There’s a scene in the terrific movie The Calendar Girls, where the women decide that the difference between the type of photo they’d just taken and a quality project was simple — hire a professional to do the job.
When it comes to getting great portraits there’s a reason people go to photographers. Good ones can make even a simple head and shoulders shot special. With technical expertise, experience and no shortage of creativity, they can infuse their work with a quality that even good amateurs can’t quite achieve. They can breathe life into a static image.
The walls of my living room are lined with portraits of my children and grandchildren. I appreciate the talent of the photographers who captured these suitable-for-framing poses and after a long day at work enjoy nothing more than to let them welcome me home.
And yet, though there is little doubt that the quality doesn’t match those of the professionals, something that I enjoy even more are the random, candid shots taken by my kids of their kids. These are the real images of those faces I love and personalities I adore. They are sometimes blurry, sometimes grainy, but they never fail to make my day.
While no issue can detract from the pleasure I take in receiving an email in the middle of a long day with one of these pictures, it never hurts to learn about how to get better results every time. If candid shots of little ones is something that interests you, here are some great ideas to improve your skills:
Digital Camera World’s Tips for Candid Portraits of Kids
iPhone Photography School Tips for Taking IPhone Photos of Children
Tips for Better Candid Shots of Your Young Child
