Take Your
Time
For most of
us, days are flying by and didn’t these kids just get out of school?! One of the tricks to slowing down time is
doing the opposite of what we think we should do… take more time to enjoy
moments. So, grab an afternoon or warm summer
evening and show the kids your own back to school pictures. Talk about how you felt or what you remember
and get their input on what they’d like to see in their own school
portraits. You might be surprised at
just how interested children can become in photographic portraits.
Pick a Good
Backdrop
Most people
don’t give much thought to backgrounds… it’s the background and the people are
the important part, no? No. You’ll get a better portrait of your child if
you think about how the colors behind him or her will react to flash. A white house that faces east may be too
bright in the early morning sun and you won’t have much time to adjust if the
bus is on its way.
There’s no
rule that the back to school portrait has to be taken on the first day of
school. Or that you can’t do a dry
run. Visit a local park or do a garden
tour and get some of the colors of summer in your shot. Digital cameras give everyone the freedom to
take experimental shots without the expense formerly associated with developing
film. Try different flash settings on
your camera.
Shoot the
Right Height
Your kids
are probably shorter than you are. At
least, until high school so don’t shoot the camera from your eye level unless
you love the tops of heads. Get down on
one knee and see what a difference that can make when photographing children.
Relax
If you’re
tense and nervous about getting the right shot… especially if you want to do
this on a busy first day of school morning… do not expect your kids to look
cool and confident. Portrait subjects
often reflect the mood of the person behind the camera. So, breathe deeply and suggest the children
do something other than line up against the front door of your house. Ask the child to turn a bit and consider
shooting more of the face and not the whole body.
Use Props
Just as
Premier Portraits Studio uses props in formal school portraits, you can use
them in your home photographs. Your
child may be carrying a book bag but maybe can hold a book or even something
from mom or dad’s old school days.
The
important thing to remember with any back to school portrait is that this shot
should mirror a special day when everything is possible and children are
excited to begin anew. Enjoy that
feeling with them and you’ll get a better photograph.
PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303
PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303
