1. If you are using a wide angle lens try to get as close to the subject as possible. Since you are probably standing behind a fence at least 100 feet away understand that you will necessarily get other people and families in your pictures. Turn it into a benefit!
Crop to the most interesting looking strangers, process it as a black and white, add a hefty vignette and tell your friends that you are now a student of “street photography.”
2. Be careful where you keep your lenses as you walk around the park. Realize that putting them under the stroller may not be that great of an idea. Don’t cry when the 2 year old spills his milk, even though your favorite lens sopped it all up.
3. If your wide-angle lens suddenly goes out of commission, remember your phone. Not only is it an awesome wide-angle lens, you will be able to process and share the fun you are having as you sit guarding the stroller or nursing the infant while everyone else is on a sloooow rail tour of the entire park.
4. Amusement parks are the perfect place to practice your panning technique. Practice, practice and practice some more. Just cross your fingers that when you finally get the tracking down, your subjects will be tuned in enough to turn their little heads and look at you.
5. Remember what it’s all for. Capturing their joy!
I just loved your 5 pro tips. #5 is so precious!
Thanks, Carol! : )
what great tips these are, thanks so much for sharing
I love your sense of humor in this post…I remember those days with a little one at an amusement park. And the last photo is adorable! (and says it all) 🙂
Thanks, Justine & Sherri! It was a stretch to try and be funny — definitely! : )
A great post – very amusing. I remember those moments with small children well!
You had some really great tips and the action ones were really fantastic.
Laurie
A few questions:
1.Did your lens survive?
2. How many kids did you have before you learned to let go of the need for control? It may have been number four for me.
3.Can that happy face in the last photo be any cuter?
1. I’m not sure — I’ve been too afraid to try it. I’m letting it “dry out” and then this weekend after VBS I’m going to take my poor camera to get cleaned and I’ll have them check out the lens. I’m really crossing my fingers it’s fixable at least because I’m pretty sure it’s toast. It was really soaking up the milk.
2. Ha! In theory it was number 4 but I think it reality it took to 5 before I even gave up on the pretense of control! ; )
3. Thanks! I thought so but I’m a little bit biased!
I just love your photos. Some really nice photography here. And your tips are great too – particularly the one about using the wide angle photo to one’s benefit and cropping the part we don’t want…..great idea.