The times I feel most connected to my work and proud of my work, is when I have the chance to photograph someone who is living out their dreams. It could be a wedding where two people, so in love have just vowed to spend their lives together. It could be a sports event, where you can see the passion in the players face. Or, for my last job it could be as simple as some kids showing off their incredible talents. Witnessing the innocence, beauty and love of a child through photography is one of the most rewarding and moving things a person can experience.
Over the weekend I had the privilege of photographing a talent contest hosted by WJTL Radio. The acts were incredibly talented as they were all based around music. The crowd was full of supportive family members and loads of excited, energetic kids. Not only was the talent phenomenal, but the children in the audience were so outgoing and absolutely loved the camera. It’s nice to photograph the kids having fun, but it’s also neat to catch them off guard because it’s a time where you can capture their innocence.
If you ever have the opportunity to photograph in an environment with children, this advice is for you. Try to have fun with them, always stay smiling, give them a thumbs up, joke around and get out as many laughs from them as you can.
Now, if a child is pretty young, always run it by their parent or guardian first before you start photographing them. Also, on your camera, if you have an option for continuous shooting, it’s a good idea to keep this on almost the entire time. I only say this because kids are very spontaneous and they are constantly moving around. They could be giving you a blank stare one minute, and the next minute they’re laughing hysterically. Some other shots I highly recommend you look for are some unique and personal shots. There was a particular kid performing on stage who was 14 years old, and really caught my eye. Not just because he could sing and play the guitar like a professional, but because he had a really interesting pair of shoes on. I actually got lucky because below him there was a set of fluorescent, rainbow lights that really enhanced that shot of his shoes, so that photograph came out great. I also worked on getting some of the acts with their instruments. For one shot, I captured a young girl preparing to get on the stage with her guitar hanging around her back. I captured this from the side and I could tell she was nervous because she had her hands folded with a focused look frozen on her face. I also took some shots that were zoomed in on the contestants hands playing their instruments. To me these moments reveal a personal side of each contestant, because you can form an understanding of what they love to do, and why they’re so passionate about it.
If you find yourself envisioning a shot, always do your best to pursue it. You never want to leave an opportunity behind, regretting that you didn’t go for it. There was a time during my first event where I had envisioned quite a few shots with the people and musical artists, yet I was too shy to pursue them. I have learned from those mistakes and today I never miss a shot. Go out there with a vision and don’t stop until you’ve captured it.
