Advice on styles for shooting children

I would really appreciate some advice.

I take a lot of photos of my children. They love having their photo taken, both in a studio environment and more relaxed outside informals. I think I am decent at getting good shots. I am also pretty good with photoshop, so can do a lot of post processing.

However, I am looking for inspiration for some new styles, something different.

Those who have the time please feel free to take a look - would love comments.

But also advice / links on different ways for taking photos would be very much welcomed.

Links and photos here:

http://barneyhamilton.smugmug.com/Children











Barney Hamilton
Canon 1D Mk II

Barney,

Wow! I love your photographs! Very beautiful! I love the ones taken on the beach of your daughter in the white gown, and with her arms thrown out surrounded by seagulls. Simply marvellous!

Kegaro

Love your last 4 pics. Really great ! As for the first one it's just that I'm not a fan of pictures shot from above, especially for chidren. Btw those two look adorable.
--
Claude

Kegaro said:

Barney,

Wow! I love your photographs! Very beautiful! I love the ones taken on the beach of your daughter in the white gown, and with her arms thrown out surrounded by seagulls. Simply marvellous!

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Thank you Kegaro! So kind.

And I appreciate you taking the time to take a look through the galleries... The bird photo was very lucky. My daughter was just 4 at the time, and she seemed to have no fear of them flying all around her.

If you happen across examples of new styles (either in the composing, or post processing), do post a link. I'd be really interested.

Barney

asoftwind said:

Love your last 4 pics. Really great ! As for the first one it's just that I'm not a fan of pictures shot from above, especially for chidren. Btw those two look adorable.
--
Claude

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Thank you Claude.

Yes, you are right, I try not to take too much from above, and now I look at it, I see that I was a bit lazy in getting lower down in that first shot.

Here's one where I was sitting on the floor, to make up for it :

lovely shots,

maybe you could try sepia or B&W which can be nice with kids as well.

--
All my Post Processing is done with Capture NX2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marti58/

One thing that I do is to photograph them in the different places that we go to. The beach, aquariums, downtown, visiting relatives out of state, etc.
--



http://www.pbase.com/jfinite

I love the third and last one.... especially the last one.

For me, there is nothing like photos of kids being kids in there natural surroundings. Staged photos just never look right. You have a good eye.... sit back and just let them do their thing and snap away!

P.S. Did I mention that I love the last one!

Mike

Those are some great shots, and the photoshopped image with the sparkles and flames, etc is wild! Love it.

I've had some fun playing with exposures, odd composition and shooting from low angles.

(Not crazy about the exposure on this one, but the angle is fun.





)

Also, you can get some dramatic images when the subject is in part sun/part shade and you intentionally meter the image so only the shaded or sun-lit portion is properly exposed.

















It doesn't work every time, but you can get some fun shots...

Hello Barney Hamilton,

Oh my gosh! You have absolutely adorable kids! I couldn't help but actually laugh out loud along with her in image 34 of 89, on page 2, of the Richmond Park shoot. Infectious! I can sense they really love your company, and/or you can really make them laugh, and also love one another. Anyways, how fortunate you are to have them enjoy you taking photos of them.

My suggestion would be this, to continue having the camera handy at a moment's notice. I love candids, and I believe there are beautiful pictures anywhere. You just have to know how to compose, and be decisive in your timing, and just follow your heart in what you would like to capture, moments you feel you will treasure, as you look through the viewfinder. Try a photojournalistic, documentary feel to your photography. Take images of your children doing projects, playing games, reading, doing homework, etc. That's a start. Also, it makes them used to you having the camera around all the time, so that keeps them natural (no "cheese" smiles), and hence they aren't self-conscious, and just continue on doing what they're doing without a flinch.

One other thing, or perhaps project, is to document their different emotions, be it a frown, a tear, intense concentration, etc. Those are memorable moments seldom captured, compared to smiles, and will be looked upon fondly when they've grown up (all too fast).

Anyhow, thank you for sharing your photo sets. It has brought a smile to my face. I can't wait to have my own family.

Take care,
Huy

[edit: P.S. I really like how you did your "Stylised" swirl/spin of your daughter. The gray color doesn't make the colors stand out to me. Are you able to try a black, or white background perhaps?]

Hi Barney. I love your pictures, they are excellent. My wife has just started a blog about portrait photography. Our studio is in Kew, not too far from you I believe.You can see her work and read her tutorials and tips about portraiture from her site if you like and hopefully pick up some good ideas. It's at
http://www.dahlphotography.com
Keep up the good work.
Jules

Barney Hamilton said:

I would really appreciate some advice.

I take a lot of photos of my children. They love having their photo taken, both in a studio environment and more relaxed outside informals. I think I am decent at getting good shots. I am also pretty good with photoshop, so can do a lot of post processing.

However, I am looking for inspiration for some new styles, something different.

Those who have the time please feel free to take a look - would love comments.

But also advice / links on different ways for taking photos would be very much welcomed.

Links and photos here:

http://barneyhamilton.smugmug.com/Children











Barney Hamilton
Canon 1D Mk II

Click to expand...

--
Julesarnia on twitter
Vibeke Dahl on Twitter is..
https://twitter.com/DahlPhotography

Thanks Mike!

--
Barney Hamilton
Canon 1D Mk II

There's some great shots here - the dramatic colour contrasts against the blue sky in the last one is terrific

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Barney Hamilton
Canon 1D Mk II

Wow Huy, thank you for such a lovely and thoughtful reply. And for taking the time to look at the galleries.

You're absolutely right about always having a camera to hand. I have an ageing 1D Mark II, which I love, but it is so heavy and large that it's bit cumbersome to carry around all the time. I've been waiting for the new 1DS, but I am in half a mind to go for a lighter body anyway next time.

And thank you again for you comments.

--
Barney Hamilton
Canon 1D Mk II

Thanks Jules.

Indeed you are not too far away from me!

Your wife's site looks very good. Nicely laid out, simple. And of course, some truly beautiful shots - black and white is obviously your wife's forte. I can never get my black and white shots to have such a gentle look to them as she achieves - I generally end up a bit contrasty, especially studio shots - combination of the lighting set up I use and post processing. Must experiment more!

--
Barney Hamilton
Canon 1D Mk II

You're welcome, and thanks for sharing.

Take care,
Huy

Barney Hamilton said:

There's some great shots here - the dramatic colour contrasts against the blue sky in the last one is terrific

Click to expand...

Looking back over the posts, that must be mine... Thanks for the kind words Barney. Keep us posted on your new techniques.

Hi Barney, yes as you can see w are in Kew and Vibeke has photographed in Richmond Park many times. As for b&w, yes, it's easy to do averagely, but difficult to do well. And printing b&w is even more difficult. but we have been doing it for twenty five years now and digitally since, well since digital was good enough to print B&w. We didn't pile in early as many did when b&w printing was every colour but b&w. But now it's good. but he conversions and printing still take time to perfect.
Jules

Barney Hamilton said:

Thanks Jules.

Indeed you are not too far away from me!

Your wife's site looks very good. Nicely laid out, simple. And of course, some truly beautiful shots - black and white is obviously your wife's forte. I can never get my black and white shots to have such a gentle look to them as she achieves - I generally end up a bit contrasty, especially studio shots - combination of the lighting set up I use and post processing. Must experiment more!

--
Barney Hamilton
Canon 1D Mk II

Click to expand...

--
Julesarnia on twitter
Vibeke Dahl on Twitter is..
https://twitter.com/DahlPhotography