Simple tricks for capturing memories that will last a lifetime
Here are a few strategies I've learned in more than 30 years of photographing, parenting, and traveling with children. Many of these ideas came to me while visiting theme parks with my children, but I've found them useful in almost any vacation setting.
- Get down to your child's level to photograph from his or her point of view. Photographing at your child's eye level can give you a glimpse of the world from your child's vantage. You may also get some priceless portraits.
- Take candid shots while your child is involved in
activities, keeping in mind tip number one. At Walt Disney World, for
example, you may want to capture your child's expressions as he watches
other children interact with the characters rather than waiting for the
all-too-quick pose with Winnie the Pooh or Cinderella. Similar
opportunities abound: you can snap images of your child drawing,
reading, or even sleeping during your vacation. Photos of your trip to
the zoo will gain lasting value if you focus more on your family's
activities than on those of the wildebeest or polar bear.
- Let the experts take a few group shots, or if you dare,
hand over your camera to a waiter or another parent-traveler. Otherwise
there will never be any photos of you on vacation. In desperate
cases, you can hold your point-and-shoot digital camera at arm's length
to photograph yourself, perhaps cheek-to-cheek with a child or wearing
a silly hat. Tripods and timed-release shutters give you more options,
but they never seem convenient in a crowded park or while on the go
with youngsters.
- Save money by taking photos of your child's favorite finds
in souvenir shops. It's much less expensive and less cumbersome to
bring home photos of stuffed animals and other tchatchkes instead of
the real items, and photos are much easier to store. Reviewing the
photo record of your vacation shopping adventures before the end of
your trip can also help your child choose the best single treasure to
take home. Oftentimes, you can find identical items at better prices
online, so your souvenirs could be waiting for you upon your return,
courtesy of your favorite online retailers.
- Give your child his or her own still or video camera.
Single-use underwater cameras are great for kids who love pools and
water parks. And kids don't care if they're using an obsolete digital
camera or the video monster that still uses full-size VHS tapes. On one
long drive to Florida from Illinois, my then 10-year-old daughter
created her own documentary of the journey, starring her stuffed
animals and dolls.
- Fill the frame with details after you've taken that
obligatory wide-angle shot proving you were there. Way too many of the
photos in my family albums feature tiny people posing in front of
enormous monuments. A few images of the wide open spaces of the western
plains or of panoramic mountain views go a long way, and after a while,
they all begin to blur together. Photos of details somehow do a better
job of crystallizing your impressions of a place. Years down the road,
you'll wish you had fewer formal photos of bronze statues and more
candid close-ups of people you know.
- Know when to stop taking pictures. This is perhaps the most important point, at least according to my younger daughter, now fifteen. Put the camera away from time to time and engage directly with your family. Nevertheless, you may find you end up treasuring those photographs of your family trying to hide from your lens.
