Never go in front of the footlights with children or animals used to be the maxim for stage performers. You could say the same for photographers. While every mother and pet owner wants wonderful photographs of their child/pet, it is very difficult to get an image that you will be happy with, let alone the owner of kid/pooch/cat (delete those not applicable). And forget about wildlife photography unless you are harboring a death wish or have a 1200 mm long lens.
The biggest problem you will encounter is the short attention span demonstrated by children and pets. Around 2.5 milli-seconds if you are lucky. Hang about composing, focussing and other photographic fiddling will see the child turn round, the dog assume a position you would not want recorded for posterity and the cat will just stalk off, tail in the air.
The answer to this problem is to be totally ready. You have to visualize the shot first and then make it happen, second. It is not a case of following the child and/or pet around and going snap, snap, snap and hoping one will turn out OK. It won’t, and you’ll get tired.
What does help is to look at photographs in magazines and books, and when you find a pose that you like, then work out just how did the photographer get the shot. This is important if you are going to try to capture that same “look” with your images. By the way, this is not cheating or copying, all you are doing is seeing how you can technically get a pleasing result.
Chances are, when you have found the shots you like, you will find that to get it, you need the camera on the same level as the subject. This goes for about 99 out of 100 shots of alert kids/pooches/cats. When they are asleep, then take from above – the 1 in a 100 shot!
It is for this reason that pro children’s portrait photographers have a couch they put the ankle biters on – just to bring them up to normal camera level. Likewise, those demented photographers who make their money by photographing animals do the same. After all, you look a right proper idiot crawling round on your belly taking shots in front of the startled owners!
OK, let’s get down to action with your kids and animals. Begin by setting the scene and you begin with the background. A dull mottled material background works well as it does not have fussy details to take your eyes away from the main subject. You should also position this background at least one meter away from where the subject will be placed.
Now position something in front of the camera to represent Fido or Phillip. Place it where you expect the subject to sit and pre-focus and set your exposure details (or just set the camera on Auto and let it do the work). Now look through the viewfinder and make sure you have all of the background material in the frame, as well as the child/animal sized dummy. I have mentioned my pet tiger before, but this was a large stuffed toy that I used for this purpose in setting up my shots. Tiger was photographed so often he almost knew when to turn and say Cheese! If you have a tripod, it is a good idea to use it here too.
Now get a favorite toy (for the children) and some bacon fat for cats and a box of matches for dogs. Speed is now the name of the game. Position the child where the stuffed tiger or whatever was seated and give the child the toy. Start snapping NOW! If you are lucky, you will have caught that “magic moment” of childish glee. If you’re lucky.
With the cat, smear the bacon fat on its mouth and it will reward you with the tongue lick shot. With the dog, rattle the matches and it will prick its ears up for that “alert dog” shot. That is just before it lunges at you from the table and bites the cat! Stay away from kids and animals. You have been warned.
