Let's go on a treasure hunt Here is a new take on an old theme, a Treasure Hunt. I used to love these as a kid. So did my kids. And I am betting today's kids will too. Now, let's mix it up a little and bring it into the 21st Century. Make a list of random items and then send it to the kids via texts, since most kids these days all seem to have a phone of some description and most of those phones have cameras, so let's make this a photographic treasure hunt. This also means you don't end up with a whole heap of junk hanging around afterward, … [Read more...] about Summer photography fun with kids: Treasure hunt
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Summer photography fun with kids: Water balloons
Have you ever considered water balloons as a type of child-friendly extreme sport? When you bring some photographic elements into it, it can be. This one is perhaps not for the littles, but for older kids with a bit of adult supervision. It provides for some awesome fun (for the adults as well). But beware, it does get a bit messy and you will end up getting wet! So pick a day that is nice and warm and not too windy. Requirements Different colored balloons String to tie the balloons up Darts — having two or three is handy A … [Read more...] about Summer photography fun with kids: Water balloons
Summer photography fun with kids: Skittles
Looking for some fun photographic ideas for kids this summer? Try melting some Skittles. This is a little more involved than it looks on the surface, but loads of fun for kids of all ages. It can also be an indoor or outdoor activity. Setup can take a bit, but that can be part of the fun as well. There is also a cool science type vibe about it. Requirements A large pack (or two) of Skittles A large white flat dish You will also need a large bowl Hot tap water (not boiling) Camera or smartphone The setup Find a large … [Read more...] about Summer photography fun with kids: Skittles
Summer photography fun with kids: Traffic lights
Looking for some fun photographic ideas for kids this summer? Try melting some different colored icypoles (what we call popsicles in Australia) and capture the fun. I used red, green and orange (just like traffic lights). It can also be an indoor or outdoor activity, although it can be a little messy. This can take a bit of time to melt, depending on the temperature on the day, so try setting up near a window and coming back every five minutes or so to see the results. Requirements Different colored icypoles A large white flat dish … [Read more...] about Summer photography fun with kids: Traffic lights
Photographing lively images on Christmas morning
It's Christmas morning and the excitement to see what's under the tree vibrates with happy anticipation. Making memorable photos of the family opening presents is easy and a lot of fun, too. Put the camera at the fun level The most important tip I can offer for making photos of children opening presents is to get down on the floor. Put the camera at their level to get the very best expressions. If the camera is above them the photo will show the tops of their heads. That's not as much fun and being on their level. Keep exposure settings … [Read more...] about Photographing lively images on Christmas morning
Portrait Tips: Watching and practice are key for kids
Do you ever feel like Nemo's dad, Marlin, from Finding Nemo? He meets a new group of fish and they say, "Hey, you're a clownfish: Say something funny!" Once people find out you're a photographer, the pressure is on to be able to make a great photo on the spot under any conditions and one of the hardest of those circumstances can be photographing children. But I've found one key that helps me photograph kids, and that's practicing being observant. Readiness from watching Now, don't go get your binoculars and hang out at the park, 'cause that's … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Watching and practice are key for kids
Portrait Tips: Always Do This When Photographing Kids
The Holidays are one of the best times to make pictures. (Check out Bryan's and Lauri's articles for some terrific ideas.) And it's a great time to photograph kids--if you haven't discovered it, yet, a simple truth is that the Holidays are better with kids. Here are two simple tips to help you make better pictures with kids, and you should do these everytime you make pictures with children. Get Down Your pictures will be much more engaging if you get the camera on the same level with kids, at the same height as their perspective. In fact, you … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Always Do This When Photographing Kids
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Focus Priority Settings
Our latest cameras boast lightning-quick autofocus and it's a good thing because my kids and their cousins are lightning-quick subjects, not to mention sports and wildlife subjects. The thing is, your camera has two or three options related to autofocus you may not have considered which will affect your performance. Focus or Release? There's a spot in your menu that dictates whether the camera will make a picture when the subject is out of focus. The default setting is for Focus Priority, which means the shutter will only fire when the … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Focus Priority Settings
Portrait Tip: Your Second Most Important Body Part
Obviously, a photographer's most important body part is her eye, right? How else will she compose impactful pictures? I want to show you two ways to free your second most important skeletal structure so you can make better portraits. Free Your Hands Your hands are essential in your portrait work. They convey trust and make people welcome and you can use them to place keys on your head to great effect. When you meet a subject, you should shake their hand. When you make a good picture together, you should give them a high five. When they … [Read more...] about Portrait Tip: Your Second Most Important Body Part
Portrait Tip: Eliciting Great Expressions With Kids (And Dads)
There's nothing sillier than expecting people to give you a great expression because you say, "Smile!" Especially children. If you want people to smile in your photograph then you need to do something worth smiling about. Here's a technique I learned from Drake Busath and refined to fit my own style. You can use this verbatim and adapt it to fit your personality, too. Discipline An Object Kids also get a thrill from seeing something ridiculous get into trouble. This one is also gold for getting dads and moms to smile. Parents are usually … [Read more...] about Portrait Tip: Eliciting Great Expressions With Kids (And Dads)
