What a wonderful Father’s Day weekend that was. While the weatherman had predicted a miserable Sunday of cloud and rain, the reality was an afternoon and evening of warmly-soothing temperatures, gentle breezes and clear, bright skies. It was the perfect combination for families to gather and enjoy time outdoors.
Our crew took full advantage, spending the whole afternoon chilling out under the hot sun, even getting in a little physical activity, dusting off the old ball gloves and bats for an impromptu game.
Not that I was involved in that last part. Let’s not be silly. There are other things for me to do, at which I’m much better than playing ball. Besides getting in my share of toddler cuddles, for example, I kept my eyes peeled for some photo ops. With camera strapped around my neck I was snap happy as always, trying to freeze forever every special moment I could.
It’s always fun to photograph these family times and I like the challenge of finding different ways to do it. One of my proudest from Sunday is a photo of my daughter and her sweet Adelaide lying on the grass. Mom saw me coming and knew enough not to react, while her little one was all about snuggling and really had no interest in moving away just because the camera was in her face. The result was the kind of shot that makes this amateur shutterbug feel pretty satisfied.
In this case I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time for a picture that hadn’t happened quite that way before. Inspiration and opportunity don’t always fall in your lap this easily. To help you find them both, here are some great sites with information on how to photograph family events, as well as tips for better candid photography:
Photograph Your Family and Friends
Tips for Better Candid Photography
