Bridal photography is a great way to do something unusual and fabulous. After all, such photographs usually contain a standard sightseeing trip that most couples take. Gradually, this tradition is becoming a thing of the past, and newlyweds are faced with the question of where to create their own photographs, unlike other ones, and what accessories can be placed on them.
One of the beautiful ways to create unique photos is a wedding photo shoot with balloons . At the same time, the balloons can be either airy or soapy, which makes it possible to create exactly the mood that accompanies the couple throughout the holiday.
Preparing for family photography
The success of photography depends not only on the photographer, but also on the models. In order for family shots to give joyful emotions to those who will later review them, it is important to plan everything down to the smallest detail. Namely:
- Choose clothes in the same shades for all family members. If each participant in the shooting wears only what he likes, it will look ridiculous in the general photo. Avoid white color, as shadows may remain on it while the camera is running, which are not easy to remove even at the retouching stage.
- Consider the place where the photo shoot for children will be held. You can arrange it outdoors or at home; each option has its pros and cons. If you choose to shoot in a home atmosphere, then you will need to remove unnecessary objects from the frame, take care of lighting and free space.
- Choose a practical hairstyle. Keep in mind that if you choose outdoor shooting, it is better for girls to tie their hair up. Because the wind can ruin even the most expensive styling from a stylist.
- Wake up early before the photo shoot and arrive early with your children. The baby will need to take his favorite toys to distract him from the unusual environment. Don't forget a bottle of water and containers of food so no one feels hungry.
How to create soap bubbles
If you don’t want to waste time preparing the liquid, then buy a ready-made jar at the supermarket and you can get to work right away. It's also easy to make yourself.
To obtain 1 liter of such liquid, take 250 ml of dishwashing detergent, 700 ml of warm water, 50 g of sugar and a few drops of glycerin. Mix everything lightly and let it brew for several hours. Let's make a stick for blowing bubbles from copper wire, and we're out of competition!
In the photos used as illustrations for this article, I used a commercial bubble straw and homemade liquid.
Ideas for family photography
Dilute standard photos with original ideas. Use additional attributes and stylistic details. Don’t forget also that you can always consult with a photographer and choose the best option for yourself.
Flight
If there are small children in the family, then adults can spin them in the air, throw them up and play with them. A baby’s happy smile will give positive emotions to all participants in the photo shoot.
Balloons
Balloons will not leave any person on the site indifferent. Order in advance a set of large multi-colored balloons that will be delivered to your studio or home. It is worth consulting with the photographer in advance so that their color and size are in harmony with the general background.
Pranks are allowed!
A photo shoot with a child can be fun if you make him the main character in the entire studio. He can jokingly tie garlands around his parents and smear everyone in a sweet cake. Dress up your baby in a funny costume that is clearly not his size, or try on big glasses for him.
Favorite toys
Children's toys play a very important role in a photo shoot; they help the child relax and adapt to an unfamiliar situation. Why not use them as an idea for a photo shoot? Buy a train with rails and watch it in wonder with your baby, or inflate a trampoline with plastic balls.
Special effects in nature
A photo session for an active child can take place outdoors. Lie down on a clear clearing, autumn leaves or even snow. To add variety to your shots, use frames and mirrors for the “picture-in-picture” illusion.
Bubble
For live photo sessions, you can purchase soap bubbles. In the store you will find not only standard sets, but also soap guns designed to create double and triple large bubbles.
Ideal conditions for shooting bubbles
Obviously, we are unlikely to be able to achieve good results when shooting bubbles alone and we will probably need an assistant who will blow bubbles while we focus.
It is best to photograph bubbles on a bright and sunny day, but with a shaded or dark background to better highlight the reflections and shimmer of light on the bubbles.
Choose calm weather - a small breeze is enough to ruin the whole picture.
Having taken the first photos, we will immediately see how many reflections can be seen in the bubbles. The images we see on them resemble a fish-eye effect, however, the upper part of the image is displayed in the lower hemisphere.
Depending on the surrounding conditions, we will get completely different colors and patterns. From a technical point of view, it is better to shoot with a fast shutter speed of 1/250 - 1/500 and an open aperture of f/5.6 or larger. The best lenses are telezooms from 85 to 300mm, but the final choice of lens will depend on the size of the bubbles.
If your assistant can blow bubbles with a diameter of 30 cm, then you can use a 50 mm macro lens, and if your bubbles are of a regular size (5-10 cm), then it is better to choose a slightly larger focal length. I shot with a Nikon D700, in burst mode, with autofocus tracking, mainly with a 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 ED VR lens.
The best poses for photos with children
A children's photo shoot is different from other types of photography because participants do not need to come up with complex poses. Lively emotions, the laughter of a baby and the smiles of adults will make any shot a winner. But for preliminary preparation, remember a few options:
- For a family photo shoot, you can try the “slide” pose. Mom should sit on the floor, dad should be behind him and hold the baby on his shoulders. The photo will look especially advantageous against the backdrop of the New Year tree.
- Parents can stand on either side of the child and hold his hands. Try to swing it a little and lift it in the air; lively joyful emotions will make the photo truly cozy.
- All participants in the filming process sit on the floor, the father should hug the mother a little while she holds the baby in her arms. Act genuinely surprised and smile broadly in response to the child.
