Bring the Family

Capturing Family Adventures, Part 2

Posted by Toni | Filed under Gear Gab, Get Outdoors, Hands-On Family Fun, Through the Lens

Part 2: Technique

Earlier this week, I talked about what photo and video gear I use to capture my family’s moments on the go. Now I’ll talk a little about technique. I could dig deep into a photography tutorial here, covering f-stops and apertures and–

WAIT! Come back! Look, there are several sites and books and e-courses and community college and university courses where you can tackle photography basics in depth. What I’m aiming for here is to share my thoughts on composition when you’re on the go with kids. I don’t think there’s anything earth shattering about what I do as a photographer, but what I do know is that many of my photos here leave a positive impression, and if I can pass on some of that, I’ve done my job here.

Here’s how I think about the photos I take while on the go:

1. Get closer. This tip is straight out of Composition 101, but not everybody knows this simple tip. Because we live in a society that values personal space, I think we’re often hesitant to get right in there with their cameras, even with close relatives and friends. Whether you have a serious 35mm SLR or a point and shoot, if you have an even halfway decent zoom lens or function, you can get in closer without actually getting in closer and making your subjects self-conscious. Even if you don’t get quite as close as you’d like, experiment with cropping some images closer to see how it affects the presentation; chances are, you’ll like the tighter crops better. Another way to get closer to your subjects is to shoot at a kid’s eye level–don’t be shy about getting down on the ground, in other words–which can create an interesting perspective. Save the panoramic shots for breathtaking landscapes and get in closer to your kids. Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule, but my point is to pay attention to this if you haven’t in the past.

I shot the image below after a series of attempts (and an adorable outtake later in this entry) and I think it became the keeper shot because I moved in closer.

2. Shoot more than you think you need. I started out shooting film, and when I finally came around to digital photography, a whole new world of experimentation opened up for me. I’m not suggesting you close your eyes and hold your finger on the shutter release, hoping for the best. But if you’re photographing several kids at once, don’t be afraid to shoot 10, 20, 30 frames. You can always – and very easily – delete them later. And sometimes, the outtakes bring something wonderful and unexpected, like this one from our holiday card “session” during a hike in the woods:

3. Pay attention to detail.

This is a corollary to tip number 1. If you’re lucky enough to have a macro lens or a good macro function on your point-and-shoot, then take some time during your wanderings to capture some of the smaller details you notice along the way, like mud on your son’s shoes during a spring hike:

Maybe not everyone is a foodie like myself, but I almost always grab a shot of what we eat while we’re traveling or even just day tripping. Looking at this image from our epic road trip last summer brought back the wood smoke from our campfire and that delightful taste of barbequed corn on the cob:

Sure, photos of your family smiling in front of a waterfall make great memories, and there’s nothing wrong with tried-and-true happy snaps (see our holiday photo, above). But it’s the little things that you tend to forget about, like these two simple images above, that can transport you to those tiny, simple, but wonderful memories of your journeys.

4. Let ‘em roam

There’s a time for static snapshots and smiling faces, and there’s a time to let the kids let loose as you try to capture them in motion.

Besides, action shots are cool. When they’re not giving me a heart attack. Okay, even then:

5. Search for the stories.

While I am currently working toward becoming a professional conservation, travel and fine art photographer (wow, it’s a little scary putting all of that out there!), when I’m behind the lens I am first and foremost a storyteller. I think this is because I am a storyteller by nature, and fortunately, this translates well into photography, too. I’m always on the lookout for an image that says, “That’s what we did. This tells the story of our day.” If I were to conjure a phrase that sums up my photographic style, it would be “moments in time.” It is these sorts of images make up the vast majority of our family photos, and they’re quite often my personal favorites.

6. Funny always works.

I can’t emphasize this enough. I still laugh at some moments I managed to capture during our travels, like when our youngest just assumed he could pick up a pancake and eat it with his hands, since it didn’t arrive already cut up:

Or when our middle son decided he’d rather roll than hike:

Or the many times my oldest has tried to mess with me by, say, flaring his nostrils right before I hit the shutter release:

No comment.

