I photograph a lot of extended family portraits. Love seeing the special bond between cousins and how they fuel each other’s cheekiness and imagination! How wonderful it is to build on these relationships and future support network. I have 13 cousins in Canada and 2 here in Melbourne. I wish we had the opportunity to gather more often.
So, here’s my 4 tips for photographing groups of kids (young and old):
1. Common interest:
Discover or create a common interest and topic that will grab all their attention. eg. cookie monster, bubbles, aunty Caz! Use sparingly so it doesn’t lose it’s effectiveness when you need it most.
2. Remove distractions:
If you really want that shot with everyone looking at the camera then remove distractions and direct their collective gaze towards your camera. Position parents and onlookers together behind you or out of sight completely to avoid confused kids looking at various directions.
3. Make eye contact:
Once you’ve framed your shot and focused, come out from behind the camera to make eye contact. This is the most effective way to get attention and engage with your little audience.
4. Wear reindeer ears!
No kidding! Variations include colourful hats or anything that lights up :)
There are a thousand reasons why I love working from home and running my own photography business. One of the biggest challenges though is that I am generally working solo. This can be great for productivity as there’s no distractions but not so great when it comes to generating and developing new creative ideas. It’s just too easy to be complacent.
Hence, one of my goals this year was to invest in more creative development. Aside from pursuing personal projects, I have been trying to be more involved with the photographic industry as a whole. To venture a bit beyond my little bubble in the hope that I may develop my craft and consequently, improve my business.
In July, I entered the annual Victorian Professional Photography Awards. It was a daunting, stressful and nerve racking experience …but one which I thoroughly enjoyed. The whole process forced me to reach out to more experienced photographers who willingly spent hours chatting with me, sharing their knowledge. It forced me to learn new editing techniques that will improve what I offer in my business. Most importantly though, it fostered a larger circle of peers and mentors whom I now call friends :) So, regardless of the result, I feel I have gained immensely.
Speaking of the result though, I am proud to say that my entry (below) in the Family Portrait category did earn a silver award. I am grateful that my ability to capture joyful family portraits was recognised. I am grateful that I am learning.
Just spent the last 2 hrs putting this blog together. There is most likely something similar out there but like most of my client work, I love to customise! :)
Along with some specialty photographic products offered in my studio, I also offer the traditional framed or unframed matted gift prints which come in various sizes. Speaking with past and returning clients who have purchased these, I get the feeling the process of choosing where and how to hang artwork can be quite difficult. Before you know it, months have passed and images are still waiting to be hung.
4 Ways I Help My Clients:
1. I always ask my clients to think about where they want to hang wall pieces before their ordering session so there is a purpose for their purchases. Products already have a home when they get there.
2. I now ask clients to take photos of their possible wall spaces, including surrounding furniture, and bring along to their ordering sessions. This visual aid can assist with their decision making and enables me to custom design artwork for a particular space.
3. I offer a framing service because it means one less task for my clients to do. DIY framing can be fun but takes time and quality can vary greatly. I use a trusted professional framer and only offer quality frames that I know will stand the test of time without buckling or falling apart.
4. Finally, for my local clients, I am even happy to do a home visit to look at options and offer immediate suggestions. In the end I want all my clients to be able to enjoy their beautiful memories.
Display Ideas:
Below are some effective configurations for displaying your wall art. Keep it simple and balanced unless it is an angled space like along a stairway. If you prefer a quirkier design then keep the number of frames to a minimum so that the design doesn’t detract from the images or artwork itself.
