I know, I know...it's not Monday. Let's just call this a wednesday lesson then.  The holiday season is in full swing here at the studio and it's getting busy here!

On monday I had a basic photography class at my studio for the members of the Bellaire Young Mothers organization. One of the things that I talked about was how, when we grab our cameras and go to take some pictures of our kids, we often meddle with and stop the very activity that they are doing that inspired us to photograph them. We start directing them and asking them to do this and move over here and look up. They get annoyed, give us that cheesy grin to make us go away and we end up frustrated. Ever been there?

I would like to challenge you to try something different. The next time you look over and see the kids playing or doing something cute, go secret agent style with your camera. Grab the camera and use your zoom lens to get close to them (but stay back) and photograph them as they are without direction. If you can be really sneaky, grab the camera and sit down with them and play a little while you shoot them doing whatever they are doing. The big key here is minimal direction and interference!

When we were on vacation this past summer, the house that we rented has a little garden in the front and it was full of snails. One of the kid's favorite activities was collecting the snails and making a "snail home" as they called it. One afternoon I heard them chit chatting away out there and peeked out. The sky was overcast (a great time to shoot by the way) and they were playing happily together (not always the case). So, I grabbed my camera and went outside and just watched them and photographed them playing. The only direction that I gave them was, at one point, I said "Cool! Show me your snail, hold it up so I can see!". I didn't move them or ask them get closer or "look up and smile!" or anything like that.

We all want the image of our kids looking straight at the camera and smiling. We want the picture of all 3 or both of them (or however many you have) together and looking up and smiling. Keep chasing that shot but, while you're at it, try this too. Your kids will appreciate less meddling and you will get some nice candid shots. I would love to hear how you do with it.

And this is the snail home that they made...

Now it's your turn...think stealth, spy-like, unobtrusive, a journalist! Have fun and I'd love to hear how it goes.