The "missing Dad" syndrome...

[splproductions]

I don't know if anyone else had this experience growing up, but when I look back at all our old family photos, my Dad is missing in a good majority of them, since he was the one taking the pictures. I do remember him putting the little timer on and running into the frame sometimes, but most of the time he wasn't in the pics.

I'm getting into photography with the primary purpose of capturing moments of me and my fam. I have the Canon wireless remote, and have done some family shots, but it's hard when trying to get an artistic shot to snap the pic, go look at it, adjust the shutter speed, snap, check, adjust the flash positioning, snap, etc... all the while my kid is screaming...

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips?

 

[Rephargotohp]

As far as I know from my photographs, I don't exist

Teach the wife the basics of shooting, even in auto. You need those moments captured with your kids too

 

[matthewo]

I use a tripod and wireless remote, but i also dont have kids.

 

[CowgirlMama]

The auto mode is great for people who don't know as much about shooting. I'm a single mom, but I can hand the camera over to my mom or someone else to get photos and generally get good ones. They won't be technically perfect, but the moments will be there.

 

[o hey tyler]

my dad wasn't in any of our pictures... but that was because he was a deadbeet and left us... kind of the same =/

How is having a dead beat dad that left your family 'kind of' the same as a dad who WANTS to be in the images with his family? They're pretty much polar opposites, wouldn't you say?

I too suggest a wireless remote. You'll have your whole family posed so you can get the focus right, and then click the frame once you've walked into view and got situated yourself.

 

[analog.universe]

For informal, non-posed shots, you can setup flashes in two opposing corners of a room, firing at the ceiling. Put the camera on a tripod with a wide angle lens and enough DOF to have the whole room in focus. Then you can shoot by remote, and you get whatever's going on. The light spreads around evenly enough that your exposure remains pretty constant from shot to shot.

 

[splproductions]

For informal, non-posed shots, you can setup flashes in two opposing corners of a room, firing at the ceiling. Put the camera on a tripod with a wide angle lens and enough DOF to have the whole room in focus. Then you can shoot by remote, and you get whatever's going on. The light spreads around evenly enough that your exposure remains pretty constant from shot to shot.

Cool! I like this idea! I'm going to have to give it a try.

 

[photog4life]

my dad wasn't in any of our pictures... but that was because he was a deadbeet and left us... kind of the same =/

How is having a dead beat dad that left your family 'kind of' the same as a dad who WANTS to be in the images with his family? They're pretty much polar opposites, wouldn't you say?

I too suggest a wireless remote. You'll have your whole family posed so you can get the focus right, and then click the frame once you've walked into view and got situated yourself.

yeah that is why i deleted the comment...

 

[kundalini]

Try to do as much of the setup / testing BEFORE your brood gets in the room. Make the sessions short, 5 to 10 minutes and have some fun to reduce the doldrums. Preplanning is always a good option.

 

[Groupcaptainbonzo]

Do you have a friend who could use the camera?

 

[e.rose]

I don't have kids, and never plan on having any, however, none of my friends are actually friends with me according the photos (especially most recently) that they have because I'm not *in* any of them.

Of course that's not as dire as the missing dad syndrome. For that I have no solution except what someone said.... put the camera on auto and give it to your wife.

 

[splproductions]

Do you have a friend who could use the camera?

I'm thinking for the times I want to do a nice shoot with lighting set up, etc, I could grab a friend to "stand in" for me so I can compose, get the settings all right, then have him just press the shutter when needed. I'd offer to shoot him and his family in exchange for his help.

My wife could definitely learn some of the basics, I could set most things up and she could make changes to shutter speed, aperture, etc if needed...