Photographing kids and pets

It's Sara with a quick blog post about photographing children and pets. I was thinking the other day how I love to see the world "through my daughter's eyes." But if I stand up to take a photo of her straight on, then that's not really through her eyes...it's through mine. I want photos that reflect how she sees the world. Photographing children and pets present the same issue. We've got to...

Get down on their level!

I made some graphics to illustrate the difference in camera angles. Yes, these show just how awesome I am at making illustrations of people and babies. Which I guess also proves why I'm a writer.

OK, this first graphic illustrates the camera angle when we stand above the subject and take a photo:

Here's a photo to highlight the point:

But if we get down on the child's level, you see that same scene with the added advantage of seeing it through the child's eyes.

And the same scene, different camera angle:

Now we see her face better, and we can see that special bracelet she's working on. (How do I know it was special? She was making it for me!)

So the next time you set up the perfect shot, remember: camera angle. And if you're like me, try to remember if you've got any aspirin in the medicine cabinet. You'll want it to ease the back pain caused from kneeling on the ground!

Cheers,
Sara