CATHERINE’S TOP 10 TIPS FOR FAMILY PHOTOS
1 One lens to rule them all
Catherine always takes her Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8l USM with her and could quite happily shoot on it all day with its versatile zoom and f/2.8 maximum aperture.
2 Discreet camera bag
Catherine has been using her Jo Totes Gracie for years which looks like an ordinary brown leather handbag so it doesn’t scream ‘photographer’.
3 Shoot at eye level
Rather than shooting down at kids from your head height, go down on one knee or use the Vari-angle screen to get lower to blur backgrounds easily.
4 Photoshop tips
I keep my editing minimal for a more natural look. I use Lightroom Classic CC to batch edit my RAW files and Photoshop CC for advanced edits like spot removal. I also use Exposure XP for a filmic look.
5 Share your shots
Get the kids involved and show them some of the shots you’ve taken on your Canon’s rear LCD screen so that they can see the images and get excited.
6 Keep the conversation flowing
Be chatty and build a rapport so that the families feel comfortable and you get the best poses out of them. Playing music in the background to keep the mood light and avoid any awkward silences.
7 Sync speed for flash
If you’re using flash it’s important that your shutter speed is lower than the max sync speed, usually 1/200 sec on Canon EOS cameras, so that you don’t end up with a black band across your shot.
8 Flicker-free LED lighting
With budget constant lights you’ll usually see an undesirable flickering effect when using fast shutter speeds. This wasn’t an issue with Catherine’s premium Jinbei EF-200 LEDS though.
9 Highlight Alert
It’s important to retain highlight detail. Be sure to shoot in the RAW file format to capture more exposure data and also enable the Highlight Alert in the Playback Menu to check for blown highlights.
10 Don’t force the families!
You’ll do well to get more than 45 minutes out of little ones as their attention wanes. Be sure to keep things fun with props, toys and activities you can get them involved in, but if you run into tears and tantrums don’t force it, photograph other family members until they’re ready to be involved again.