A good photograph is like a good hound dog, dumb, but eloquent.
~ Eugene Atget

Katy Baby Birthday Party

Katy Baby Birthday Party

The average parent probably thinks taking birthday photos should be a piece of (birthday) cake. As the moment arrives, they quickly realize capturing special moments at children’s birthday parties is a elusive combination of art and science. Read on now and…smile (or at least try to).

I don’t want to jinx your child’s next birthday party, but it is important to understand some of the pitfalls that other photographers have fallen into so that you don’t go that same route. In any case, poor quality in birthday party pictures occurs because:

  • For some reason, taking birthday party pictures doesn’t rate as high on the “importance scale” as photos marking other occasions such as anniversaries, graduations and weddings.
  • The energy expended on baby birthday parties is almost exclusively geared to preventing disaster by insuring that the baby doesn’t fall into cake, the candles are nowhere near the drapes, and the children aren’t eating the wallpaper.
  • The photographers at baby birthday parties are usually the same people making sure that the situations mentioned above don’t happen and therefore planned shots are mostly out of the picture (forgive pun).

So how can you be sure this doesn’t happen to you? Well, follow these simple rules and you will at least have a better chance of taking wonderful photos at your child’s next birthday bash.

  • First of all, follow the advice of Abraham Lincoln who once said:
    “If you’re going to cut down a tree, spend 90% of your time sharpening the axe.” Preparation will make your baby photo sessions go smoother even though with children you must always remember that anything can (and usually does) happen.
  • Your child will never look better than just before the party begins (before spills, etc). Take a few minutes to plan some shots before the other guests arrive and the madness begins. After all, your baby is the star of the day, n’est ce pas? Still before the guests arrive, photograph some of the party landscape: those details that tell the story of the party. Some of these might include the cake, balloons and other decorations.
Let Her Eat Cake!

Let Her Eat Cake!

  • Know and understand the “party terrain.” Parties can take place in homes, parks, restaurants, etc. Each location presents its own particular photographic template. Before the party, determine the source of the lighting (natural, florescent, candles, etc.) and determine which is the best white balance setting for that particular lighting. When using a flash, switch the white balance to Flash setting regardless of the normal source of lighting. If you are not sure, use the Auto or Automatic white balance setting.

In keeping with knowing the party landscape, will there be obstacles that may block birthday pictures? These could include columns, large plants and even annoying in-laws. Plan your shooting location around these factors and also consider the background. If it’s neutral, use it to your advantage, but if it is ugly, maximize your depth of field by using the smallest possible F-stop. This will cause the background to blur.

My First Birthday with Grandmother's Dress

My First Birthday with Grandmother's Dress

  • Make a birthday photo list and definitely check it twice. Make notes about the shots you absolutely must have as well as some of those you would like to capture if you can. Don’t forget to take the list with you. (Place it under the camera and near your car keys.) After you get to the party with the list, don’t forget to refer to it, as with all that is going on, you might forget which shots you wish to prioritize. Consider candid shots among the favorites on your list as they capture children at their best whether they be sleeping, playing or attempting to eat birthday cake.
  • Check out seating arrangements. You will probably need to use a wide-angle lens if rectangular tables are being used. If that is the case, take the picture facing the wide side of the rectangle. If you want to focus only on the birthday child, use a medium aperture such as F/5.6, but if on the other hand, you wish to get everyone in the picture, use an F-stop number of F/22 or higher.
  • Take test shots if possible using what you believe are the proper settings and examine the results on a computer (or better yet, a printer).
  • Take multiple shots of those critical moments because it is better to have too many than not enough. Experiment with and without the flash and different metering modes and F-stops.
  • Don’t forget to take “after the party” shots as well. Candles burned out and exhausted children make great comparisons to the “before the party” photographs.

Get down there with the kids and put down the camera once in a while. Most of all, don’t forget to enjoy yourself. The good time you have might easily be your own.

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