It’s one of the most familiar stories that I hear: “You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to take this photo. I captured it on the hardest hike of my life, but it was absolutely worth the effort.” And then the photo – though rarely a complete failure – just isn’t up to the standard of the photographer’s other work. Sometimes, it seems, photographers confuse a photo that was difficult to capture with one that truly succeeds.
I am currently in Uzbekistan, doing some photo work for the ministry of tourism (more on the trip in my upcoming posts) and I wanted to quickly share my experience with a piece of gear that I will now be bringing with me to every trip going forward. When photographing strangers while traveling, I have always struggled with the issue of being able to deliver images to those who asked for them.
New babies are small and snuggly. Toddlers are adventurous and adorable. Little kids are fun and cute. Preteens and teens…well, they are moody and kind of difficult.
I have noticed a trend among photographers. The trend is that we stop documenting the kids when they get ‘too big’. The years of easily taking darling pictures comes to an end. Chubby fingers are replaced by awkward, lanky limbs.
And beyond the challenge of waning “cuteness,” we will likely find ourselves battling for photos in the first place! I can promise you that at some point, your child is going to roll her eyes and groan, “Don’t take my picture!” Or your teen could be like my son and say, “Don’t put that on the internet.” And you are often going to have to respect those boundaries.
But moments worth documenting don’t stop when our kids no longer need us to tie their shoe laces. The teenage years come with plenty of photo-worthy milestones and as a mom and photographer, I don’t want to miss them!
So, we have to figure out how to balance all of the challenges of photographing this age group. How do we honor their wishes while still capturing what matters? How do we create work we love when our subjects aren’t twirling in fields or wildflowers or blowing bubbles? And most importantly, how do we honor all of the amazingness that is this time in our kids’ lives with our photos?
As I navigate photographing my own older kids, I have learned some lessons for keeping boundaries while still documenting my family in a way that is true to me. Today I am sharing these lessons with you so that you, too, can photograph your teenagers with the love they deserve.
I have found that carefully choosing the moments in which I bring out my camera makes all the difference in documenting my older kids. It allows me to minimize how often I am putting the camera in their faces while also forcing me to be intentional about the shots I want to take.
This doesn’t mean that I only take photos on special occasions. Sometimes I just want to capture my kids lounging in the house! Choosing the moments I want to document simply means that I think about who they are and what matters to them, which means that I am able to better capture what makes them special at this stage.
These are some of the can’t miss moments to document.
Do you remember when your little toddler would eat breakfast and it was just so cute that you had to take a picture of it? Well, your teen still eats breakfast too. And while there might not be an adorable mess, it can still be worth capturing.
Look for when beautiful light enters the rooms in which you live the most. Think about the parts of your routine that are likely going to change in a few years. Consider the habits your teen has now that are unique to your teenager.
Members-only forum tutorial: The top 3 tips for photographing teenagers
Our school day often starts before the sun comes up. If I want to capture his morning routine, I need to get my photo of the day before 6:00 am. With no natural light available, I sometimes will place my Ice Light in the corners of the room to boost the light in the room. Photographing the everyday sometimes requires you to think outside of the box, but that’s a good thing!
When documenting your teen’s school activities, don’t forget to get the whole scene in the frame. Capture the whole team, the entire field, and all of what makes the high school experience unique.
My son is in his high school band and on the school swim team. At first I thought I would need to get some giant telephoto lens that is usually reserved for wildlife. I imagined have to keep my distance and hope to find him from the bleachers.
Thankfully that isn’t how his first season went at all! I still stay back and out of the way. But with my 24mm or my 24-70mm on my camera, I have the range and width capture the entire scene.
Related: Beyond lemonade stands: How to photograph older children
As much as I want those nice close-ups of him, I also love documenting the whole group doing what they all work hard for. Even more, this is a better representation of who he is in this activity. He is part of the group and they work together. My pictures get to capture that for him.
When I do want to highlight just him in the midst of the action, I am able to use a telephoto lens to zoom in on just him. When you want to isolate your kid in a school activity, try using a wider aperture to blur everyone else except for your teen. I love the 70-200 f/2.8 for this.
School is a major part of a teenager’s life. It’s important as parents and photographers to capture our teens’ unique school experiences.
This year my son turned 15. And the biggest rite of passage for him was getting his learner’s permit.
Of course that was a long day of waiting in line with tons of people. Documenting that moment would have been a little intruding to the other people and likely not allowed in the office.
