Bring Your Own Kid

Candid Photography of Your Kid

This workshop, conducted right in a playground, looks at basic techniques of informal child portraiture and candid action shots as the child cavorts through slides, a sand box, swings, and climbing bars!

Being your family’s photographer is a very important job. Only YOUR photos will truly capture the most important milestones and intimate moments in your children’s lives (and potentially the best material to embarrass them later in life!). Take your knowledge and understanding of your camera equipment to the next level and gain a better understanding of how to create flattering lighting conditions for your family portraits. Learn some tips and games to keep your child smiling when you really want to get that shot and they don’t.

Bring your own child/children! Instruction will be given on posing, background selection, lighting, composition and exposure, and on how to use all the features of the camera or phone, including F-stops, shutter speeds, ISO uses, and rapid shooting modes.

Limited to just 4 photographers, this session is taught by professional child portrait photographer E. David Luria, assisted by pediatrician and photographer hobbyist Dr. Percita Ellis, at a playground in upper northwest Washington, D.C.

Any camera is fine, even a smartphone but for best results we suggest a digital SLR or mirrorless camera, with a standard 18-55 lens and a medium telephoto range of 55-200 mm, or a versatile zoom like the Tamron 16-300mm or 18-400mm lens. Another helpful option for those over 50 is a tilting LCD screen that allows you to shoot from a low angle without actually getting low! Also suggested, not required, is an external flash unit like a Canon Speedlite or a Nikon Speedlight that mounts on the camera’s hot shoe. David will teach you how to use it on its Manual Mode for rapid flash that keeps up with your camera’s rapid shooting.

We also recommend that each photographer with children or grandchildren bring a parent/guardian who can attend to the child (children) during the first 45 minutes, the instructional phase of the workshop. Another option is for the spouse/guardian to bring the kids at the beginning of the second hour. The second hour will be devoted to picture-taking, under the instructor’s direction.