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Photo Tips & Techniques

Birthday parties are one of those annual events that are not only fun to experience and photograph, they are also a great way to document the growth of your kids. Every year can be revisited by looking through the photo album. Getting great shots requires patience and persistence, but the reward of a priceless expression or a special moment is well worth the effort. Make sure you have plenty of film and extra batteries for both the flash and camera. To be on the safe side, I encourage you to replace all cells with fresh ones before the party starts so you won't chance missing a great opportunity. Additionally, always have your camera in hand or very close in case something good unexpectedly unfolds.

Kids should be photographed at their eye level, not from the perspective of an adult looking down. Be prepared to be on your knees for many of the pictures you make. The images will be more intimate resulting in photographs that have more appeal. It may also help you capture better expressions from your subjects as you waddle toward them.

Autofocus cameras with automatic settings allow you to capture the action more efficiently. Not having to worry about focusing or fumbling with exposure settings frees you up to work more quickly. If you're using a flash, I suggest setting the camera mode to aperture priority  to be able to control the density of the background. A wide aperture will allow some ambient light to be recorded. If the background is distracting, the resulting picture will look busy. By setting the aperture to f11 or smaller, the light from the flash falls off making the background darker than the exposure on the near subject resulting in a less confusing image.

Zoom lenses provide great versatility when creating the composition. This is important when it comes time for the birthday cake shot. Zoom in to fill the frame with the birthday child just as he or she is ready to blow out the candles. Quickly zoom back to a wide setting to capture the party goer's reactions. Zoom back to the telephoto position to get close up expressions of all the kids for more memorable images. Party games and activities should also be on your 'must photograph' list.

When it comes time for the birthday boy or girl to open presents, make sure your shutter finger is primed. Look for the expressive shots when your son or daughter reveals what's hidden beneath the wrapping paper. Make sure the gifts are placed in a corner of the room that has a clean and unobtrusive background. This will make a nice setting in which the gifts can be opened. Don't overlook trying to capture the expressions on the kids giving the gifts. Again, a zoom lens will allow you to quickly shoot both wide and telephoto shots. Most importantly, let the kids have fun. Your job is to capture it.

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