Shooting friends kids?

Dubn83

Dubn83

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David
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Hey guys I'm sure sum one on here can help, my friend has begged me to take sum portrait shoots of his 2 kids (boy 5, girl 2). I no how hard it is to get good pics of kids sittin still/posed-I've got 3 sons! Most of the pics we have r while they play or I give the props. So gettin the shoots they want may take a while, but do u guys have any tips on how I should set up? I mean it'll have to b using mostly window light as I've only got a sb400 flash to go on my D3100. Think my 50mm 1.4 is the best lens I've got for this shoot?
 
From what I've been told, the 50mm f1.4 should be a great lens for portraits.

Window light is great but I think you may be helped by a reflector. I've used an A2 sheet of white foamboard to good effect but there are lots of alternatives.

Good Luck! Hope you can post the results on here.
 
If what you're most practised at is shooting whilst they're outside and busy, why would you want to move right out of your comfort zone. Arrange a trip to a park or woodlandget them having fun and be ready to capture it.

Windowlight can create fantastic portraits with a fast lens and careful choice of surroundings, but I'd rather have lots of choice of backgrounds, props, surroundings etc.
 
The less cluttered the better. Don't go heavy on props. It's useful to have maybe their favourite toy, instruct the parents to have these in a bag at ready. If they want posed shots of the kids, then that's what you'll have to try first. It isn't as tough as it seems, well, it can be if the kids start to bawl - but usually, shaking their fav toy behind cam will grab their attention long enough to get through the posed shots. Then let them loose and work around them, let them have their play and grab all the candids you want. get the parents to get in among them, wrestle with them, throw them in the air ... depending on the size of the kids? etc ...

I've done a tonne of family shoots, and during every one at some stage the mom or dad knew how to calm the kids if they got rowdy or started fighting one another or whatever. Surely you'll have the parents there to help with this?

Also advise them to dress the kids in as plain clothes as possible. or you'll get stripes and stars and designs and logos all over the place and these just cause distractions in portraiture. The actions and expressions and light are most important.
 
Dubn83 said:
Hey guys I'm sure sum one on here can help, my friend has begged me to take sum portrait shoots of his 2 kids (boy 5, girl 2). I no how hard it is to get good pics of kids sittin still/posed-I've got 3 sons! Most of the pics we have r while they play or I give the props. So gettin the shoots they want may take a while, but do u guys have any tips on how I should set up? I mean it'll have to b using mostly window light as I've only got a sb400 flash to go on my D3100. Think my 50mm 1.4 is the best lens I've got for this shoot?
Click to expand...

Hi there

I've taken quite a few pics of my kids/friends kids in various scenarios (outdoor, indoor candid, window light, backdrop posed) - see my flickr for various examples (most will have a description of any artificial light, if any was present, used)

Easiest is probably outdoors as light is good and kids are having fun!
Window light is great but generally need a reflector.
Have taken many with the flash bounced off ceiling using a reflector for fill (works fairly well)
Backdrop and artificial light I really enjoy but is (for me) the hardest - getting the kids to be where you want them to be and the limited window you generally get with kids getting bored/distracted.

Biggest thing for me is to engage the kids (hopefully easier as you know them already). Don't be afraid of being silly. I do various thing to get them to look at me (all silly!)

Often I'll get them to look through the window (lens) to see if they can see my eye (can they see an elephant eating ketchup in my eye!). I was coming in from the garden at my friends house and got her to look for my eye :


Close up cheeky!! by Sir SR, on Flickr​

I'll often use a trigger to set off the camera on a tripod every time the child does something specific (smiles/laughs/pulls a funny face).One of my daughter pulling a funny face which "triggered" the lights:


DSC_0030-3 by Sir SR, on Flickr​

And as can be seen in my flickr pics - I love a good prop (glasses/hats)

Those are just a few of the things that work for me!

Hope that helps

S
 
Cheers guys, I am more at home with candid/playfully shoots as that how I've got the best from my 3 boys. But my mates wife wants staged traditional pics of there almost 3yr old girl and 7yr old boy. The sort where there wearing white T's and jeans.

I'm goin to get a reflector and did say its best if there ready to join in and to change over to my way after I've tried it there way.
 
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