Local photographer and mom Lyndsey Fagerlund talks about taking pictures at your child's parties.
Do:1.Plan for success
Decide on a place that is well lit, either outdoors in the late afternoon/evening, or indoors with natural (window) light. Also, plan where you want key events of the party such as the cake smash or blowing out the candles (with lighting in mind).
2.Capture the guest of honor before and after they get messy
You spent time on their clothes and hair, so take a photo of them before they enjoy the party-then let them have fun! Include the party table in your photos of the guest of honor for some fun backgrounds.
3.Photograph from a child’s perspective
Join in with the kids and get down on their level so you can zoom in on great expressions. Also, include your child’s friends in the photos; your child will want to have them later on.
4.Include guests in the photos
Consider setting up a photo booth-you can even make one yourself! They are trendy right now, and for good reason! You can set up in a place that is well lit, and match the theme of the party. It also loosens up the guests for fun photos...much better than the awkward face of a guest who was just told to look at the camera.
Don’t:1.Forget the details
Allow yourself plenty of time to photograph details before the guests arrive, or designate/hire someone. It can be difficult to prepare to be a fabulous hostess while trying to get shots of every little detail that you worked so hard to put together!
If you are taking them yourself, fill the frame and move things around if needed to get a better shot. Also try different angles to make the photos more interesting.
2.Stay behind the camera the whole time
Go enjoy the party and make sure you are in some photos! Have someone get candid shots of you and the family enjoying the party.
3.Just click the button; think about what you want to show with each photo
This is my favorite part of photographing parties: choosing how to document a party in a way that makes the viewer feel like they are there (and the viewer will often be you-for many years to come!).
For more information, please visit Lyndsey's website:
http://www.lyndseyfagerlund.com.
