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JAStandring
Going for a sleigh-ride.
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Going for a sleigh-ride.



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upload_dateJan, 2017

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3 Comments |
korinna
 
korinna February 05, 2018
Voted
StuXD1 Platinum
 
StuXD1 February 14, 2018
Beautiful
tomchaney_0969
 
tomchaney_0969 February 13, 2022
\"Oh, Hell! The bread crumbs ran out!\"

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Behind The Lens

Location

These are Canadian children and 7 months of the year it is winter, they are exposed to cold and snow at a young age, learning it is fun. This was taken outside. We are on a trail that cuts into the woods. The children in this photo are siblings , what fun for them both.

Time

This was in the early afternoon. One does not have to worry about the sunlight during a Canadian snowy winter day. The important thing about the time of day is the children. Are the rested, are they fed, and are they contented. With babies, it is most important that they had their nap and rest, unless you are aiming for a sleepy photo, in which case you will want them tired enough to sleep through your shoot.

Lighting

Winter light is dreadfully flat. it really does not created great shapes and shadows. It reflects off the ground and sky and trees equally when everything is white! I find that pictures where the children are doing something, and are engages works nicely for this kind of lighting. Heads turning, and faces slightly looking away hold the light and the form much better. If you simply line them up, facing looking at you and take shots it will look flat. The advantage of the sky being one big defused light however, you also do not get any shadows cast over the eyes or shadows falling in the wrong places. That is a fantastic bonus. I have never used a flash in the winter as a fill in light either. It simply bounces around too much causing blow outs everywhere.

Equipment

This photo was taken with a Pentax K3. That camera is a real workhorse. It is worth its weight in gold. It is not the most commonly know camera such as Canon Nikon, but Pentax won many prestigest awards in the camera world, they simply do not put the money into advertisements that the other companies do. Pentax is often hundreds of dollars cheaper. I used a 300 mm lens. My camera is hand held. I find with children I need to move and change my focus fast, thus Ineed it in my hands.

Inspiration

This was a planned shoot. The children were dress in this fashion in order to capture the quaint look. The sled was carefully designed with the blanket of a numeral colour and the baby was dressed in winter white. The little lad was dressed in woollens for the beautiful texture they give back to ones photo. What was not planned was how to pose them. I wanted the inter action between them to flow, and be real. the baby was set in the sled, and the brother was asked to join her. I got a couple of shots of him kneeling with her...then he jumped up and wanted to pull her..... and he did! Baby girl was at the age of observing those around her, so of course she was intent on watching him, and he was feeling very proud as he looked back and saw that she was engaged in this activity. I captured that very moment.

Editing

I have used Light-Room here to process this photo. I take all my photos in raw format, and that means that they need to be developed. I chose a desaturated kind of feel here. I like the cool of this photo as feel it reflects our winters. I have made sure that the baby's face was sharpened, and that no snow was on her face. This photo does have a snow overlay...although it was snowing that day, it was very light and I felt more pronounced snow would enhance the overall effects.

In my camera bag

I normally have my Pentax K3 camera with me, along with an extra battery. In the cold it is important to have a fun charge and extras with you. the cold drains battery faster then what is normal. I always have a telescopic lens, and a prime. I will interchange lens during a shoot if I see that one will give me a better shot then the other.

Feedback

The best advice I can give anyone who wishes to created such a shot as this is to make sure that your children's needs are all met before hearing outside. Are they rested, are they fed, and are they happy and well. Another thing for winter shoots is to make sure the children are warm enough. Even though the little lad had only am sweater on, he had three more layers under that sweater. He also has on double pants and wooden socks over his boots. If he is cold, he will be unhappy and not want to play at all. Make sure the same is true for you. Dress warm and in layers. Layers can be removed if your too warm, but if you get cold because you do not have enough on, then you will suffer. Let the children have fun. capture them in their normal poses. Do not ask them to smile all the time. Capturing the essence of the child is magical. Solum and thoughtful and wondering are all special parts of being little, capture that too. Never expect more then a little child can comfortable give. If the child starts to unwind, wimpier, feel stressed, stop the shoot...meet their need and carry one if they have had enough, then reset that.... there is alway another day. Keep your camera around your neck...keep it pointing at the kiddies as they move about. Talk to them, play with them praise them...you will capture magic every time!

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