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How to Photograph Children: Secrets for Capturing Childhood's Magic Moments
 
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How to Photograph Children: Secrets for Capturing Childhood's Magic Moments [Paperback]

Lisa Jane (Author), Rick Staudt (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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Book Description

April 1, 2007
Few parents can resist the urge to photograph every adorable stage of their children's lives, but most do it more lovingly than well. No matter how doting they are, too often the results are blurry, overexposed, and uninspired snapshots. Guide to Photographing Children offers practical, detailed, unintimidating advice to help transform parents' enthusiasm into memorable photographs that capture the child's own distinctive spirit (and involve the child in the process). After gently guiding the amateur photographer through such technical basics as which camera, film, and exposure to use, the authors offer specific suggestions for shooting indoors and out, as well as invaluable advice on working with children at each age (useful words of wisdom: respect the child's moods and don't always demand a smile).

The book concludes with handy information about how to get the best work out of the photofinisher, even if it's just the local one-hour mini-lab, plus ideas for scrapbooks and other projects geared to putting the photos to good use. Throughout, sidebars offer additional help on everything from film speeds to "smile getters", and the 200 photographs provide clear examples of what -- and what not -- to do when photographing children of every age and temperament.


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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A friendly, technically savvy guide to taking irresistible photographs. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Lisa Jane and Rick Staudt are friends and award-winning colleagues in Houston, where they both run professional portrait studios specializing in children. Lisa Jane's book Enchanted Childhood: The Magical World of Lisa Jane was published by Abbeville in 1999.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 143 pages
  • Publisher: Abbeville Press; Second Edition edition (April 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0789209306
  • ISBN-13: 978-0789209306
  • Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,312,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a good book for beginners, with extensive discussion of many of the basics of lighting, composition and exposure. However, if you have read a couple of the excellent books on general photography out there for beginners, you will already have heard most of the advice. The fact that this book puts the basics in context for people who photograph mainly children is mildly useful, but it would be much more useful if the authors instead would delve into greater detail on issues peculiar to children.

As examples, children tend to need softer lighting, and additional material on how to generate soft lighting would have been useful. Children also tend to be more difficult to direct and they don't stay still. This, as the book acknowledges in several places, requires a more spontaneous set-up and approach, yet the discussion rarely follows through with details, reverting instead to a more traditional and meticulous set up.

Please don't misunderstand this review. If you are a beginner and have a particular interest in children, this may be the book for you, especially if you are only going to get one book. I would tend to rely instead for most of the basic information on the classics, like Basic Photographic Materials and Processes (Stroebel et al); the Ansel Adams series (the Camera, the Negative, and the Print); and Horenstein's book on Black and White Photography, and would look for more advanced information from a book focused just on children. Unfortunately, I picked this up hoping it would be that more advanced book, and it is not.
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Very useful book! June 25, 2003
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
As an amateur/hobbyist photographer for 20+ years as well as an avid reader I have read a lot of books on the subject, but none as fun to read as this. It contains lots of practical advice about composition and lighting as well as basics about film and equipment selection. The authors also tell how they got a particular shot, and give very clear examples and advice about technique. I recommended this book to several friends and relatives who wanted a basic book about photography, and, although the focus is on children's photography, this advice is translatable to other areas as well.
I was very impressed by the conversational tone and humorous approach which is often evident. What was great was that they encourage a lot of experimentation and they are not camera snobs - they actually acknowledge that such things as point & shoot & single use cameras are in use and tell you how to get the best of them, without making you feel like you're somewhat inferior if you're not using an SLR or medium format.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. Did I mention that the photos are great and the feeling is that they are actually attainable by the average amateur photographer?
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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By Railgun
Format:Paperback
I almost didn't even pick-up this book because of the title. I have no interest in photographing children. But almost everything in this book applies to photographing people. Both the writing and photography are very good. The content is concise, well organized and straight to the point. The example photos are those that any weekend shutterbug can aspire to create, not overwhelming masterpieces that would take years of experience and tons of equipment. And technique applies to any type of camera.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Too technical for a new mom gift.
I like to give new moms a book on how to photograph their children. I've purchased several different books covering this topic, this is the first one I'm not happy with. Read more
Published on May 15, 2009 by S. Schoenrock
Very good
Very ilustrative book. Fun to read. Excellent Photographers. But I would like to see more Digital Camera chapters and more studio pictures.
Published on April 14, 2008 by Lorena Otero Rojas
Any general-interest collection catering to parents or amateur...
Parents love to take photos of kids, but too often the results are blurry and amateur. HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH CHILDREN: SECRETS FOR CAPTURING CHILDHOOD'S MAGIC MOMENTS is newly revised... Read more
Published on July 27, 2007 by Midwest Book Review
An Excellent Book
This is a nicely done book by Lisa Jane and Rick Staudt. If you have children to photograph and already understand the basics of photography, this is the book you should have. Read more
Published on November 27, 2005 by Allan Kuivila
Absolutely Wonderful
This book was more than I had hoped. I bought it from another Amazon member and was pleasantly pleased at the response and customer service (having never bought from an individual... Read more
Published on November 16, 2005 by J. Gilmer
Great for amateurs, useful for all subjects
This is an easy to read and useful book if you're either a parent trying to get good pictures of your children, or an aspiring photographer. Read more
Published on August 24, 2005 by JLG
Some good tips but too cute
There were some good tips here (lighting angles for one) but almost every example picture involving a girl had her dressed up as a fairy. Read more
Published on May 4, 2005 by JP
A bit lacking in depth
I've been using an SLR for many years, and am pretty familiar with how cameras work and how to take good pictures. Read more
Published on September 6, 2004 by Richard Newton
Great Book!!
I am a beginning photographer, and this book was very helpful, the shots in it are beautiful and it gives lots of helpful tips on how to acheive the children's portraits you want. Read more
Published on January 27, 2003
How to Photograph Children...
I think this book was wonderful. It stated the basics to get you going then added more detail when needed. Read more
Published on May 22, 2002
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