Lost My Confidence

[mshockley]

I had a shoot yesterday where the client wanted me to come to their home to do some studio style pic's indoors of the 2 little girls in the family, then take them to a park for some outdoor shots. When I arrived the kids were so excited, but it was tough to try and find a place to set up lights and somehow hang a backdrop all the while with these 2 little girls watching.

Girls aged 5 and 2

I don't really even know where to begin except that the 5 year-old is a born model, and the 2 year-old was damn near impossible for me to get a shot of. It was like night and day. I really did have a hard time!

I had decided en route to the park that I was going to put my flash on my stroboframe with a diffuser on it in order to even hope to keep up with the little one. When we got to the park I felt very frantic trying to even get the slightest chance at the 2 year-old, that I just was flying blind with what I hoped would be okay camera/flash settings. Definitely not a good feeling. We went from full sun, filtered sun through the trees, to shade and back constantly. It was a beautiful area she wanted to take the kids to, but the little one was just very hard for me. Constant motion! Besides the fact that she is cuter than all get out at one point she said "I did it already, me done"......lol.....when I asked if she would look at me (pretty please, I'm dyin' here). And don't get me wrong, it's not like she wasn't trying to do what she was asked....lol......she was so beyond happy in any other circumstances it would have been so much fun to be around her! Mom was trying to help and doing a great job also, but I finally said, "just let her go" and figured I would try to catch her unaware's. NOT! She knew--smart little cupcake that she is!

So anyway, I now have a few ( a very few) of the 2 girls together that are acceptable, and a mountain of the 5 year-old, and honestly I will be struggling to have a couple of the 2 year old that I find acceptable.

Has anyone else found themselves in such a situation with 2 kids such polar opposites? I really don't find myself doing alot of kids....obviously....now I'm thinking maybe I should keep it that way.
As my title said.....Confidence is shot right now!

[NicoleScraps]

You know what? Probably 75% of the kids that I have worked with from the ages of 1 to 6 or 7 have been little terrors to photograph. It was stressful for me, the parents and the child. Hence the reason why I am trying to steer away from the "family" and "childrens" photography and zero in on newborns, maternity, and seniors. I don't know if the skills to get children to be cooperative is a learned thing, just a gift that some have and others do not, or if it is just a matter of luck and patience. Whatever it is, I don't seem to have it.

[mshockley]

Thanks Nicole, makes me feel a little better....Ya know I have 3 kids of my own, I took all their picture's when they were little, but my youngest one is 11 now. It really has been a while since I've had to try to get a 2 year old to do what I want! I'm out of practice, and unlike my own kids, you can't bribe or threaten someone else's...lol.

I'm glad to hear that it wasn't just me feeling the stress level. I still have a headache today.

[MrJones]

lol.. I had the same problem yesterday as well!
two boys, though a bit older (3 and 7), the older one was cooperative but the little one wouldn't even put on a smile.
I about it with my cousin today and she had an interesting idea... kids love clowns and special characters, so why not put on a costume of some sort and do it as a fun thing for the kids as well?
it's worth a try cause much like you I almost decided to leave the family photography out of my business

[candidrachel]

I'm pretty sure the mum will love the photos regarless of how many you actually were able to shoot given the challenging circumstances. She will love looking back at them wistfully thinking "Oh I remember that day at the park when little X wouldn't stay still for a millisecond....."

To be honest it's so much easier to fly by the seat of your pants at shoots such as this and just hang back and do what you can with what you have to work with.

All experiences are learning opportunites and ways to figure out what to do better next time.

[mshockley]

MR JONESLOL.....you know I was thinking a few weeks ago about getting some funny hats to wear, and gluing silly stuff to them. After yesterday it is clearly obvious that
A. I must be terribly boring to look at
and
B. I must be a real pain in the butt to a kid

CANDIDRACHAELI do so hope your right. I've had some time to look a little closer at them as I've started processing out the RAW Files and it is confirmed: a ton of great shots of 5 year-old--scraping the barrel with the 2 year-old--Photoshop God's Please Be With Me Now....

[BuddhaPi]

might isuggest next time to bring rope for the 2 yr old, that will help him still! Don't lose confidence you can only work with what you have if the little beasty doen't co-operate it's not your fault!

[candleman]

Originally Posted by mshockley

Has anyone else found themselves in such a situation with 2 kids such polar opposites? I really don't find myself doing alot of kids....obviously....now I'm thinking maybe I should keep it that way.
As my title said.....Confidence is shot right now!

I did have a shoot were BOTH of them were demon spawn.
thrown mud, broken props, tears, tantrums, trying to climb on my back, poking sticks at the camera. ....and i didn't even try make them pose.

It was unlike anything i've ever seen before.
Did.not.listen.to.a.word.the.parents.said.

That was my last childrens shoot.

Basically, once you have a few of the good kid... focus on the other one until you are happy you nailed the shot.

[CurlyCorry]

Originally Posted by candleman

I did have a shoot were BOTH of them were demon spawn.

ROFLMAO!!! Demon spawn.... good one!

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by candleman

i did have a shoot were both of them were demon spawn.
Thrown mud, broken props, tears, tantrums, trying to climb on my back, poking sticks at the camera. ....and i didn't even try make them pose.

It was unlike anything i've ever seen before.
Did.not.listen.to.a.word.the.parents.said.

That was my last childrens shoot.

Basically, once you have a few of the good kid... Focus on the other one until you are happy you nailed the shot.

omg...lol...