CC- Does the effect in the background work?

zendianah · Apr 4, 2007

I went to the Childrens Museum in Denver and took a picture of my Daughter. I'm practicing camera angle and color. I used my kit lens and internal flash. My 1 year old moves QUICK!! I caught her by surprise and she looked at me like WHAT.. IM PLAYIN OVA HERE...

So Go ahead.. Start tearing it down... Thats how I'll get better...

Original

gmarquez · Apr 4, 2007

(This is just my *opinion*, IANAE I Am Not An Expert):

You are going the right direction, as this is an interesting angle, and I love the expression on her face. The floor pattern doesn't seem like a good background as it is very 'busy', so I like your choice of blurring the background in the second photo.

Try this for your next set of photos with her. Wear some clothes that you don't mind getting a bit dirty. While she is on the floor playing, sit on the floor with her (try to position yourself such that a pleasing background is behind her). Play with her a bit, then let her play by herself, as she is doing in your current photo. Put your eye to the viewfinder and wait. Wait for a moment where she looks up, or where she glances at something off-scene. You can even call out her name in a sing-song voice to get her to look up. Take quite a few photos from that vantage point.

Then it gets a little weird. Lie down, on your back, side, or stomach (whatever works), and try to get some shots of her while she is playing. It will be a bit easier to get her face in the pictures as she is playing, because you are shooting from so low. Also, wait with your eye to the viewfinder for moments where she looks up, glances off scene, or looks at you when you call her name. If possible, say something that will make her laugh.

It may seem strange, but with candid kid shots, I've found that the weirder the position the photographer is in, the more interesting the shots will be.

zendianah · Apr 4, 2007

gmarquez said:
(This is just my *opinion*, IANAE I Am Not An Expert):

You are going the right direction, as this is an interesting angle, and I love the expression on her face. The floor pattern doesn't seem like a good background as it is very 'busy', so I like your choice of blurring the background in the second photo.

Try this for your next set of photos with her. Wear some clothes that you don't mind getting a bit dirty. While she is on the floor playing, sit on the floor with her (try to position yourself such that a pleasing background is behind her). Play with her a bit, then let her play by herself, as she is doing in your current photo. Put your eye to the viewfinder and wait. Wait for a moment where she looks up, or where she glances at something off-scene. You can even call out her name in a sing-song voice to get her to look up. Take quite a few photos from that vantage point.

Then it gets a little weird. Lie down, on your back, side, or stomach (whatever works), and try to get some shots of her while she is playing. It will be a bit easier to get her face in the pictures as she is playing, because you are shooting from so low. Also, wait with your eye to the viewfinder for moments where she looks up, glances off scene, or looks at you when you call her name. If possible, say something that will make her laugh.

It may seem strange, but with candid kid shots, I've found that the weirder the position the photographer is in, the more interesting the shots will be.

I like it. I'm going to do that today and post some. Its suppose to be cloudy for the rest of the week.. The nest sunny day I'll take late afternoon pictures and see what happens. I also liked your suggestion on a previous post of mine.. Getting in a tree and shooting.. Love it!