SLR. I will call this an APS-C camera from now on. The lens manufacturers produce lenses which are specially made for these DSLR’s, you will need to check this when you buy – the store will be able to tell you.
There are some DSLR’s that have emerged in the last couple of years which are called Full Frame (FF) – they will not affect the focal length of a film lens, a 50mm lens will perform the same on these cameras as it will on a film body. If you bought a full frame camera body then you would likely know (as they are more in the pro-am realm), but in case here is a list of current full frame cameras.
Full Frame Cameras
Nikon D3 D3x D700
Canon 1DS III Canon 5D MkII Canon 5D
Sony A900 A850
Leica M9 (if you own one of these then you need to call me so I can come and have a play with it hheehehe)!
So – the next thing is to decide is how much you have to spend!
I recommend covering the following range
Film SLR or FF DSLR – 24-200mm
APS-C DSLR (non FF) – 17-150mm.
This range will allow you to shoot indoors in tight spots and also give you some tele power for outdoor shots.
Now price factors hugely here! I own FF and predominantly shoot with my 24-70mm F2.8 indoors and for ‘scenic shots’ (approx 17-55 in APS-C), and my 70-200mm f2.8 outdoors(the big Kahuna)! The lenses I use are F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range which allows me to shoot in fairly low light without flash. They are also super duper sharp but they come at a high price. Depending on your brand they range from $1000-$3800 per lens (and that’s excluding the camera body). If you are lucky enough to be able to acquire these lenses then you have the perfect range for shooting most people photography.
Chances are that you can’t buy the above so you will need to buy consumer level gear. So the questions you need to ask yourself are -
“Do I want to shoot predominantly indoor or outdoors, or do I want to shoot both’?
If you want to shoot both then you should cover all the range mentioned above. You’ll need lots of light for 100mm and above which makes it perfect for outside. Indoors you’ll be needing the wider end. You can buy consumer lenses which will cover this entire range. Some common examples are FF 28-200mm or APS-C 17-200mm. Or you can buy 2 different lenses, a mid zoom 28-80 (17-55) and the long lens 70-200 (approx 55-150). Be prepared that if you buy consumer lenses then you will need to use some flash or shoot with lots of light. A cheap way to get great indoor shots is to buy a 50mm 1.8 lens. These can be found pretty inexpensively (approx $250) and will give you a beautiful professional sharpness and will work well indoors when light is low.
If you will be mostly shooting indoors then get a 28-80 ish length (17-55 APS-c) and if mostly outdoors then the 70-200 is perfect.
3rd Party Lenses
Lenses made by your camera manufacturer ie Nikkor for Nikon or Canon for Canon – will always cost more. They are usually brilliant lenses – super sharp, great contrast and clarity. But there are a lot of great lenses out there which are made by 3 parties. The most popular being Sigma, Tamron and Tokina. I have one of each of these lenses in my bag and have found them to be really really good. A little research is all it takes to find out a ton of information and independant testing on all the different lenses. Visit http://www.dpreview.com/ They are wonderful for reviewing all photographic equipment. Just be sure to include all the little numbers in your lens’ name as this will ensure you are reviewing your correct lens.
NIFTY FIFTY – otherwise known as the Standard Lens 50mm
I can’t praise this little lens enough. You’ll be able to pick one up for a few hundred bucks tops – and you’ll be able to get beautiful professional results from it. It’s light and small and wont make your arms ache It is what is termed as a ‘prime’ lens, ie – it does not zoom in or out, you do the zooming in and out with your legs! It gives a similar result to what the human eye sees, no wide angle distortion or telephoto compression. Once upon a time SLR’s came with a nifty fifty – hence the name standard lens.
Write a Comment
where I’ll post random photography tips and photography related advice, my own experience with photographic equipment etc.
Photography tips will range from tips for shooting kids and babies, photoshop tips, etc etc. First post coming soon.
So check back often
2 Comments
-
This is really sweet of you to take your time out and post for newbies!
Good job. And amen for the nifty fifty. I love my 50MM and my 100MM.
I shoot with a Canon 50D and am in love with it.
Peace,
Kim
california -
your very welcome Kim. Glad it was of some use to you. More going up soon!
10 Comments
Great tips! Thanks for sharing.
Great tips and amazing action shots!
Great tips! Love love that first swing shot – awesome!
These are some great tips you are sharing!! I love your writing style and how easy it’s to understand what you are explaining. The high shutter speed that is needed to freeze motion is such a great tip…especially for parents with toddlers:) I love the action shots you are showing here too.
Great tips! Love that second picture – the colors are beautiful!
Such a great read! Thanks for sharing!
Great tips, Amanda!
How fun and sweet!
OMG these are fab. I love dad throwing her in the air! Perfect! I had to come back to look again!
Great tips Amanda!! I would love for you to share some tips in how you edit photos in photoshop! I try to do some editing but it just never seems to look quite right!!