Photography Tip Of The Week: How To Photograph Young Subjects

Tip #1: Act Natural

Be ready for anything when you photograph children.
What if you want a natural shot and can't get a child to ignore the camera? Or, all you are getting from your subject are rehearsed poses and fake smiles?

As a photographer, I hate fake. So I don't try and make my younger subjects "do something". That's fun for proud parents, but not the serious photographer.

Be patient and take your time. Let the kids get used to someone walking around with a camera and I promise you, soon enough they will ignore you all together. In this case their short attention span is a blessing.

Tip #2: Be prepared




Natural lighting adds warmth to your composition.

 Even though you cannot plan on getting exact shots, you should still be ready for the moment your opportunity arrives.

For instance, when shooting indoors it's a good idea to walk around and scout the whole environment. See the placement of the windows, and measure the available light. Think about your composition, the colors around you, and even the reflections.

You will have seconds to take a shot of your subject. The more you know about the  elements around you, the less chance that you will spoil your opportunity.

 Tip #3: Stay Sharp




Off-Center Subjects works quite well
in a balanced composition.
Always be aware of your environment and take care that the settings on your camera correspond correctly! Cameras have came long way over the last 20 years, but one thing has always been constant: they are only as good as the people that are using them.
Of course setting knobs you can switch to "creative" exist for a purpose. But how creative is an automatic shooting mode? Experiment with your camera settings... Shutter Speed, ISO and Aperture are your friends.
We will cover these subjects in later "Photo Tips", but suffice to say that manually adjusting your SLR's settings makes it possible to change the "feeling" of your image, as they allow you to control light, focus, and depth of field.
 Tip #4: Be Smart







This is one single most important advice I can give you: Do not chase Mega-pixels!!

I understand that everyone wants to have a great camera with rave reviews and big numbers, but the truth is that the camera is just a small part of your system.

You have invested your money and should expect to get the best return on your dollar. So do your research, and speak to experts that can answer all your questions.

Putting extra money towards a quality lens is invaluable. Also, find out which accessories are best for the effects you want to achieve.
A Canon 5D Mark 3 or Nikon D7000 are both excellent and very expensive bodies but without the proper equipment you'll find it harder to get the shot you really want- no matter which Digital SLR t you buy.