Photographing Children

[desmondlewissmith]

OK, so I'm a pretty experienced photographer and I've been shooting for a long time. I took a break but I'm starting to advertise again. Here's my dilemma:

Photographing Children has become pretty lucrative. I feel like shooting pictures of Children can be somewhat boring and I want to spice it up but I'm not sure how.

Sure I know that if you produce a nice clean image with a shallow depth of field and a little bokeh; parents go gaga... but I would like to start outshooting the soccerMoms that have a lot more time than I do and yielding results that make Costco Camera Shooters find their reciept...

My history is, I've shot weddings, lot of them. They allow creativity and pay wall. I've shot models galore. Most want to be shot TFP, I've obliged several times in the past because it's always fun shooting attractive people.

Kids are like Gremlins, some explode, some implode, some cry, some scream, some pose...

Any suggestions to some cool stuff you've done or tried with Children?

 

[Designer]

You're making money with shots like the one you posted?

 

[desmondlewissmith]

Short answer yes. I'm getting a lot more requests for natural lighting and non-studio shots. I prefer studio as I have complete control over my background and lighting the subject.

I assume by your question you have a critique? And yes I realize the sleeves are blown out, they are not in the original color image. I converted to small jpg then black and white with the small jpg. There was not enough data in the jpg but the original was shot with my Nikon D3X. I'll try to find a way to post the original.

Thank being said, my question was in the form of "ideas for more interesting shots", not "how do you get paid with that?"

 

[JBrown]

No suggestions on posing unfortunately, but I think its comical your first reply is critical and not even on topic. A lot of people need to work on their attitude here, very hostile forum for no reason.

Good luck.

 

[desmondlewissmith]

I'm a little confused by your cryptic message JBrown. You find my post comical because I asked a question, or because I wanted an answer to the question I asked? I'm not sure where you find my tone to be aggressive/hostile as I simply pointed out that I was seeking help not critique. Perhaps it is you that reads hostility in messages that would otherwise be read as a request.

I'm new, I was simply asking for help trying to make conversation. What I've seen so far is a thread from one member pointing out how much joking and jabbing happen, several posts where people ask for help and are butchered and my own post where I am getting jumped on for asking a question then asking someone to stick to topic. Growth would be a key word here... If I want comedy I'll watch a rerun of Seinfeld.

 

[desmondlewissmith]

JBrown, even your post was negative and off topic. Rather than leave well enough alone, you chose to come here and tell me how horrible I am.... you had no advice for a new member, just critique. What a joke.

 

[pixmedic]

JBrown, even your post was negative and off topic. Rather than leave well enough alone, you chose to come here and tell me how horrible I am.... you had no advice for a new member, just critique. What a joke.

actually...I believe JBrowns comment was aimed at the first reply to your post by desmond. not YOUR first reply. I think he was actually trying to stick up for you.
glad to see that no good deed goes unpunished.

I will add that responding to negativity with MORE negativity is pretty counterproductive and doesn't really lend well to thinking you are any better than the people you are berating for doing it.

 

[jake337]

Get creative?

A Father Who Creatively Captures His Kids (20 photos) - My Modern Metropolis

 

[desmondlewissmith]

If the first comment by JBrown was in my defense then I apologize... just keep in mind I'm new and I feel like the level of positivity here is nil. I'm just a guy trying to find a place to make friends and shoot pictures. I used to belong to DWC year ago and the members were all supportive and honest. I expected I'd see the same here as I saw what appeared to be several PRO photographers posting.

I guess I probably expect too much...

JBrown, even your post was negative and off topic. Rather than leave well enough alone, you chose to come here and tell me how horrible I am.... you had no advice for a new member, just critique. What a joke.

actually...I believe JBrowns comment was aimed at the first reply to your post by desmond. not YOUR first reply. I think he was actually trying to stick up for you.
glad to see that no good deed goes unpunished.

I will add that responding to negativity with MORE negativity is pretty counterproductive and doesn't really lend well to thinking you are any better than the people you are berating for doing it.

 

[Designer]

Thank being said, my question was in the form of "ideas for more interesting shots", not "how do you get paid with that?"

O.K., "ideas" then. What about photographing children at play? Your only example shows a child sitting but not playing, so I can guess that you have not tried "while playing".

Or how about "candid"? Ever try candids with children? That's two ideas.

 

[Designer]

No suggestions on posing unfortunately, but I think its comical your first reply is critical and not even on topic. A lot of people need to work on their attitude here, very hostile forum for no reason.

Not "hostile" at all. I'm just evaluating the market as to what is marketable in the "child photography" market. I may decide to enter that market myself, hence the question.

 

[desmondlewissmith]

I'm not a fan of sitting kids on a step and having them put two hands under their head and fake smile; that's why I attached the image. While the attached show was natural lighting, my studio shots end up being the same old boring pose... was just trying to create conversation on how people photograph kids as I have not done much and want to improve. Maybe there are a lot of funny people here, that's fine. I'm not used to everyone making jokes about serious questions. Maybe if I knew people it wouldn't bother me.

I've even had someone message me and critique my website. REALLY? I've never joined a forum where everyone is so anxious to bash everyone or make fun of everyone... I have thick skin, but dayum.

 

[Ballistics]

Kids are like Gremlins, some explode, some implode, some cry, some scream, some pose...

Kids are hit and miss. Candids are usually the greatest way to capture great images, especially if the child doesn't know you.
My best children shots are when either the children weren't paying attention, or I called their attention mid play and got the decisive shot.

 

[slow231]

I think you can grow from any type of shooting. figuring out which paying jobs to turn away is a pretty nice problem to have. that said, studio kids stuff seems more like sears portrait studio. i can see how that would be pretty boring and unrewarding (especially for the potential level of stress).

But..... on the other hand, like Designer mentioned, for candid shots kids are hard to beat. their expressions and reactions are usually as "candid" as you can get, they're so much less filtered. even when they ham it up, it's still in such a genuine overdramatic way (if that makes sense!). if you've done a lot of weddings/events you should know what i mean.

 

[desmondlewissmith]

I think you guys are right about the candids, I just gotta figure out how do set them up. So say a client wants photos and I convince them to goto a park. In this case, the candids seem to work. What about the client that wants a house call, now I'm working with lighting challenges, location, flash bounce or lighting issues if I'm indoors.... oh yeah, then a kid that's not in the mood to take pictures. I don't love shooting kids so far because they are so hard to work with.

I've seem women photographers ROCK the children's photos, and get GREAT results... I feel like when I shoot pictures of kids I'm just herding cattle.

Does anyone here have examples they can share?