A Professional Photographer’s Advice on Shooting Kids

Following is part 2 of last week’s interview with Robert Shults, a professional photographer.  He’s not a Texas Chick, but he is Texan!  And his photography is awesome, so read on for some great tips about photographing kids.

Get On The Kids’ Level

Come on, Robert, we’ve all heard that a million times.

But remember that a child’s “level” can be just about anywhere, and successful photographers usually follow.  Don’t be afraid to climb playscapes, crawl under tables or scale boulders in order to present the child’s perspective on the world.

Ok, you’re right, Robert.  Most people equate getting on a child’s level to hitting the floor, which can be quite restrictive.  Good tip!

Preset Your Camera

Learn to anticipate what the child is likely to do next, and set up ahead of time.  For those using point and shoot cameras, this can be as simple as framing your composition and half-pressing the shutter, which will combat excessive “shutter-lag” that is common among these cameras.  For those using SLRs, you must also meter your scene, focus and possibly allow your flash to charge, and begin shooting just as your subject moves into the frame.

Shoot a Burst

My digital cameras are always set to continuous shooting mode, and I never press the shutter release without making 3-5 frames, no matter what I am photographing.  With children, this vastly increases your odds of getting a “keeper.”  Begin shooting just before they get to the position you have selected for your composition and keep shooting as they move through it.

(Holy cow, this is great advice.  I picked up my camera this week and realized that it was set to burst already.  I just never use it.)

This technique is not just for actions shots either.  Shooting a burst during a portrait session will help you get just the “right” expression on the child’s face.  Sometimes, the most interesting natural expressions occur just before or after a smile forms, when a certain look of discovery flashes across a child’s face.

(I think shooting portraits in burst just might change my photographic life.  I am so excited about this!)

Smiles Aren’t Everything

Many “newbie” photographers too often look for that brilliant smile or broad laughter.  Childhood is made up of a continuum of emotions, and photographers should also seek out those moments of uncertainty and pensiveness that are common as children approach new developmental milestones.

To Be Continued

Stay tuned – Texas Chicks has more great info from Robert about composition, lighting and black and white conversions!

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And for those of you who will be in the Austin area on November 7, try to attend Robert’s opening reception.  I guarantee that you will be inspired.