- For photo shoots in formal attire, use a standard pose. One of the adults should sit in a large chair and put one child on his lap, while another family member stands next to him and holds the second child’s hand.
- Use studio items, such as a gift box. Place your child on it and stand on the side. This pose will look better if you do a photo shoot for your baby’s birthday.
An original idea for a photo at home: double exposure
Implementing these original ideas for photos at home alone will require minimal knowledge of working with Adobe Photoshop or Snapseed. A separate article will be written on how to technically do this (stay tuned!). In short, the point is this: you choose your successful photo (it would be most effective to take a silhouette), and match it with another one that contains more details. You programmatically combine these two photos and voila! Your sur is ready.
Photos with baby at home
It is most convenient to conduct photo sessions for babies in a homely atmosphere, when everything you need is at hand and the baby is not afraid of the new environment. Ideas can be very different! For example, put your baby on the bed and lightly cover him with a blanket, the photo will turn out very cute and unusual.
You can also dress up a sleeping baby in an evening dress, put a bag of clothes and cosmetics next to her, and try on her mother’s shoes on her feet; the children’s photo shoot will turn out to be very funny. Or put a robe on your child and add cucumber rings to his face. You can come up with many images of home for babies, in most of them he won’t even have to get out of bed. The main thing is to always be there to calm the child down in time.
Original ideas for photos at home alone: play of shadows
A very simple, and at the same time very effective idea for a photo at home alone. In truth, any curtain, tulle or even (in some cases) blinds will do. Pick a nice day, let the daylight shine through and take some damn beautiful pictures.
Photos taken together outdoors
For photo shoots in nature, you first need to decide on a location. This could be a city park or garden, a summer meadow, mountains, various bodies of water, or even your own yard. Taking photos at your home site is very convenient, since they don’t require you to worry about how to get all the participants to the photo location on time. For elderly family members, you can organize an outdoor photo session in the format of a walk. A professional will also help you capture memorable moments if you and your family are going to celebrate a birthday outdoors or are just planning to relax on a picnic.
Keep in mind that in summer there are usually a lot of vacationers on the beaches, so it’s worth deciding on the time of day in advance and exploring the area in search of secluded places. Take additional attributes: a basket of fruit, a warm blanket, soft pillows. For photo shoots in the field, you can dress up in traditional Russian costumes; for mom, the main decoration will be wildflowers. Clothing should be comfortable, not restrict the body when moving, and harmonize well with the environment. For example, light, airy fabrics and shirts in cool shades are considered good outfit options when conducting a photo shoot for children with their parents by the sea.
Photo session in the studio
Children's photography is most often carried out in a studio, where there is already a background and the necessary decorations that will help make the shots realistic. Questions about filming time, lighting and cost are best agreed upon in advance. If you are planning a photo shoot with children, then make sure that the child does not feel tired or hungry, so he will not be capricious and will be able to tune in to the process. The best time for a photo shoot with a small child in the studio is considered to be 11-12 noon. When posing, it is not necessary to take only one body position; the best shots are obtained when moving: decorate a Christmas tree together, tell each other funny stories, unpack gifts, or even perform acrobatic acts.
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is advisable to avoid overly colorful outfits, so that in the studio all participants in the children’s photo shoot wear plain clothes without inscriptions or drawings. If you want to get bright photos, opt for costumes and festive costumes. Children can dress up as fairies, wizards, forest animals, and cozy pajamas in red and white are suitable for New Year's filming. Don't forget to give your children breaks during a photo shoot in the studio, at least for 10-15 minutes, to have a snack and give your child some time to rest from the camera flashes.
Family photo session in different images
In a whole hour of filming, you can manage to appear not only in evening suits, but also in unusual images. It will be even more interesting for the child to pose when all family members dress up in costumes. Ideas for such photography could be the following:
- Family of superheroes. Why not choose a Superman or Batman costume for dad, a Catwoman look for mom, and the same outfits for the kids? Poses where adults hold children on their shoulders will look especially good.
- Halloween party. Play the Addams family or put on vampire makeup. It is not necessary to create complex images; use only paints or thematic masks.
- Fairy tale. Choose costumes based on your favorite children's films! Create an oriental atmosphere, like in a fairy tale about Aladdin, or choose airy dresses, as if your baby is in a fairy tale about Disney princesses.
Original ideas for photos at home alone: garland
Idea for a photo with a garland at home No. 2: all kinds of bokeh
Regarding ideas for a photo with a garland, it was already said in one of my previous articles, be sure to read it. In short, there are several ideas themselves. Wrap yourself in a garland like a scarf, run it along the contour of your body, or simply hang it in the foreground or background, creating a bokeh effect. And at the same time, be sure to follow safety precautions. Please.
Photography for baby's birthday
For a festive photo shoot for your kids’ birthday, you can create a whole series of pictures. For example, how a child learns to walk, cooks dinner with his mother, or walks in the park. For a very young birthday boy, take an unusual photo in which he will lie on the bed, and place fruit in the shape of a number next to him. Or invite a photographer directly to the holiday so that he can capture the moment of blowing out the candles and the joyful presentation of gifts. Don't forget to decorate the room with balloons, garlands and beautiful dishes.
Photo sessions with children require careful preparation from parents. If you take into account all the features we present, you will get unforgettable shots that will delight your loved ones for a long time in the family album.
