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Don’t Just Stand There
05th August 2011
a case for more activity
With fourteen grandkids, I feel very lucky to have ample opportunity to catch them on film.
And while I enjoy taking portraits of them – conventional static pictures of them at rest – I also like to capture them as they’re going about their youthful business.
Below are a few examples of each.
You have a many choices when capturing kids. If you haven’t done so already, try shooting the young ones as they’re involved with their activities.
Written by Arnie Lee
Beyond the Faces
06th May 2011
Adding Action to Portraits
As a grandfather with a camera, I’m very often snapping away when the grandchildren are nearby. So it shouldn’t be surprising that I have hundreds (maybe thousands) of photos of these kids in my collection.
Yesterday, three of them were out playing in our backyard. Here’s a few snapshots that I took. I’m a big fan of trying to incorporate action into these portraits. You be the judge of whether the action helps to make the picture.
While each of the left-hand photos are OK, I’ve learned that adding a little action to the mix can turn my snapshots into real “keepers”.
Do you agree?
Written by Arnie Lee
Enjoy those Winter Brights
24th January 2011
In my last article Fight those Winter Blahs, I pleaded that you not put your camera away for the winter. In our part of the universe (western Michigan), December through March are known to bring day after day of heavy, blanketed overcast. Along with these dark clouds come lots of dull lighting that tends to stifle the picture taking mood of many of us. I suggested that despite the dark skies, there’s plenty of opportunities to find ways to make your subjects “shine”.
So it was a very pleasant surprise to see today’s sterling bright sunshine. As I looked out the window, I could see a crystal clear blue sky and blinding reflections coming from our snow-covered lawn. But as I opened the front door to fetch the Sunday newspaper, the bone-chilling winds reminded me that a 10-degree temperature makes Grand Rapids feel like the Arctic.
After enjoying a cup of hot tea, a couple of the grandkids were prodding me to play outside in the snow with them. Despite the icy cold, I decided that I wouldn’t miss this chance to have some outdoor fun and maybe take a few winter photos too. So I tracked down my trusty ski jacket and soon followed the grandkids outdoors.
(more…)
Kids Tip # 5
06th November 2010
Taking pictures of kids is one of the most popular uses for digital cameras. This is another article that we present to you for taking better kids pictures.
Of course these tips are subjective and there is no right nor wrong way – especially if the subject is your own child! Candids are just another tool to add to your gadget bag.
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Kids Tip # 4
26th July 2010
Taking pictures of kids is one of the most popular uses for digital cameras. From time to time, we’ll present tips for taking better kids pictures.
Action Tip #1
05th July 2009
When your subject is moving, the usual way to capture the action is to use a short shutter speed. This freezes the action, but is there a better way to “show” the action?
Kids Tip #3
18th May 2009
Taking pictures of kids is one of the most popular uses for digital cameras. From time to time, we’ll present tips for taking better kids pictures.
Kids Tip #2
09th March 2009
Taking pictures of kids is one of the most popular uses for digital cameras. From time to time, we’ll present tips for taking better kids pictures.
Kids Tip #1
05th January 2009
Taking pictures of kids is one of the most popular uses for digital cameras. From time to time, we’ll present tips for taking better kids pictures.
Pose Carefully and Gently
You’ll often get more pleasing shots of your kids if you can catch them in a natural pose. |
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While the snapshot on the left is in sharp focus, with good coloring and composition, the subject looks stiff in a static pose.
In the snapshot on the right, we captured the subject in a much more relaxed position. Although she is standing still, she appears to be ready for action. |