"Do you know what you are?
You are a marvel.
You are unique.
In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything.
Yes,
you are a marvel."
~Pablo Casals
How it's started -
I moved to U.S. 14 years ago. My daughter was 3 years old and I was 8 months pregnant with my second child.
I guess moving across the ocean away from my family triggered that need to start to photograph my kids. I snapped endless amounts of photos trying to make sure that my parents won't miss any part of their grand kids' lives, whether it was a mile stone, funny giggles, moody eyes, or just a cute smile.
I didn't know how to do it. The knowledge, the research, fancy lenses, and good cameras came later with the experience. I was just a daughter that desperately tried to share her little miracles with her mamma...
How it's going -
Children's photography is a whole world.
Much has been written about it and more will be. So, may I start with my conclusions?
I LOVE IT!
Photographing kids can be a real adventure.
Capturing a child’s expression, emotion, or glance is a huge opportunity to tell a story; to create a sweet memory for our treasure box.
They’re busy, they're squirmy, they're fast, sometimes they’re cranky, and all along they are true, sincere and genuine.
Follow your instincts. Be true. Forget about photography rules. If you need to break them in order to create an image that you think will have great impact, by all means, do it.
The real challenge here is the "CHEESE"; it’s NOT all about the smile!
Let them roam, explore their surroundings and objects. Follow their lead and you'll find a plenty of natural smiles, gorgeous expressions of surprise and curiosity along the way.
Those true moments... that's what I'm looking for.
Never shoot fake smiles. Photograph what’s real, authentic, alive. Their funny faces, giggles, laughter, sorrow and even cries are pure beauty.
It's all about having fun, being real, being alive, being in love and loving each other.
You may say "perfectly imperfect", but guess what, this is the secret, kids are perfect just the way they are.
Those are just some of my favorite memories... All the photos in this post were taken by me at least 7 years ago with my very first DSLR camera - Canon EOS 50D
"You must work - we must all work - to make the world worthy of its children."
~Pablo Casals
Treasure your memories!
