GUEST POST::PHOTOGRAPHER ALEXANDRA ASHER SEARS
By Alexandra Asher Sears
My
love of photography came in a giant box from Tiffany’s. The box came up
to my knees and it sat in a closet at my grandmother’s filled to the
brim with old photos. I would pester ask her about the stories
behind the images. From as early as I can remember I had loved words,
and these photos told stories as fascinating as any book. I loved the
way they felt, the thick cardboard studio portraits from a century ago,
the small, thin papers of the 30s and 40s, and great decorative edges
from the 50s. Every picture told a story.
At 15, I got my first ‘real’ camera, a Pentax SLR that collects dust these days but I still cherish. I
took it with me everywhere and apart from one art photography class in
college, I learned to take pictures by simply clicking the shutter. I
love candid portraiture with natural light whenever possible. I think
there’s a certain authenticity lost in posed images. The smile caught
on the sly is worth a price above rubies.
I
work with kids all the time and I love it. They lack
self-consciousness, they’re full of energy and with an inability to sit
too long in one place it’s always an adventure. They’re also fickle,
prone to meltdowns and bored easily. The key is to plan without too
much planning. Make sure you’ve timed around meals and naps but after
that, try to follow their lead.
sink
to their level – to capture kids, you have to get down. I often find
myself on my back looking up, crawling on my knees and contorted in all
sorts of positions. I like to imagine I am burning calories with all
the deep knee bends.
keep
moving – tutus and capes are fabulous props because they move as your
kids move. twirling, running, jumping, dancing...little Isadora Duncans
and superheroes are happier subjects when they’re engaged.
some bubbly – these are my contraband. I buy stock in No-Spill Bubble Tumblers (
http://tinyurl.com/nospil).
Have someone blow them above your baby to get their attention (better
than bells and whistles), or snap away as your toddlers
spit blow with all their might.
model behavior – some kids love to be photographed, others are more like Sean Penn w the paparazzi.
I
approach them the same way, by talking while shooting (in some cases
the uninterested kid will not make any contact for a good ten minutes).
About our pets, or books or Yo Gabba Gabba. With the extrovert this
usually gets the over-posing out of her system and the shy one has a
chance to open up. With the shy one I usually offer to let them check
out a few photos.
Don’t do this with the extrovert of they’ll want to see each and every shot.
wardrobe
– Personally, I think that the best outfit is the one the child picks.
When a four year old puts on shorts, rain boots and a batman cape that
is a shot you will look back at in 10, 20 years and cherish. The
seersucker suit is darling but neither of you will remember anything
except the fight you had to get it on. But if you want the seersucker
be willing to compromise. I’d start with their pick for some shots,
then move to the suit but keep the cape, then lose the cape in exchange
for bubbles, and slowly everything irons itself out.
on
strike – if your child is unwilling to do what you want for a photo,
try to be inclusive. This one for you, next set-up they decide (they
may have a brilliant idea or two).
foodies- if you’re going to eat while shooting make it something fun
messy to photograph like ice cream or strawberries.
happy
feet - I work with backdrops for different things but with babies you
want to move quickly and keep them comfy. I find that having a parent
draped with a black fabric/sheet/blanket means they can hold the
bambini while I get a close-up of tiny toes, or little fist with ease.
no cheese – when was the last time someone asked you to “smile” for a picture?
It’s
never a good thing. Genuine smiles come when you’re relaxed and having
fun. So, put on music or sing (make your own iMix or check out mine).
If your child is looking away and you whisper their name, you may
capture them looking up but not AT you.
work
it – finger painting, paintbrushes and buckets of water, chalk…give the
kids and activity and you can sneak right in and photograph them while
they’re too busy to put up a fuss or pose too much. Snap those furrowed
brows, the messy hands, and laughter as they play.
it’s all in the details -
close-ups you’ll cherish: a pudgy fist, long eyelashes, missing teeth, feet dirty from playing.
In the end, what matters most is not how "perfect" things are, but
the stories they tell. The rainbow in the sprinklers as they run
through, the wiggly tooth that has the Tooth Fairy on alert, the
hideous Elmo shirt they insist on wearing everyday. Think about what
you want to remember in 5, 10, 30 years and you'll realize that one day
you're going to miss that Elmo shirt. Really miss it in ways you never
thought possible. Enjoy the kids for who they are. Grab that camera and
go make some memories.
To view more examples of the above please stop by
here.
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if you loved this post as much as I did, please stop by next Tuesday, Alex is opening up her bag o' tricks for us. If you want any questions answered leave them in the comments and we will try to get them answered next week or a future photo post.
