kids will be kids

i received an email the other day from a good friend. she asked me how i capture the spirit of childhood in portraits, avoiding the cheesy, posed look. here is my answer.

for me, being a child meant that i never wanted to sit still. it was always go, go, go and play, play, play! i mean, seriously- what kid wants to stop and have their picture taken? now, i know there are some kids who like the camera, at least from what it seems (eli and dylan ;), but for me, no way was i ever gonna stop for the camera! i've come up with an easy approach to this that doesn't require any talent at all- it's simple. leave the kids alone. let them play, let them run around, and never ever worry about getting "the right shot". kids are kids- unpredictable and fun! your best bet at getting some good shots is to just stand back, making yourself invisible to the child. if they barely realize you are there, you will find that the shots you have are moments that will never be forgotten. here are some examples.

we we're out playing in kylie's yard and i had my camera at my side. cohen came out and i was ready. i played around with him a bit and then casually started taking some shots. here is what i came up with, and i am very happy with what i got! :)

 

as you can see, cohen is being nothing but himself- the silly little tyke he is. i really do love this kid.