Enewsletter
April 2010

If you can photograph children—and get truly good results—you can photograph anything in the universe. They wiggle—they run and jump—they seemingly never stand still. And they grow up so doggone fast. But with a little coaching, lots of patience and the right equipment, you can capture and preserve priceless images that the whole family—and extended family—and future generations—can enjoy forever.

Plus, the experience of conquering such a difficult set of subjects (whether they are your own offspring, your nieces and nephews, or even just the bunch next door) is guaranteed to turn you into a better photographer. All things considered, the payoff makes the effort worthwhile.

You could use any sort of camera, of course, but you’ll get much better results if you use a digital SLR and the right zoom lenses. SLR cameras respond faster, which means you’ll miss fewer shots. This is a very important point. And many newer models shoot HD video as well. When it comes to recording precious images of your family, don’t cut corners. Twenty years from now you’ll appreciate the clear, sharp images—and you won’t even begin to remember how much the camera equipment cost. A ‘bargain’ is just ‘bad deal’ unless you’re still happy with it 20 years from now. And there is no way to go back to recapture those fleeting moments.

It all starts with the right equipment. There are no “bad” digital SLR cameras on the market, so you can safely follow your heart and buy the brand that suits your budget and personal preferences. I do recommend looking at the smaller and lighter models, however. Many manufacturers offer trimmed-down SLRs that are easier to pack and carry. I often hear people say “I have a digital SLR but it’s so big and heavy I leave it at home.” Don’t let that happen to you.

The zoom lens that comes with the typical DSLR is “okay” but not your best choice because it’s usually relatively slow (i.e., the smallish lens aperture does not perform well in low light situations). Most have an aperture of f3.5 or thereabout at the wideangle setting, and even slower when zoomed out to telephoto. One “kit zoom” I know of stops down to f5.6 when zoomed all the way out to its maximum range. That means I must use a flash when shooting portraits indoors, and that’s not what I normally want to do. Nope—you are much better off buying a digital camera “body only” and then selecting the zoom lens separately.

There are three primary reasons why I recommend the 17-50mm f2.8 (Model B005). The full name is SP AF17-50mm f2.8 XR Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] and the “VC” stands for Vibration Compensation. That means that it automatically counteracts the tiny tremors and slight camera movement that cause unsharpness and ruin images taken with old fashioned lenses. That’s reason number one.

Reason number two is the bright, constant f2.8 aperture. It’s f2.8 throughout the entire zoom range, at wideangle and at telephoto, and the benefit is twofold. I can use it in dim light without a flash, and I can shoot wide open at f2.8 at telephoto and thereby limit the depth of field to isolate and accentuate my subject.

The third reason, in the final analysis, is the most important one. It’s sharp. I wouldn’t go near it if it wasn’t.

You’ll also need a longer zoom for soccer games, ballet concerts and trips to the zoo. For many of the same reasons I list above, I am partial to the Tamron 18-270mm VC zoom (Model B003). It covers from 18mm to 270mm which equates to a 27mm true wideangle all the way out to a 405mm long telephoto on my Nikon. I can shoot everything from landscapes to portraits to distant subjects—all with one lens.

Family photography is a spontaneous activity. There are no rules to follow, but you should still have a plan. Document the big days so that you’ll be able to treasure them forever. Record all of the “firsts": first steps, first day at preschool, first pony ride, etc. The “firsts” don’t always yield the best images, but they will provide memories for many years to come.

Always have a camera with you. Kids don’t follow a script, so they’re apt to do the cutest things when it’s least expected. And don’t forget to take the camera to the restaurant when the family stops for burgers or a pizza. Children are highly photogenic when they’re chasing their French fries through a puddle of ketchup. For best color, sit near a window and shoot without flash.

Find interesting backgrounds, including wall murals at shopping malls. Colorful backdrops add excitement and interest to most shots, but occasionally choose plain, solid colors for variety. Avoid mirrors and reflective surfaces if using flash. When visiting state parks or other venues that have site maps and signs, you can sometimes have the kids stand beside the signpost so that it’s included in the snapshot—but don’t overdo this sometimes boring cliché, otherwise your album will look like millions of others.

Zoom in tight or move in close for portraits, but don’t center the child in every shot. Typical DSLR cameras can work against you because they often include some sort of target right in the middle of the viewfinder. Ignore it. One nice feature of my Nikon is the ability to superimpose gridlines in the viewfinder. They divide the scene into six boxes and force me to think in terms of the old standby “rule of thirds” compositional technique. In any case, think about the composition before you shoot, and if in doubt, shoot again. And shoot the same scene at different zoom settings. Also, shoot a few vertical shots to go along with the horizontal images. You can always delete the bad ones later.

Getting great photographs of youngsters is a matter of exercising great timing—that’s why kids can be such challenging subjects. It takes practice to learn how to capture exactly the right moment. Anticipate the child’s movements and plan ahead. If the child is reaching for a toy, shoot an instant before they grasp it. If the child is playing with a pet, anticipate the pet’s reaction to the child’s movements and shoot accordingly. One word of caution: with some digital cameras there’s a noticeable delay between the time you press the shutter and the time the camera actually fires. Allow for this delay or you’ll miss some great shots.

Children generally show more genuine facial expressions when they are busy. Photograph your children when they’re involved in quiet play or making artwork. Be casual, and don’t ask the youngster to smile. After a minute or so they’ll forget that you’re there with a camera, and you’ll snap a prize winning picture.

A word about flash—turn it off sometimes indoors, and turn it on sometimes outdoors. Sounds like a contradiction, but you’ll see a noticeable improvement under the right circumstances. Use fill-flash outdoors to remove facial shadows and to brighten up the colors (as in the example below). Don’t worry—it won’t cause overexposure to use the flash outside, although it will run the batteries down a bit faster. Use available light (flash off) when the room light is fairly bright or you’re seated near a window. If it’s not bright enough the camera will select a slow shutter speed, so you may get subject movement. Check the image immediately on the LCD monitor for sharpness. Even the world’s best Vibration Compensation cannot make a child sit still during a long exposure.

Check out my blog on Shutterbug magazine's homepage. Please comment if you like what you read. http://blog.shutterbug.com/jonsienkiewicz/

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