Photographer of the Day: Manuel Buetti
Category: Children Photograph: “Straighten" by Manuel Buetti With a beautifully framed shot and subject, Manuel was able to tell a story in a single click. The fact it's a child straightening art makes it more appealing. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Manuel Buetti
Photographer of the Day: Sohail Karmani
Category: Children Photograph: “Street portrait of village girl" by Sohail Karmani To balance the light, Sohail used the sun to backlight the subject and applied fill flash to brighten the subject. This allowed her to focus on the subject and think creatively instead of technically. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Sohail Karmani
Photographer of the Day: Michael Walker-Toye
Category: Children Photograph: “Best Friends Forever" by Michael Walker-Toye Michael captured a beautiful moment and made it timeless by choosing to process it as a black and white. The child's outfit adds to the special moment. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Michael Walker-Toye
Photographer of the Day: Vittorio Vida
Category: Children Photograph: “Different Interests" by Vittorio Vida Beautifully timed capture by Vittorio Vida. We see a child in a crowd looking in the opposite direction as everyone else. Instantly we wonder what the child sees that others don't. Choosing to use an aperture of f/5.3 kept everyone in focus. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Vittorio Vida
Photographer of the Day: Sohail Karmani
Category: Children Photograph: “Portrait of a Village Boy" by Sohail Karmani A powerful image by Sohail. The viewer is taken into the world of the little village boy. No shoes, a desolate place and alone has the viewer looking through the photo searching for answers. Having the child sit on the corner keeps our eyes drawn to him. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Sohail Karmani
Photographer of the Day: Brady
Category: Children Photograph: “Excitement” by Brady Brady captured a great candid shot of her girls at one of the most magical places on earth--Disneyland. The photo shows the excitement the girls felt that day. It's a moment in time the girls will treasure forever. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Brady
Photographer of the Day: Tomas Salinka
Category: Children Photograph: “Eimi ( First shot in 2017)” by Tomas Salinka Tomas did a great job at balancing the light when he captured his three years old little daughter. By keeping the shutter speed at 1/160th of a second he was able to make the background stay dark. The choice to convert the image to Black & White will make this a timeless photo for Eimi. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Tomas Salinka
Photographer of the Day: Stephanie Stafford
Category: Children Photograph: “Rocker Chick” by Stephanie Stafford Stephanie did a great job capturing the little rocker's personality. Her angle of view and use of a shallow depth of field keeps the attention on the subject. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Stephanie Stafford
Photographer of the Day: SuperT76
Category: Children Photograph: “A child plays under the Christmas Tree” by SuperT76 Beautiful use of ambient light mixed with fill flash. SuperT76 captured the child's excitement and the fact it's under a Christmas Tree makes it more adorable. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: SuperT76
Photographer of the Day: KaJa
Category: Children Photograph: “Precious” by K.a.J.a No matter how many times this has been done before, an infant's feet in the hands of their parents is beautiful. The added texture and color completes this photo. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: KaJa
Photographer of the Day: Jim Rosswog
Category: Children Photograph: “Mother and Child” by Jim Rosswog Beautiful lighting and the choice of Black and White makes this a precious interaction between a mother and child. The child looking away adds to the drama of the image. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Jim Rosswog
Photographer of the Day:Emmanuel Canaan
Category: Children Photograph: “Simple Joy” by Emmanuel Canaan An infectious smile and beautiful candle light makes this a photo Emmanuel's son will cherish forever. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day:Emmanuel Canaan
Photographer of the Day: Robert Armstrong
Category: Children Photograph: “Wonderful” by Robert Armstrong Robert captured a great expression and pose from this little girl. The shallow depth of field keeps the viewer's attention on her beautiful face. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Robert Armstrong
Photographer of the Day: Marcos
Category: Children Photograph: “Pure Joy” by Marcos Marcos captured a beautiful shot of his little niece. The image portrays fun, excitement and motion. After viewing the image for a few moments, it leaves the viewer wondering how did the photographer capture this shot? Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Marcos
Photographer of the Day: Joe Bodnar
Category: Children Photograph: “Water+Dirt= This” by Joe Bodnar Kids love to play in the dirt! Add a little water and you have a smiling kid inviting you into his world. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Joe Bodnar
Photographer of the Day: Benjo Rulona
Category: Children Photograph: “Sinulog sa Kabataan (Sinulog for Kids)” by Benjo Rulona Benjo use of light, color and gesture makes this a beautifully candid photo of a street dancer. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Benjo Rulona
Photographer of the Day: Michael Lawrence
Category: Children Photograph: “The Amish Way” by Michael Lawrence Michael's use of light, color and gesture makes this a beautifully dramatic photo. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Michael Lawrence
Photographer of the Day: Tomas Salinka
Category: Children Photograph: “Young Photographer” by Tomas Salinka Tomas use of props and focus lighting made this modern photo retro. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Tomas Salinka
Photographer of the Day: Samuele Silva
Category: Children Photograph: “Federico” by Samuele Silva Cute candid capture taking us into the life a toddler. Great use of window light and an open aperture. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Samuele Silva
Photographer of the Day: Auteurian
Category: Children Photograph: “Pianoforte Piccolo Lettore” by Auteurian Auteurian made this image very interesting by selectively lighting it. Originally shared with the Photofocus Flickr community right here. To learn how your work can be featured on the Photofocus, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Auteurian
