Taking good photos with the family in tow

[scarletfawth]

I'd love to hear any experience or insight you have in taking good photos with the family in tow.

I like to spend as much time with my young boys and wife as I can. We try to get away every other weekend to interesting places, but it's hard to balance being with them and my desire to take some half decent shots.

My youngest son is normally on my back and 5 year old son hanging round my neck or dragging on my arm (often when I bend down to attend to him for whatever reason, my camera swings forward and bashes him on the back of the head!)

On an evening, I do tend to get an hour to myself for a run, so perhaps I should make more of this (but pushing my fitness but stopping often to take shots might be counter productive on both fronts).

Tips on equipment and techniques, along with anecdotes gratefully received.

Simon

 

[gotium]

The best pics I take are simply of the things that I know; these days, that means my children, and I've largely given up trying to 'see' anything else unless it jumps in front of my face.

I have some wonderful photos of a child looking at a mountain view, digging in tide pools, throwing rocks into a lake, etc. Some of my absolute favorites are landscapes or such where, to my initial consternation, a child pops his or her head into the frame. On review, that is often what makes the photo.

 

[back alley]

not possible in my experience.

 

[bwcolor]

I work fifty to sixty hours per week, so I don't have much free time. I have young girls and my hobbies, shooting with guns and cameras must be put on the back burner. The compromise for me with photography is that they are mostly my subjects. I could not find a compromise with guns, so I rarely shoot firearms and never compete. When they are older, I'll see if they like shooting. My wife has actually won items in shooting competition, so I don't need to work on her. Kids come first in my book. No compromise...Photos, but only with kids present.. because I choose to spend my free time with them.

 

[elmer3.5]

Excellent thread!!!

Excellent thread!!!

Hi, once my little girl ran to me for a hug, the summicron was in the way....😱

I usually go with both my daughters and my wife, first i thought it wasn´t that fun but of course i was completely wrong, was thinking as a single man😛
I made other techniques to be a present father and an amateur photog.

At last i can make both things and my wife helps me a lot.

The difference i make is that i never mix family and street shots.

Bye!

 

[John Lawrence]

I find it very difficult to shoot when any family members, or other appendages are with me. There are just too many demands on my time and attention to produce anything decent.

Might just be me, but I prefer to shoot on my own or (at a push) with like-minded individuals.

John

 

[alexnotalex]

Most of what I want to photograph is my family, and the experiences we share. This is my life, and these are the memories i want to record.
Alex

 

[Beemermark]

Wow, when my daughters lived at home as soon as they could walk they became my pack animals. Especially for large format. One for the tripod, one for the backpack full of film holders, etc and one for the camera.

They really liked 35mm. A lot lighter stuff.

You need to quit cuddling the kids.

 

[raid]

This is all I have been doing since years.
Adjust to it.

 

[porktaco]

uh, dude. those family pix are going to BE the good photos

 

[konicaman]

Hmm...I got my first camera when I was 5 or 6; why don't you buy the young man a camera of his own and make him interested in the trade? 🙂

BTW a Sunsniper is very preventive in the back-of-head-injury-business (instead of a normal neck strap).

 

[alexnotalex]

Get them working for you. Now my daughter helps me reading the light... it's f11 Daddy look shadows with nobbly edges. Next I'll teach her to load film.

 

[surfnsnow]

Raid, Just looked at your ten best. That Florida Sun image is dope. Reminds me of a Kandinsky.

 

[raid]

Raid, Just looked at your ten best. That Florida Sun image is dope. Reminds me of a Kandinsky.

Thanks. Scenes like this one happen once in a while, and it helps if you have a camera handy with you.

 

[Silva Lining]

Since my boys arrived, over the last five years I have developed my portrait taking skills! Usually, like today where we went to an aircraft museum, my kids are a key part of my photography, they enjoy looking at the pictures and posing and larking about too. Other times, like tomorrow hopefully, I'll take my camera off somwhere on my own. My wife looks after the kids. The opportunities for this are few and so I plan these events very carefully to ensure I get the most out of them 🙂. My wife gets an evening out with her girlfriends in return.....

In summary, it's about adjusting to circumstances, planning and flexibility, but you can still do it 🙂

 

[Frank Petronio]

I just tell my little girl, "Don't Do This!" and that Meagan, et al, are troubled.

 

[scarletfawth]

Cheers gents, good thoughts. My oldest son (4 going on 15) does like to take snaps. He uses my SLR and pretends he's shooting a gun at baddie soldiers! Maybe I just need to adjust my focus; the kids and wife should be my subjects. To be honest they often are, and I take great pleasure from it, but I want more from my photography. Maybe that's my problem - my skill and circumstances don't match my ambition. It wouldn't be the first time!

 

[kermaier]

+1 to the above: make your family your subject, or you'll just frustrate yourself and them.

Equipment: If you're using a medium sized camera, a cross-body strap is essential. I use the one from LeicaGoodies, though the Y-strap is also good. I think Gordy's has one too. It keeps the camera out and at the ready, but it doesn't get in the way, and it doesn't swing forward when you bend down or lean into the car. Autofocus is extremely helpful when you can't take all the time you want, but hey - you can't compromise everything.... 🙂

Ari

 

[jesse1dog]

My family at present seem to be a couple of dogs - one mine and the other my son's. It's just not possible to take out both and use a camera. Why are they on leads ? I live in sheep country and they are particularly partial to sheep in any form, living or dead, whole or in pieces, fresh or rotten! At least I get out in all weathers and I reckon little Joe and I have walked over 15000 miles together - and that's a conservative estimate. At over 15 he is getting a bit slower!
jesse

 

[healyzh]

It is possible, and a very understanding wife helps a *LOT*.

A typical family outing, me with 1-3 camera's, my wife with 1-2 camera's, our 7 year old son 1 camera (film or digital), his younger sister a digital camera, and their baby brother in the stroller, sometimes with a toy camera (he wants a real one).

Digital, 35mm, or medium format are very possible, but I recommend against going out with a large format camera and the family. Even with just my wife LF is pushing it. They like it when I travel light with just the Leica. They hate it when I'm doing LF, or Macro with the DSLR.

As my wife put it yesterday, our main two things as a family are photography and trains. Everyone enjoys both.