But then he got to drive for the first time. We took him out to a neighborhood that hasn’t been developed yet and let him drive us around.. And that moment I realized how thankful I was that I am documenting this time in his life. I can look back and feel those first moments of excitement and the exact moment he grew up a little more.
There are not shortage of special occasions in the teenage years. First days of school, first dances, awards ceremonies, and games.
There are also a lot of lasts to capture. These bittersweet moments only happen once and while you might get an eye roll or two, it’s worth it to have your camera ready for them.
Just like any shooting situation, I have found that documenting my older kids requires me to plan the gear I need to get the shots I want. These are the tools I have found to be most helpful as I navigate photographing my teenager.
I tend to keep my 24mm lens on my camera at all times. Its wide aperture allows me to work in low light situations with ease.
I can also capture everything that is going on around the scene. I can document him while he practices his band instrument or while working on the little bit of childhood that he is holding on to with his Legos.
For those of you who prefer zoom lenses, the 24-70mm f/2.8 is universally loved for its versatility and performance.
When I can’t be close, a telephoto lens is a must. The zoom allows you to look as though you are in the middle of the action without encroaching upon your teenager’s space.
I actually didn’t have one until the summer before he started high school. I knew that I needed that reach and zoom for his school activities.
For me, the 70-200mm is perfect. I can stay out of the way and still get the close up shots that I want without potentially embarrassing my teen with my big camera.
While it might not seem necessary at first, I have found that having an artificial light source is super helpful as teenagers are active at all times of day. With my Ice Light, it is so easy to sit in the corner and add just the amount of light I need. I also have portable flashes that are great for when I am outdoors or in an area that I need to bounce the flash for a pop of light.
Don’t be scared of adding light! It doesn’t need to look fake or flashy and it doesn’t need to take up a ton of room in your bag. A simple speed light with a bounce card can do the trick and will allow you to capture memories that would otherwise be left in the dark.
Have you ever heard the saying that the best camera is the one you have with you? It’s true! Whether you are hauling your big DSLR and lenses or using your phone camera, don’t hesitate to take a picture when inspiration strikes.
I have a camera bag insert that I can put in any bag to protect my camera. This lets me carry my Canon 6d and my Sigma 24mm lens everywhere and with any bag that goes with my outfit.
However, my kids are sometimes embarrassed when I bring out my “big” camera at their activities and I am trying to tread lightly. I recently purchased a mirrorless camera for moments like this when I want more control than a point-and-shoot yet don’t want to look like a paparazzi.
It is so light and portable and people hardly notice as I snap away. The quality of the images is astounding and I am finding myself reaching for it more and more for my everyday shooting.
The key is to find what works for you and your teenagers. Don’t stop documenting your kids just because they aren’t toddling around the house in diapers.
Instead, see them for the amazing people you have been working so hard to raise. These teenage years come with the unique challenges of hormones and hectic schedules, but they are just as fleeting as those early years. And they are just as important to capture.
The post When they grow up: How to photograph the teenage years appeared first on Clickin Moms blog: Helping you take better pictures one day at a time.
Clickin Moms blog: Helping you take better pictures one day at a time
Late last night, Sony announced the RX0 II, a new 15.3-megapixel action camera that looks very promising even for advanced photographers. With a 1-inch sensor and a fixed, rectilinear 8mm f/4 lens (24mm field of view equivalent) – and among the lightest ever weights for a camera of this sensor size – its potential extends well beyond the GoPro market. Specifically, I can see travel photographers who want a tiny backup camera (132 grams / 4.7 oz) picking the RX0 II.
It was 2012. I had a brand new DSLR camera. And I was ready to take beautiful pictures of my kids.
Except when I went to take those photos, nothing was turning out as I had hoped. My pictures were blurry (and not in the background like I wanted them to be!). They were often too dark. They didn’t look anything like the photos I saw from other people’s fancy cameras. And I was frustrated!
Luckily, I followed a photographer on social media who mentioned Clickin Moms in one of her posts. She talked about what a great place it was to learn and how friendly and talented everyone was. I became a member that same day and it quite literally changed my life.
Ever since, I have been urging anyone who wants to take better pictures to join Clickin Moms. It is truly the best place to learn and grow in this craft and it gets better every single day.
So today, I am sharing with all of you how Clickin Moms changed me and my photography and why it continues to be an important part of my world.
