Lifestyle Photography- Capturing Personalities of Children

One of my favorite photographers, Diane Arbus, always liked to get to know the people she photographed by observing their lifestyle first hand. She would hang out with people and become familiar to them. If you know this about Diane then you can understand and appreciate her work much easier. Most of her subjects were out of the ordinary people living on the fringes of society.

I like to see comfortable, natural expressions on the people I photograph. With children I like to catch them being themselves to preserve a bit of that magic that is them at that age in their life.

Diane was radical & brave in her photography style and techniques. I don’t actually go hang out and observe the people I photograph but I do get to know as much about their lifestyle and personalities that I can before and during photography.

When children come to my studio I let them explore and ask questions while I sit with mom and reassure her that it’s perfectly fine for them to look around. They climb on chairs and stools, look up at all the lights, dig through my boxes of props while asking what’s this over and over. By the time they get around to the tripod with the camera they are pretty comfortable in their surroundings. Nine times out of ten, when they finally notice the camera, their next question is; “Will you take my picture?” Music to my ears!

That’s when I say, “Yes, I would love to take your picture and you know what? You can wear whatever you want and do whatever you want. Make silly faces, stick your tongue out, jump up and down….I want you to just go crazy!”

When I create a portrait of a child my goal is immediately draw attention to the child’s expression. The first thing I want the viewer to notice is that child’s personality.

I hope that the image of the child stimulates the viewers brain enough to imagine the sound of that child’s beautiful laughter.

These are future memories. The ability for the mind to time travel back to a place in life that was magical and precious and all too brief.

Children’s portraits should be centered on the child and his/her personality. I hate seeing superstore studio portraits with their gimmick backdrops.

Do you want portraits of you child or advertisements for Disney and Nickelodeon! I try to educate my clients about trends in photography by telling them this- “As much as your child might adore the latest cartoon character, please try to realise that twenty years from now your child and grandchildren will be looking at these portraits and asking you what the heck is this about.” Thank god my mother doesn’t have a 16×20 wall portrait hanging up depicting me at age eleven with the smurfs frolicking in the background.

We all know the super studio gimmick to get you in, pay a ridiculously cheap price for several identical wallet size prints. Then they guilt you into buying more. So just take advantage of their gimmick and get the little theme prints for your album and then JUST SAY NO to their high pressure sales tactics and walk out. Then go home and call me for the real deal.

 

Images: “Natalee”, “Funny Face”, and “Sisters” copyright 2008 Studio V Photography/Valerie Graham.