Rangefinder Magazine
March 2006

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Small Subjects, Small Changes David Bentley
 

It’s a fact—kids aren’t the way they were in my day! We used to hear our parents make this statement, and now we are the parents. But it’s true. In our studio, we’ve found that a large percentage of the children we photograph exhibit behavior quite different from what we would have seen 20 years ago. In general, the children of today are more restless, more independent and more casual about authority than their counterparts of 20 years ago. It is of little help to speculate why this is the case, but we are still expected to produce great portraits.

In that same 20 years, the parents have also changed; they spend a lot more time in front of the TV than in an art gallery. Ask one of our current clients to name an old master, and they are likely to mention Dylan, Lennon or Jagger. What the parents expect of the portrait has changed because of the art around them—the art on TV. Parents are looking for an image with spirit, movement and character. We still have to give the customer what they want—at least that hasn’t changed!

In order to satisfy this new set of requirements, we have found it necessary to change the way we pose, light and interact with our subjects. Despite these changes, we still look for the classic angles of the face and the traditional elements of composition.

When setting our lights, we use large light sources relatively far from the subject. In this way, we create a zone where a good portrait can be made. In the past, we liked a smaller, more mobile light as close to the subject as possible. This old arrangement created a spot where a good portrait could be created. The children of today can be happy in a zone but rebel at being put on the spot.

We still need flattering light, so it should still be soft. In the past we were happy with a 27-inch softbox three feet from the subject. Nowadays we use a 6-foot softbox placed five or six feet from the subject. This placement yields an acceptable softness and a large area where the exposure only varies a half stop or so in either direction. The goal is to have an area of acceptable exposure where the child is free to stand, sit or lie on the floor. In the course of the session, we need not adjust or reposition the light.

Another factor that has come into play is the onset of digital capture. In the past, one or two rolls of 220 were all we could afford to expend on a typical session. Now, taking 100–150 images is not unusual. We edit heavily, but the freedom from film and processing cost enables us to make the camera an extension of the game. If we waste 20–30 images in play with the child, there are no cost penalties (a benefit for all the pain we went through converting from film to digital). The camera is off the tripod, and autofocus is on. Wherever the game takes us, we continue taking pictures. With some cropping and some Photoshop we have an image for the family wall.

The last small change is the way we conduct the session. Instead of “Hold still and look this way,” it’s “Let’s climb, talk, tell stories or play with the toy.” We move up, down and side-to-side to find a classic perspective in a contemporary setting.

If the child has a good time and we get good photos, the parents will come back.

David and Susan Bentley will be presenting a MaterClass at WPPI 2006, entitled “Capturing Today’s Active Children.” The MasterClass will be on Monday, April 10, 8:30–10:30 a.m. in BALLY’s Palace Rooms 4 and 5.