airgead

Nice shot. It's hard to get a shot without the fingers in the mouth isn't it.

The only comment I'll make is that the right side is a bit dark. Some fill light would make a big diference there.

Dave

I's afraid I don't agree with Derek's comments above. Children are photographically interesting at all ages. Every week they do something new that you can capture on film.

While I shoot mostly in B/W, colour is also very effective for shots of children. Their clothes and toys tend to be brightly coloured and this can make for striking photos. Use the bright colours as an element in your composition but don't let them overpower things.

The attached photo isn't technically very good but it's certainly a keeper

Cheers

Dave<div></div>

Hi

6 months old is easy. Wait till they turn 2 and want to take the photos themselves (my EOS30 only just survived).

Your best bet is outside with natural light. That way you don't have a distracting flash going off (believe me they can stare at a flash for HOURS waiting for it to go off again).

At this age they are sitting up really taking an interest in what is going on around them. Try to capture that. Give them a new toy and get some shots of them exploring it. Try some different angles - shoot from directly above them looking down or from right on the ground looking up. Use different crops - try showing a lot of background with them looking small. Try cropping tightly around them. Use a wide angle lens to make them look tiny or like a giant.

They have their own personality at this age. Try to bring that out. I tend to avoid any sort of Anne Geddes style props or posing as the images end up saying more about the photographer than the child. Let them be themself.

Sleeping is good too. Nothing is more peaceful than a sleeping child. Get in close and personal with a macro lens if you have one. Try some really tight crops of face, hands, feet etc. I shoot that type of image using 3200 speed B/W film. it has a fantastic grainy look and means you can shoot in low light without risking waking them up with a flash.

Hope this helps

Dave<div></div>

My Wife had some professional portraits done some years ago and when we went in to choose the prints I noticed that many of them had been flipped. I also noticed that the photographer was pointing all the flipped shots to her and all the unflipped ones to me.

When I asked the photographer about this he told me that it was an old trick used to increase sales - the flipped image looks like the image in the mirror so the subject is more likely to buy a print that looks like they are used to seeing themselves. The unflipped images are shown to the non-subjects as this is the way they are used to seeing the subject and are thus morte likely to buy a non-flipped print. Apparently it can make a 20-30% difference in sales.

Not sure how true this all is but interesting nontheless.

When walk through the bush (which is what we call Nature here in Australia), whether in the national park near my home or deep in the Outback, I feel a connection with Nature. When I take the time to stop and really look at what I am walking through, I see the beauty of the Goddess in all Her forms. Beauty that in our busy lives we too often ignore or cover in concrete because we are too busy to see or care.

Photography forces me to stop and look.

I also do a lot of astrophotographs because they show the power and beauty of the Universe on a scale that we can not comprehend. It is one of Her faces that few will even see, not because it is hard to see, but because they never think to look for it.

If others could see the beauty I see in Her, perhaps there would be a little less concrete. Photography is the way I hope to share my vision with others. My skills are nowhere near adequate to match my aspirations but I am learning and all things come in their own time.

I may not be very good, but I try. I think that pleases Her.

Apologies for getting all mystical on you.

Cheers

Dave

I've just bought a mini trekker and have been backpacking with various packs for years.

Even though the waist strap is a waist strap rather than a hip strap like a large hiking pack (can't speak for the larger camers packs) it does take the weight on your hips and off your shoulders and back. I'm 6'3" so if it works for me it should work for anyone. The sternum strap is also good for making sure the shoulder straps don't slide out.

The bottom tripod (or whatever) straps are a pain. Those slide buckles make getting things in and out a nightmare. I've replaced them with some webbing with strong velcro sewn on. This makes things much easier (but noisier so no good for wildlife photographers). You could also use any of the dozen varieties of buckles they sell at camping shops.

My only other modifications were to make some water bottle holders out of more webbing and velcro that attach to the sides of the pack.

Cheers

Dave

I've just bought a mini trekker and have been backpacking with various packs for years.

Even though the waist strap is a waist strap rather than a hip strap like a large hiking pack (can't speak for the larger camers packs) it does take the weight on your hips and off your shoulders and back. I'm 6'3" so if it works for me it should work for anyone. The sternum strap is also good for making sure the shoulder straps donm't slide out.

The bottom tripod (or whatever) straps are a pain. Those slide buckles make getting things in and our a nightmare. I've replaced them with some webbing with strong velcro sewn on. This makes things much easier (but noisier so no good for wildlife photographers). You could also use any of the dozen varieties of buckles they sell at camping shops.

My only other modifications were to make some water bottle holders out of more webbing and velcro that attach to the sides of the pack.

Cheers

Dave