Entering the Kidzone Jeremy Webb
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An unusual angle which doesn't distort or stray too
far from the traditional ideas of portait photography can produce
some engaging results |
Somewhere along the line, we have all done it...nephew's
birthday party, daughter in fancy dress. We photograph our children (or
those of our friends and relatives) at any and every given oportunity.
As photographers with our commercial hats on, we also have the opportunity
of creating lasting and meaningful images and getting paid for it. Although
the established high street photographers have traditionally enjoyed the
lions share of this lucrative market, photographers with even a relatively
modest kit at their fingertips can still enjoy a steady stream of income
(not to mention personal and professional pleasure) from this area of
work.
This article focuses on child portraiture on location
(informal outdoor and indoor settings) rather than in the studio and I
have good reasons for doing so. Apart from keeping things simple and straightforward
wherever possible (technical information on things like lighting ratios,
studio equipment, and so on are best discussed by studio experts in this
field elsewhere), the fact remains that apart from technical issues related
to equipment, there's not really that much about studio portraiture of
children that doesn't also apply equally to location practice anyway.
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| Little ones can seem dwarfed in a world of grown-ups.
This candid was taken before the "Official" start of the session. |
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The good news is that for some time now, the contemporary
trend for photographing children's portraits in a 'fashion'-style or giving
them a 'lifestyle'-look in natural surroundings is gaining credibility
and popularity in the minds and hearts of our customers. The days of dungaree-wearing
toddlers perched on top of fluffy posing stools, or dressed-up in some
ghastly sailor suit against a bland backdrop could be over, as customers
these days demand a higher level of creativity and authenticity in capturing
the essence of their little darlings for posterity.
Successful child portrait photography requires an ability
to keep several plates spinning at the same time - an awareness and mastery
of technical skills allied to an intuitive and relaxed approach to your
subject and surroundings. When it all goes horribly wrong - and the tears
and tantrums are in full flow, you'll wonder how you could ever salvage
such a situation, but when you finally get to see the huge smile on the
faces of the parents, you'll realise that the rewards of this line of
work are huge.
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Family pets make useful "props" and distractions
especially where the child may be uncertain or extremely shy |
So what else is required? What does the budding child
portrait photographer need to turn mummy's little monster into that sweet,
angelic cherub again?
Equipment
Basic camera with standard and telephoto lens (up to 200mm
should be sufficient)
Supplementary lighting equipment inc. reflectors, plain
sheets for backgrounds, flash for fill-in
Tripod - could be useful for telephoto shots over 100mm
focal length to prevent camera shake.
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| This particular shot taken from a portrait session
which lasted 20 minutes was a favourite for my client who ordered
several 12" x 16" prints, one of which she had framed and placed in
her shop creating further business for me. |
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That's it really. I told you I'd keep things simple. When
you're dealing with the trials and tribulations of little ones you really
need to keep eyes and hands free as much as possible, not scrabbling on
the floor for equipment. As I'm assuming your interior locations are likely
to be your own or your clients house, use cleared floor space next to sash
windows for example, with plenty of natural light. Remember, you don't have
to spend a fortune on lighting accessories to exert some control over the
available lighting - net curtain will soften harsh light, and simple white
card can be used to bounce light back into shadow areas of the face to reduce
the overall contrast of your portraits.
The right approach
Broadly speaking this is all about having the right psychology
- it goes without saying that you have to like kids in the first place,
and being a parent certainly gives an advantage, but isn't it amazing
how sometimes children can gravitate towards aunts and uncles who have
yet to bring the joy of little ones into the world? Some calm 'vibe' or
a certain 'freshness' in their demeanour or engagement with children can
win over the most stubborn toddler battling against his stressed and tired
parents. By no means should you rule yourself out of the picture, if you're
not a parent yourself. An understanding of children and an awareness of
certain unwritten rules of engagement will be far more beneficial in the
long run.
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These 2 didn't make it to the printing stage. Even
though I personally like them as expressions of a young girls innocence
and uncertainty, they competed on the contact sheet with other, much
more alert and positive portraits from the session. |
Enter the kidzone with an open mind
Learn to be flexible and be open to the idea that ANYTHING could happen,
and probably will.