There aren’t a lot of people in my day-to-day life who understand why I get excited about a new lens. I don’t have a lot of friends who understand how good it feels to “nail a shot.” Most people aren’t going to be able to relate to hours spent editing or how amazing it is to find good light.
But at Clickin Moms? EVERYONE gets it! When I share a picture or session that I am excited about, I can share it and know that there is a whole community to be excited with me.
And when I need someone to tell me that I should definitely buy that new camera bag I have been eyeing? My Clickin Moms community pulls through (this totally happened last month!).
Photography can be a pretty isolating venture. Clickin Moms makes it so that I don’t have to be alone because I have thousands of friends who get it right here!
Those first pictures I took with a DSLR? They weren’t so great. And I had no idea how to make them better.
One of the best things about Clickin Moms is that when I have a question, there are thousands of photographers who have answers! All I have to do is share what is perplexing me on the forum and everyone can weigh-in.
This was a huge help as I was figuring out how to take better pictures. If I couldn’t find a tutorial on the subject I needed, I could make a quick post and there was always someone there to help. Whether it be a question on which lens to buy next or how to pose a family, there is always someone ready to help at Clickin Moms!
I will be honest. When I first joined Clickin Moms, the LAST thing I wanted to do was have my photos critiqued. I saw all of the work from so many talented artists and I was pretty sure that they were going to shout, “You’re terrible!” and kick me out of the club.
And you know what? There are places where this could have very well happened!
Luckily, Clickin Moms is not that place. Critiques here are kind and encouraging.
That is not to say that they don’t point out areas for improvement (because that wouldn’t be helpful, either!). Rather, Clickin Moms critiques praise you for what you are doing right while showing you how you can be better.
When I finally mustered up the courage to put my work out there, I found that critiques were one of my favorite aspects of the forum! They motivated me to take my work to the next level and I received invaluable advice as to how to make my photographs look the way I wanted them to look.
I never felt beaten-up by critiques at Clickin Moms. Instead, I felt empowered.
My photography heroes? Most of them are Clickin Moms members! And that means that I have access to artists who are creating work that inspires me and who can help me create work that is inspired.
Even better, these photographers are sharing tutorials all the time. I am constantly learning from their lessons and am always amazed by the tips and tricks they share.
When I want to learn something specific, I can go to the tutorial forum and find lessons divided by topic. Whether I am seeking advice on basic shooting techniques, trying to hone my Photoshop skills, or wanting to grow my business, I can easily find tutorials that meet my needs.
The best part is that if I need clarification on anything in the tutorial, I can just ask! I get to interact with rockstar photographers and learn from them in a friendly environments…it’s truly amazing!
There are days when I don’t feel like taking pictures. Heck, there are months where I have trouble finding the inspiration to pick-up my camera!
Not only am I able to commiserate with other Clickin Moms when I hit these creative ruts, but I am able to find ways to get through them and overcome them.
Whether it be the monthly forum photo contest, our annual Clickin Walk, any number of community shooting projects, or the yearly Photo Hunt, Clickin Moms always has something going on to nudge me toward my camera again. These simple motivations can make all the difference in creating work I love.
At Clickin Moms, there are photographers in just about every photographic genre. We have experts in portraiture, street photography, macro, landscape, wedding, and wildlife. Our community is made of photographers who have been in business for years and others who are lifelong hobbyists.
This means that no matter what I want to photograph, there are people at Clickin Moms who are available to teach and inspire me. I am always finding myself exposed to new kinds of work and that keeps me excited by the possibilities of what I can capture with my camera and motivated to keep learning and growing.
I have been a member of the Clickin Moms community for nearly seven years and I can say with confidence that the best parts of my photography journey are still ahead.
Photography is an industry where there is always something to learn. There’s always new gear and technology on the horizon. There’s always a new shooting technique to master. And that isn’t going to stop anytime soon!
And with Clickin Moms, I have a community to navigate this ever-changing craft alongside me and help me as my own artistic interests evolve. It continues to be my primary source of professional education. Clickin Moms is my home for advice and guidance.
Even more, this group of photographers has become my support system and I have had the most beautiful friendships form in this place. I know I am so lucky to be a part of this community and I love nothing more than watching it grow.
The post What Clickin Moms means to me: A member’s story appeared first on Clickin Moms blog: Helping you take better pictures one day at a time.
Clickin Moms blog: Helping you take better pictures one day at a time
