What I love most about kids is that they have a very pure, uncorrupted view of the world. They see it for what it is. I have always felt it is important to get down to their eyelevel to take their photos and not to capture their images from above at an adult’s view. They should be seen at the level they see the world from, just as it is important to let them be themselves and to look for the perfect picture moments while they do their thing, or to interact with them in a way that encourages them to show who they are. Being on their level and seeing them in the eye, and being on their level in the sense that I am open to their antics and fun helps to meet them where they are at, and capture the best images of who they are.
I was specifically tasked to get pictures of the kids here, and when mom showed up dressed in a nice cardigan, I got the sense she would be happy to get in the photos too. Dad is camera shy, on the other hand, so he did not particularly dress for the occasion, but there is never a reason to pass up the opportunity, and if it is who he is, then that is what will always be remembered by those who know him anyway. So, get the photo! It is journalism, and fine to do.
The moments slip by, and most of the photos are captured as they do. Then there is the attempt to pose. This does not always go well with kids. Even with patience we have to sometimes settle for ‘good enough.’ But the memories are made, and even what feels like a compromise at the time become the best memories of our lives later.
