Children's Portrait Technique

[Lffbug]

I made my first portraits yesterday, and well, it was a bit of a flop. But I had one recognizable image, and it was in focus, so I guess I'll take that. I had significant underexposure in both captures, but I won't focus on what went wrong with exposure since hopefully that should be easy to fix. Instead, to try to keep the discussion focused, I'll cover what I feel is the most difficult aspect: the length of time between when the glass goes dark and when the shutter is fired.

After the glass goes dark, my subject moves, back and forth, left and right, and I have trouble visualizing the extent of the movement. How's the framing, how's the focus, when do know its okay to make the shot, and when should I just remove the film holder and start over?

Of course I am doing this with kids, whose attention span is already short to begin with.

Could you describe the steps you take, in particular between when the glass goes dark, and when you make the exposure? Any suggestions on how to increase confidence that you have the focus right? Thanks.

Jeremy

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

This is one place that a Graflex SLR really shines. Taking pictures of kids is hard, a Graflex makes it a little easier.

[SergeiR]

Could you describe the steps you take, in particular between when the glass goes dark, and when you make the exposure? Any suggestions on how to increase confidence that you have the focus right? Thanks.

Move away. Stop trying to fill in frame too much. If you got kid that wont be still - put few light stands or chairs in place that you will photograph, and mark territory, make sure all corners will be in focus. Get film holders handy, triggers in hands & etc.. Get subject in place, close camera, and shoot away..




This is one place that a Graflex SLR really shines. Taking pictures of kids is hard, a Graflex makes it a little easier.
its not hard at all. Kids are great subjects, b/c even when you screw up, people still adore results b/c of kids in them :)

[cowanw]

I agree with trying to not fill the frame; leave room for cropping, to accomadate the side to side movement.
And use more light and a smaller f stop to allow more depth of field to accomadate the front to back movement.

[jnantz]

you have to compensate a little bit.
don't have a hair-thin DOF
leave room in the frame
and don't be so caught up in the camera technique
that you forget to watch your subject ...

sometimes doing a dry run ( no film but a holder ) works
well to loosen you up so your end is effortless and it makes it
easier to watch the kids ...

i agree with jason, using a graflex slr is a lot of fun and makes taking portraits
( of adults, dogs, kids &c ) easier because you never take your eye off the subject.

you are in good company, from what i remember alfred hitchcock wanted to attach billy mummy's feet to the floor so he'd stop moving ..

[photobymike]

This is one place that a Graflex SLR really shines. Taking pictures of kids is hard, a Graflex makes it a little easier.

i suppose it would work..... "kid clicks" are the hardest to do....The best way to get get good pictures is to get your face out of the viewfinder ...... pre frame and pre focus..... then with a long release get the subject interested in something toy, food, mommy.

I once had a mother that stood behind me and bared her breast to get a smile.....now i know what you all are thinking ..peek a boo with the boobies works for me...but the 1 year old was thinking lunch yum yum

[dsphotog]

Crown-Graphic.
Wire-Sportsfinder.
Rangefinder.

[jp]

I've run into cooperation problems when I wait too late in the day to get photos. Get them when they are not tired or hungry.

Something to force them into a particular composition or focus zone is helpful. A stool does that; if they stay on the stool, they are apt to be in focus. e.g. In a traditional photo studio they might be set on a box with fabric over it or some other gimmick.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7244/7308691974_b807446f51.jpg

This is 8x10 film, 19" f4 lens. pretty thin DOF. And at several bucks per shot, the shutter release is like a slot machine handle, where once in a while you get a big reward that makes it worth it.

Like others, the Graflex SLR is helpful and perhaps the best LF solution for 4x5 negatives, where you can monitor composition, expressions and focus right till the shutter is depressed.

Outdoors, a coin or unusual leaf on the ground for them to stand on for focus reference is good.

[pasiasty]

In the ancient times of wet plate photography, ether was always ready at hand. And they did use it...

[Joseph Dickerson]

I use a technique that I learned from a friend who is an entomologist. When he photographs insects he puts them in the freezer for a couple of minutes, slows them right down. Works great with kids too...:rolleyes:

It's the only way to photograph kids with large format!

JD

[Bruce Osgood]

I use a technique that I learned from a friend who is an entomologist. When he photographs insects he puts them in the freezer for a couple of minutes, slows them right down. Works great with kids too...:rolleyes:

It's the only way to photograph kids with large format!

JD

Or as W.C. Fields suggested... a little Vodka in their orange juice.

[mandoman7]

As with most portraiture, empathy is probably your most important tool. Kids have little say in it, but they don't like being forced into situations any more than adults. If you can genuinely convey that understanding to them, they will respond to an amazing degree. I photographed a hundred preschoolers this week in various settings, which is no picnic to be sure (shot w/digital admittedly). But again, empathy is the means of illiciting cooperation. Too often people use phony high pitched voices to disguise efforts to get kids to do something they don't want to do, which reads as a red flag in their heads. Stay genuine and let them know what you want, but also let them feel like its their call ultimately. This kind of treatment works partially because they're not getting much of it at home from their young, image-conscious parents.