Quote:
Originally Posted by villafane928
Hi Martha. I shoot a tremendous amount of toddlers and I can tell you what my system is. First off ask the parent politely to try not to interfere with the shoot. They seem to creep over your should barking smile orders. Next I make the child more comfortable with me (especially if they are not familiar with me) by playing around and being silly with them. I then start snapping away. Be sure to pause and pull the camera away from your face to interact some more. You usually only get a few shots off with the camera up to your face before they become disinterested in the person with the black Nikon (or canon if you have a lesser grade camera...lol) masking thier face. Be sure that most of your shots have the eyes in focus if you are doing alot of face shots. Nothing kills a great child portrait than too soft eyes. If you choose the park as the location, just follow them around and let them be. Once in awhile call thier name out and be prepared to shoot as soon as they look at you. If you shoot outdoors also make sure you will be able to use the natural light effectively to get some nice catchlights in thier eyes. I hope this helps and the best of luck.  |
Thanks for the tips - I'll especially remember the eyes! Good advice to keep in the front of my mind. And it is a Nikon - I'm a brand snob and proud of it