7. Finally, don’t forget about YOU.

So often, the designated photographer in a family ends up The Invisible Family Member in home movies, videos, and photo albums. Hand the camera to your spouse or partner, to your oldest – really, to any of your kids with a little gentle encouragement and instruction – remember, you can always hit delete later. Not only does this give someone else some hands-on experience creating photographs, but it ensures that there will be proof that you were there, too. I’m a fan of just holding the camera out and getting a quick shot of my immediate surroundings – often these turn out to be really fun shots that are also among my favorites.

There’s so much more I can go into but I’ll stop here since this is already a great deal of information, and I hope you find it useful. One thing I didn’t cover in depth because I don’t have good example shots is to turn off your flash wherever possible and try to use existing light. That merits its own brief entry and technical discussion, so I’ll leave it for another time and ask you to just experiment and see what happens. Next time you’re out with the family, try some of these ideas and post a link to your photos in the comments, add your own tricks and tips, and join the conversation.

Tags: "bring the family", family, humor, memories, moments, moments in time, on the go, photographs, photography, Technique, Through the Lens, Tips and Tricks, Toni Klym McLellan, travel

Permalink | Comments (6) | February 18, 2010

6 Responses to “Capturing Family Adventures, Part 2”

1. Krista Weller Says:
   February 18th, 2010 at 12:31 pm

   Beautiful, Toni!

   Your photos really capture the essence of the experience you’re having. LOVE LOVE LOVE the coloring shot, the mud on the boots and THE FOOD!!! (I always take photos of food…) And the jumping off the haystack shot. Actually, all of them. Great tips, too! Nice job.

   ~Krista

2. Debi Says:
   February 18th, 2010 at 5:09 pm

   Thanks for the great tips! My poor photo taking skills frustrate me to no end & I appreciate the opportunity to learn new ways to improve. Especially like the idea about paying attention to detail. Oh, and my son always flares his nostrils, too, and I’d love to capture that!

3. Toni Says:
   February 18th, 2010 at 6:38 pm

   Krista, thanks so much! Nice to hear from you.

   Debi, I’m so glad you found this guide helpful. If you find yourself taking photos in a new way, please come back and let me know! Too funny that we each have nostril flarers. Boys!

4. Marc Says:
   February 18th, 2010 at 10:23 pm

   Great tips, easy to remember but very important. I think the one I would agree with most, especially in the digital age, is shoot often and experiment. You can’t help but learn what you like as you sort through the results, and its not costing you anything. I’ve managed to collect quite a few good pictures just because I kept shooting, only have a vague idea of what I was after. Planning is great, but so is persistence!

   Best of luck on your goal of becoming a professional photographer, its an awesome goal, especially with the focus on conservation. I think there is a great need for photographs depicting the balance between protecting and using resources. I have no plans to go beyond the hobby level, but greatly admire your goal to make a profession out of something you enjoy. BTW, as a KU grad, my favourite photo might be the last! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

5. Tricia Ortega Says:
   March 13th, 2010 at 2:38 pm

   Great photos, great tips, and great reminders. I love to capture the little details of things, but often forget esp. on bigger excursions where the destination seems to be the focus. I also like the food reminder. Sometimes I remember, and sometimes I don’t…maybe a little cheat sheet on the back of my camera would be a nice idea ;o)

6. Toni Says:
   March 13th, 2010 at 3:51 pm

   Marc – thanks for commenting and for your support about conservation photography. My husband went to KU and taught all three boys to say “Rock Chalk! Jayhawk!” as toddlers. “Go Illini!” just isn’t as fun.

   Tricia, thanks for commenting. Why not make a little laminated sheet to keep in your camera bag? Or maybe having read this post, it’ll spark memories next time you’re out. I know when traveling with kids, remembering EVERYTHING is so hard because you’re pulled in so many directions. If I don’t write things down, I never remember it.

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