Thursday 13 September 2012

8

Collect the Moments: Redux

As the Capturing Childhood: Collect the Moments photography course finished while we were still on holiday, I didn't get a chance to properly share my thoughts on it. Or picspam you with some of my favourite holiday shots. So let's kill two birds with one stone...

I can't overstate how happy I am to have been on the course; the instructors were knowledgable and accessible, the modules informative and well-rounded, and the community of people taking the course were so engaging and supportive. Like many people, my photography was predominantly focussed on a 'look at me / look at the camera' remit which can produce good shots but also lots where the kids looked forced or unnatural. This course really challenged me to look at the camera as a bystander or a witness: to capture the mood, tell a story, show the personality of the subject.
Science Centre Collage 2

These are my favourite shots from our day at the Connecticut Science Center (which by the way I highly recommend if you're in the area!).  Rather than lots of 'look at the camera / show me what you're doing' pics, I was trying to capture Jamie and Maia caught in the wonder of all that science.  The only picture that is 'staged' I re-focussed so that while he thought I was taking a straight-up shot of his creation, I was actually taking a picture of his fiercely proud face.

Jamie and Calvin Collage

This collage tells the very sad story that the rules of baseball are hard.  From the back it just looks like a very sweet shot of friendship but by orbitting around you can see that two year olds, despite their reputations, are indeed capable of extreme compassion.

Glasses Collage

Or how about the story of 'I (deliberately) got my glasses wet, my eyes are all wet, ergo I don't need to wear glasses on the beach or probably ever'?  Nice try, Maia.

Sharing Collage

Two girls sharing a hula hoop, boys playing in the background. 

Personality Collage

Pictures oozing with the personality of the subjects, but still natural.

cc museum6

And the technical information about lighting, focus, movement and framing were clearly helpful too.  Man, I really needed some technical help.

Collaboration Collage

I think one of the biggest lessons I took from Capturing Childhood was that the journey to a picture is often just as good than the resulting picture. I think I love the shots of everyone reaching out to help Calvin onto the lifeguard's chair more than the posed one as it shows the dynamic in our family of closeness despite our distance.

Disclaimer: I received nothing in compensation for this review, I just couldn't recommend it enough!  Capturing Childhood: Collect the Moments is just about to start a fresh session if you're interested.

8 comments:

  1. Absolutely LOVE these shots - well done!!

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  2. Wow! Stunning photos. I can completely see how you have changed the focus of what you are trying to capture with the photos. I LOVE the Baseball photos and also the hoola hoop ones. As naff as it sounds they really do tell a story! I really struggle with taking decent photos of both the children and things I have made to sell. I always end up with really cheesy photos of the kids because I try and make them look straight at the camera and they do their 'photo' faces which are not natural in any way!! Feeling a bit inspired now to try something different. x

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  3. Amanda, these pictures are so awesome and I love how the story of your family is threaded through them.

    Thank you so much for posting about your experience, we loved having you on the course x

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  4. Lovely! These are a treasure. And the one of Maia rolling the car down the ramp looks like a tiny you with glasses! How funny that I didn't really see it that much before.

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  5. Wonder ful natural pictures they are beautiful

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  6. Love the Maia glasses pictures and the story that goes with them.

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  7. What lovely pictures . They all tell the storys of the images behind them , well done.

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