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We had a lot of fun yesterday. This family hired us to photograph their two children (and a little bit with the parents) – and even though the weather wasn’t the most cooperative, we knocked out a really great session. More and more I’m… really enjoying photographing children and families and… the normal family photography jobs (the ones I honestly used to think were boring.)
I mean, clearly I like photographing people and then you combine that with the very real challenge of photographing active children running around – and it turns out to be much harder than you think to produce a decent set of photos all at a consistent level of quality – as in, not just a handful of good usable photos and 100’s of unusable photos that you blame on ‘the kids moving too fast’ or ‘not making a good face’.
Add to those factors – our own goal of delivering different photos – because we move around. A lot. And we don’t like to give 3 versions of the same photo just because they’re all clear. Different shots, different angles – different photos – no real padding to the set just to up the numbers.
Honestly? We don’t really give estimates on the number of photos we’ll deliver – partly to cover ourselves – but mostly because we’re confident that we’ll just ‘get the shots’. That’s what we’re paid for right? No excuses. In fact, if I ever felt like we totally blew a portrait session and all out sucked, I would give the money back and not deliver a set of sub-par photographs.
In the end, photographing families with crazy kids is awesome for me. Why? Because I shoot full manual it’s a constant challenge of settings (I just can’t seem to like shooting on aperture or shutter priority/auto.) Not only camera settings, but then also composition, focusing on the right area, moving around for a better/different shot, managing the moods of the children and giving them ideas on how to move, where to go, where to look – and the whole herding cats atmosphere. It’s awesome and crazy and difficult and fun. Yeah. All of those.
Click here for the Preview Set.
You have some serious raw talent. Beautiful photos.
Wow, thank you so much! It means a lot, especially coming from someone else with enormous raw talent. Different medium, but jaw-dropping nonetheless. Mark has always loved photography, but I had no idea I'd like it so much, too! I see things differently now – pay attention to so many more details. The first time we got paid to shoot, I was so nervous – I didn't think I could get many good shots…but actually, Mark and I can't tell which one of us took the photos in most cases, unless we just happen to remember being in that place/at that angle. Although I'm not sure how much of it is "raw" talent in my case, and how much is just learning from Mark, who does actually have raw talent. Either way, I am at least able to take some decent photos. So I'm slowly gaining confidence. And compliments always help! =) Thanks!! Mark and I really appreciate all the feedback we get.