by Tamara Lackey (Author), Joe McNally (Foreword)
Anyone who has photographed children knows: kids don’t really do
posing. But, as the photographer, it’s your job and your responsibility
to deliver lasting, impactful images in which kids look great. More
importantly, the goal is to create photographs of kids that are
authentic, engage their spirit, and convey their unique personalities.
So
how do you get beyond the “cheese” smile? How do you harness the wild
energy of a kid who won’t stop moving? How do you create energy and
dynamism with a kid who just seems…bored and not into it? How do you do
all that and achieve a compelling composition with flattering light and the proper exposure?
Tamara Lackey has been photographing children and families for years, and in The Posing Playbook for Photographing Kids,
she teaches you her strategies and techniques for successfully posing
and photographing children. The book begins with a discussion of
“organic posing,” an approach to directing the subject that focuses on
making small adjustments that build up to a successful shot. Tamara
moves on to the psychology of photographing children, covering how to
read your subjects, work with different personality types, and elicit
genuine engagement. She also discusses gear, accessories, composition,
lighting, and camera settings.
Then, in five chapters that are
the real core of the book, Tamara tackles typical shooting scenarios and
works through each kind of shoot, explaining what worked, what didn’t,
and how each shoot progresses from start to finish. Covering the
real-world challenges you’ll face when photographing children, Tamara
discusses photographing children in the studio, in urban settings, on
commercial and fashion shoots, in outdoor natural settings, and in
groups. At the end of each of these chapters, she provides a handy
reference guide of poses to fuel and inspire your shoots.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Chapter 1: Organic Posing
Chapter 2: The Psychology Behind Photographing Children
Chapter 3: Gear and Accessories
Chapter 4: Framing, Lighting, and Settings
Chapter 5: What to Keep in Mind When Finalizing a Shot
Chapter 6: In Studio
Chapter 7: Urban Settings
Chapter 8: Commercial and Fashion Shoots
Chapter 9: Outdoor Natural Settings
Chapter 10: Posing Children Together