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| If the photography takes place at a clients house,
I sometimes turn a big comfy chair round towards a large window with
bags of natural, soft light. The chair used in this way creates a
safe boundry between us and can be used to emphasise the face, to
pop-up from, and as a device upon which to place hands and elbows
in natural, unforced positions. |
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Make the child feel comfortable and at ease
This is generally so much easier on location rather than in the studio.
Surrounded by familiar toys and situations in their own home, younger
children and toddlers will be more relaxed here rather than the daunting
and alien environment of a busy studio. Be careful though that the outdoor
environment isn't too distracting. Fields of long grasses in summer for
example could tempt young William into a game of hide & seek which
sends you into a hot sweaty panic as you slash your way through the undergrowth
searching for your young model as he hides as small as a ball far away
on the other side of the field.
Bring out the big kid in you
Do whatever it takes. If you're required to take natural-looking shots
where your subject looks at the camera, be prepared to dance a jig, stand
on your head, and generally act the fool in order to gain their attention.
Toddlers especially have a very short attention span, but they are not
yet self-conscious as older children are. Only your ego gets in the way
of a perfect comedy turn to bring a chuckle to the face of your model.
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| For this shot, my model was placed kneeling next
to a low, bright window on the left hand side. I moved a deep cream-coloured
sofa just out of frame on the right hand side to throw back some light
onto the shadow area of the girls face. |
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Know when to retreat
Equally important is an intuitive and empathetic ability to know when
something isn't working and to take a few steps back or introduce a distraction.
Young children will display their emotions on the surface and if you're
too close or that big lens is too frightening, give the child an interesting
or amusing prop and watch how they play with it. Once absorbed in an activity
or engaged by a simple toy, you could get some interesting candid shots
from distance with a telephoto lens which will be far less intrusive than
standard lens or short telephoto.
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Shot outdoors with a 200ml lens to capture a candid
portrait which would have been impossible had I been closer to the
toddler. By shooting from a low angle I managed to use the overcast
sky as a naturally white background behind the boy and the balcony. |
Keep things simple
This applies to everything involved with the shoot. Use a camera and lens
you know well, simple, natural lighting wherever and whenever possible,
and use an environment which is natural and sympathetic to your requirements.
One or two absorbing toys for very young children will tempt the curious
if candids are the requirement, but a room which is chock-full of high-tech
toys and bleeping, flashing, laser weapons could turn your charming model
into a frenzied axe-wielding maniac.
Clothing should be equally simple - no stripes, checks
or loud patterns, just plain clothes which will not compete with the models
face.
Delivering the goods
With your commercial cap firmly on your head, its important
to remember that your relationship and understanding of the clients requirements
is crucial to the delivery of fulfilment. Because of the nature of this
kind of work, there is a great deal of trust involved. The parent is trusting
you to deliver a set of prints which show their little child as the sweet,
charming individual that they undoubtedly are. You, on the other hand
are trusting the parent to be co-operative to your needs as the photographer.
The kind of issues you might need to discuss with parents (before any
shooting of film goes on) or at least be very aware of are:
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Outdoor features such as steps and chains make ideal
situations for children to quite naturally "drape" themselves in,
in very natural and spontaneous child-like poses if you are alert
and aware of the possibilities such situations offer. |
To what degree does the parent become involved?
This one's a toughie! Some parents can be a real help - knowing just what
to do and when to do it, which leaves you free to concentrate totally
on getting the shots without worrying as much about your patter or your
comedy turns and constant cajoling. Other parents can be a hindrance -
snapping at their children when they don't respond, or creating a tense
atmosphere which can be very inhibiting. Sometimes it's simply a part
of the job to reassure the parent. Their anxiety could easily be based
on straightforward yet unspoken issues such as preparing meals or fitting-in
a supermarket trip, or even concern about how much time the session is
taking and will it be finished on time. All of which leads us nicely into
the next consideration:
Are you prepared to go back at a later date if you don't
get enough good shots from the first session?
Some photographers enjoy huge satisfaction from achieving that perfect,
smiling portrait and consider it their duty to go back again to get it
(if they missed it the first time) without a flicker of disappointment.
