I need help/advice!!

[LylasMama]

Ok, I am supposed to take pics of my cousin's 2 children tomorrow. I am not good by any means, I just got my camera in february, but she likes the pics I take of my daughter and asked me to do it.

Her daughter is 5, and I think I will be ok with that and be able to come up with ideas for different shots, but her son who is 10 is at that weird age where they kinda dont want to be bothered with things like this lol.

Sooo any advice for poses/shots that I could do that would be good for a boy of 10?? I want a couple of them together too. I hope he isn't too "cool" to hold hands with his lil sis and i could get a pic of them from behind walking away but looking at each other laughing...

Also, I have no backdrops or lighting tools..any quick fix suggestions I could use that would be inexpensive?? I want these to come out nice!!

HELP!!!!

Thanks in advance!

-Ashley

[LylasMama]

nobody lol?

[Karl Johnston]

Shoot them outside during the dusk; that takes care of half of your battle. Make up the poses as you go along, get them to pose themselves. Shoot on TV mode for shutter priority - this is good for shooting fast objects (like kids).

Bring along a blanket and a ball, let them have some fun, get some action shots and some sweet-and-cuddly shots.

[S.Horton]

Take the photos outdoors starting about 1 hour before sunset.

[bobbyz]

Do you have a flash for your camera?

[Helen Bartlett]

I would be reluctant to photograph a five year old around sunset - if they have been up since six am and been to school they are likely to be tired and un-cooperative. If you can, then first thing works really well as everyone has had a good nights sleep (theoretically) and so should be full of energy. Do make sure they have had breakfast too, nothing like a hungry child for a tricky shoot. You wont have that wonderful evening light but I think that is an easy price to pay for not working with tired children. If you do do something later in the day then make sure everyone has had a proper snack first so you aren't battling against hunger as well as tiredness.

With the ten year old then I would get him involved with something. Find out what he likes to do and then aim the shoot around that. For example, if he is into cricket then have the kids playing cricket together, or get him to teach his five year old sister how to bounce a ball on a cricket bat (you will get great shots if he sees how many keepy-uppies he can do). Perhaps he likes drawing and art so maybe you could get them to do a big picture together. I photographed an eleven year old boy at the weekend and we played pool, poker, cricket, and on the Wii. The variety kept it interesting for him and there were plenty of opportunities for me. Apart from Poker those are all things you could do with a five year old too and some kind of card game - top trumps or snap perhaps - would work well with a younger child.

Usually with siblings there are activites that they will do together or even just get him to play around with his little sister, chase her, tickle her, play hide and seek. If he is involved in something then you are less likely to get the 'too cool' problem. You could go to a playground and have the older boy pushing his sister on the swings and playing on the roundabout together as another idea for shots with the two of them.

In terms of lighting, then natural light is your friend, keep them in the shade if it is a very sunny day.

Good luck and enjoy yourself

Helen

[David Ransley]

The last hour before sunset normally provide contrast. Shade and light on one subject. Hence the requirement to move out of direct light. Some parents have the little ones take an afternoon nap, which may provied an option for dusk photography, but be aware of dirty youngsters. I find that active children at dusk are difficult to photograph, due to the requirement to up the shutterspeed. This then requires an ISO of 400 and it may not suite your printing style.

I am attaching an example of what can happen with lots of activity close to sunset (f4 1/125) and look at the contrast. No direct light I would say is a must and balance activity with your ability to light the subject.