Need help\advice from you pros (wedding\family portrait)

[BeachGuy]

Hi

I'm launching headlong into vacation photography. I had a first shoot last week that didn't go too well.

My technical ability is fine, I have a few issues with composition and framing that I need to work on, these are all within tolerance and don't overly concern me for now.

The biggest problem I had was crowd control. I had three adults and three kids. The kids were almost impossible to get either looking at the camera or not crying (all toddlers).

I took about 400 images away with me and honest to god I think I've only got three where they are looking at the camera.

They were either purposefully turning their backs, had their faces scrunched in a whiney cry or would drop to the floor and turn away.

We tried everything from bouncing up and down, singing, waving our arms around dancing, they just wouldn't co-operate.


The client's not overly happy with the shots and I'm absolutely gutted to the core that something so trivial, but so important has scuppered my first shoot.

I've lost a lot of confidence and am dreading picking up the camera and doing another one.


I need some advice, words, anything.



Just for background: I studied photojournalism, but have not worked as a jobbing pro. I've taken over 10,000 images with my current camera alone. I'm not shy with the camera and quite outgoing.

 

[Arch]

Can you post some examples of the work?

Also please be aware that as you are a paid photographer that you may come under some criticism here.
This isn't to say people are going to be rude, but people may not give you words of encouragement if work needs to be done.
The best way for you to proceed if you want to hold on to your photography work is to have a thick skin and take on board criticism.

Edit: it could also be that you just had a picky client with an annoying family

 

[Robin Usagani]

Thats why I hate taking pics of family with more than 1 kids younger than 2 yo. You have to make silly noises. Bring toys that make a lot of noise and put out a lot of shiney lights.

 

[BeachGuy]

Thanks.

Yes, I don't know what I'm looking for really, I don't want a cup of coco and warm words, I guess I just need to know that this stuff happens and nothing can be done about it, or the opposite, that it can be dealt with by doing x, y and z and this is what I need to learn.


I don't want to post anything without the client's consent, I can PM if required.

 

[KmH]

For what it's worth, you don't need the clients consent to post the images on a forum, because it is an editorial use and is not publishing.

Hopefully your contract has a model release in it, and that was signed before the shoot.

You don't need a model release to post here, but you do need a model release to use the images for self-promotion and/or self-publishing.

 

[BeachGuy]

For what it's worth, you don't need the clients consent to post the images on a forum, because it is an editorial use and is not publishing.

Hopefully your contract has a model release in it, and that was signed before the shoot.

You don't need a model release to post here, but you do need a model release to use the images for self-promotion and/or self-publishing.

Thanks. Yeah, I know I don't need the clients consent, it's just polite at the moment and publishing them isn't going to achieve anything other than "That kid's not looking at the camera." :meh:


I think Arch hit the nail on the head. I need to have a hard skin and get on with it.

 

[daarksun]

It's also important to cover the bases with the client that has multiple brats that they cannot control. It's also their responsibility to get their kids to work along with getting the vacation photos. If the kids are intentionally turning their backs and falling on the ground just stop the images - it's not going to happen.

Do this before hand. You are a photographer, not a babysitter. If you were doing in a studio you would bare more responsibility and also wait to get the shot. For vacations crap you don't have that luxury. it's hard enough tracking five people for shots to have to worry about getting the playing children to do well for the camera.

If this is what you want to do, then simply set the ground rules for the client. Put them on notice for their kids. Many may disagree, but you are stretching things thin doing vacation photos, getting them and yourself in the right place, setting the compositon, lighting and having three brats just doing what they want.

 

[gsgary]

What is Vacation photography ? If this is how you feel after one shoot going wrong i don't think it is for you

 

[Flash Harry]

You need to build a rapport with kids, if you can't do that you'll get nowhere with this type of shoot, I've only had one brat I couldn't do, about 13 years old and dragged to the shoot by mummy dearest, she still paid and I gave her the whole set of the miserable little git pulling mugs/ducking/throwing a fit, 20 years back I'd have knocked him out. H

 

[gsgary]

Next time beat them into submission before the shoot

 

[BeachGuy]

Cheers darksun.

Flash Harry: Believe me, we did try, they weren't having any of it. Save for turning up in a clown outfit!

As time's passing I'm starting to feel annoyed with them. My mistake in this process was not saying "Look, your kids look miserable on pretty much all of the shots. If you're happy with that lets call it a day."

But as darksun has said, next time I'll lay out the ground rules before the shoot.

gsgary: I don't want ANY shoots going wrong, let alone my first. Just looking for cause and effect here.


Don't get me wrong, they're amazingly beautiful shots, it's just that in each one of them, at least one of the kids is either looking miserable or crying, or not looking at the camera.

 

[Hannah2]

I'm venturing into this forum because I have 4 kids under age 4, and I have been photographing them since birth.

Ask the parents if you can use things like small gummy candies as bribes (some parents will be ok with bribes, some not - and don't do something messy/melty like chocolate chips). You have to wait until they've eaten the candy before you can do the next shot, but it often the promise of candy gets them all willing to look at the camera. Or if not candy, offer a small trinket if they'll look at the camera. (ETA - Beware of choke hazards, and check with the parents *before* the kids are aware of the candy/trinket - preferably over the phone before the shoot.)

Sometimes asking the parents to bring favorite toys helps. Also anything they can be in/on is good for containment (a child-sized sofa, a huge basket they can sit in, etc). Props are very important - things they can interact with - leaves, bubbles, etc. Sometimes shots are cuter when they're NOT looking at the camera but are interacting with something else.

You cannot beat yourself up for not getting good shots of so many very small children. Even the well-behaved ones can be a circus in front of a camera. If nothing else, get the best shots you can of the individuals, and offer the parents a collage.