Photographing Children In NatureWriten by Melissa Mannon
There is nothing like introducing a child to nature and getting photographs of that child's discoveries. The natural joy of a young one when he examines bugs, smells flowers, climbs trees, and rolls down hills makes great pictures and memories. Dress up or dress down and wait for the smiles.
When the weather first warmed this spring, I took my daughter out to play hide-and-go seek behind the tall bushes at a local park. We picked the dried wildflowers left over from last season. We rolled down the tall hills and lied on our backs staring at the blue sky. I like to play while I take photographs. It makes the child with me comfortable and willing to cooperate more than she normally might for a formally posed shot.
In one photo shoot last year, I photographed an extremely cute brother and sister. The children were dressed up, but that did not stop us from climbing trees and having fun. The little girl wore a beautiful hat that provided a focal point for many of my shots of her. The hat provided a frame for her gorgeous smile and long lashes. We were photographing at a well-known local park with a remarkable tree that served as a focal point. It gave us a place to interact with nature and to show kids just being kids.
The local duck pond is another great location for photographing children interacting with nature. Children feeding ducks, finding branches on the ground in the green fields, and running among apple blossoms make for bright colorful images. Children don't necessarily need to be in formal dress for beautiful pictures. A pair of overalls among the farms hills is quite appropriate, beautiful, and memorable.
Children give us the best photo opportunities when they are relaxed. Places for new discovery are wonderful. However, some children are most comfortable with what they know. With young children especially, it may be best to stick to your own backyard or the local park. This way, you don't need to be concerned with feeding and nap times. The wonderful thing about children is that what is old hat to us old folks is likely new to them in some way. One of my favorite tricks is to hand a young child a bouquet of flowers and let him go to town. Some of my very best images come from little kids picking flower petals or trying to eat them!
I never go into a session knowing how I will pose a child. An hour long session gives me time to learn about a child's behavior and to create a series of photographs that reflects that particular individual's personality. Whether in play clothes or formal wear, at home or in a brand new location, we always get smiles and special memories when we just relax and enjoy the process.
Award winning photographer Melissa Mannon specializes in garden and nature photography. Melissa's photographs show a special sensitivity for her subjects. She aims to portray the beauty, innocence, and power of nature standing alone or with human interaction. The strong bond between humans and the environment is the focus of her portrait work. Her childhood portraits capture the playfulness, innocence, and thoughtfulness of children interacting with their surroundings with a gentle and humorous style.