Others will just do their best to put on a brave face and do it anyway.
Which kind of photographer are you? Without doubt, if you fall into the
former category you're a natural for this kind of work, but if you recognize
yourself in the latter category (& I suspect that includes most of
us) well you're hardly excluded from this line of work, but you may have
to bite your lip and get used to the fact that return trips are a fact
of life when events outside of your control occur when photographing children.
With child portrait photography, each session is a unique experience and
unpredictability plays a huge part.
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| On occasions I'm able to
capture the fleeting moments of younger siblings not quite ready for
the rigours of a full portrait session yet able to offer unbelievably
cute photo opportunities as an unexpected bonus...and further, unexpected
print sales for the photographer! |
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| Back gardens (especially the untrimmed, wilder variety)
are naturally ideal surroundings within which to capture the playfullness
of young children. |
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How do you charge for your services? Offer them a package?
Price per print?
You know what they say - Time is Money. Depending on how you charge for
your services, are you able to factor into your working day the possibility
of a reshoot or additional shoot, and if so, do you have to forego other
perhaps more lucrative offers of work in the process? Some photographers
charge a flat fee for their time, and material expenses on top, others
will not charge for the session time but add a premium to their print
prices. Of course there are a multitude of permutations as regards pricing
structure, but you'll need to specify precisely how your services and
expertise are to be paid for, before any film is shot.
Is the parent aware of environments or situations where
the child would be most comfortable/least comfortable?
This could well determine whether your session takes place outdoors or
indoors, whether they want candids, or camera-aware, or a mixture, and
so on. You'll also need to impress on your client that you're able to
produce pictures which show the child in a 'natural' light and able to
capture the childs 'spontaneity', rather than stiff-shouldered with forced
smiles.
During one shoot recently of a very charming 4 year-old,
she burst into tears and howled just as I prepared for a close-up of her
beaming smile - I later learnt that I had mistakenly uttered the name
of a particular TV character which gave this little girl nightmares! So
much for my smooth patter! I shot 3 frames almost instinctively, as I've
found certain parents (but by no means all) are able to accept that photography
is actually the only medium capable of recording accurately the sunshine
and showers which register on the face of young children.
Once I had presented the customer with a contact sheet,
this child's parent was delighted that I had captured something of the
spirit captured in Diane Arbus' famous 'A Child Crying, New Jersey, 1967'
which is a close-up of all the sudden but temporary tears and anguish
on the face of a small girl. I was delighted too, that my client was able
to order a set of prints which included all the moods and emotions in
a young child's life, not just the sweet, smiling butter-wouldn't-melt
shots.
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Parents love the full-on, full-frame portrait like
this because it reflects the intense bond between them and the fascination
with the world suggested on the face of their offspring |
Where to find your clients
Notice boards, parent & toddler groups, anywhere really
where you're able to target parents of children effectively. The best
means of promotion long-term is likely to be your ability to do the job
well since word-of-mouth recommendations have long been the ideal and
most profitable pathway to further work in this field.
If you're keen to see the work of other photographers
who have excelled in this line of work, it might be worth checking-out
Nicholas Nixon, or Sally Mann's wonderfully-intimate portraits of her
own children. In the UK, Annabel Williams (recently a contributor to UKP
I believe), and Wendy Aldiss.
Returning finally to you, the photographer, how would
you deal with the uncompromising and determined nature of a 5-yr-old?
The unpredictability of a 'sitting' which will probably last a half hour
or so, can be a very energising experience. These sessions will perhaps
last a little longer with older children of 8 upwards whose patience and
tolerance will be that bit stronger. I have often found that there is
a window of opportunity where everything comes to a head in one magical
moment of confluence, and in the space of 5 or 6 frames you get the best
picture 'in the can'. This can easily be followed by a period of 10 minutes
or so when everything just peters out - your model becomes restless, you
lose the momentum and things quite naturally wind down. But that is OK,
because you've been alert the whole time and got the pictures you needed.
You have to be ready to spot the signs, get those shots as they happen,
and try not to force things or bend the will of a little one to your own
- because in the end they'll always win.
