child phtotography Archives - Masqueman Creative | Graphic Design & Photography

Sep 27

Family and Baby Portrait Session Moved Inside Due to Rain

By Andrew Hughes Andrew Hughes, child phtotography, family portraits, Jason Caponi, Masqueman Photography, Studio

It’s been another year and it was time to update the Caponi family photos. The kids are growing up fast so it is important to catch them before they become teenagers. Outside was rainy and gross so we moved the photoshoot inside for different styles of portraits.

Little Michael is a beautiful bouncing baby boy. Look at those huge eye and reddish-blonde hair!

Michael’s grandparents are from the Gulf Shores so the shirt is a nod to them. He is already standing, and at the current rate of growth, he will probably be running his first half-marathon next year.

Jason is a wonderful Dad, but you can see that he literally has his hands full.

Just the boys of the family pose for portrait.

Alessandra is such a beautiful little lady. Here are two similar photos. I just changed the background and modified the poses to provide more choices for the parents.

Look at that smile with all her front teeth which is not always the case with kids her age.

Alessandra had been taking tap lessons so we wanted a photo of her outfit before she outgrows it.

Here she is showing off a very special gift that her Nonna gave her. Nona was her grandmother who absolutely adored her. I have rarely seen such a close connection between 2 people of different generations. You can read more about Nonna here.

I think she is a natural in front of the camera.

Here she is wearing her Sunday dress. I’m just crazy about this little girl.

And here she is monkeying around for the camera.

Baby Michael has so many expressions and most of them hilarious. His smile lights up the room and would melt even the most Scrooge-like grump.

Another portrait of the men of the house. I like to make comparison photos when kids are so small. Here you can see that Michael’s feet are not even as big as one of Dad’s fingers.

A revealing “behind-the-scenes” look shows that the photo shoot was a group effort. Even big sis was helping Michael find his smile. Mom was over my shoulder making all kinds of funny sounds to get the kids’ attention. Considering that shooting indoors was PLAN B, everything worked out fine.

Aug 06

Love0

Welcome to Earth Little Michael

By Andrew Hughes Andrew Hughes, child phtotography, family portraits, Masqueman Photography, newborns

Just a quick post to welcome Michael to this fine planet of ours. Say hello…

New baby parts below…

He joins his parents Amber and Jason plus sister Alessandra.

Big sis has already broken in her parents so Michael might be able to get away with more as a second child. Or perhaps, they will know how to spot his rascally tricks. Only time will tell.

I love this pose as Mom cradles baby.

Michael calls this “the claw” pose… I think I heard him meow as he did this.

One thing is for sure… he looks like a cool kid.

Already Michael has made his parents very happy, and all he has done so far is mess up a bunch of diapers. Just wait until he does something really great!

Jul 22

Love0

Portraits of a Little Lady

By Andrew Hughes child phtotography, family portraits, Masqueman Photography, portrait photography

I love watching kids grow up. Just a few months apart makes the changes more discernible. I have been photographing Allessandra since she was born, and she has become quite the little charmer. Here she is pretty in pink.

This black and white photo hints at what she may look like when she gets older which is the perfect combination of Mom and Dad. She was photographed using old fashioned tungsten hot lights… which produces a different look in my opinion. Plus, they can heat a room on a cold day.

It is obvious that she loves her Daddy. I like how their faces are so close here.

She is getting taller than Pops (as long as he is sitting on the ground).

There is no such thing as a subtle smile at 4, as you can see here with Mom and Dad.

It was dreary outside but a little flash trickery made it look like a lovely Spring day with Mom.

I’m sure the neighbors did not mind me using their azaleas as a backdrop.

I noticed on the way back inside that the red door would make a great background for her blue polka dotted dress. A moment later she leaned against the unlatched door and tumbled backwards. She was unhurt, but the look on her face was utter surprise. What a trooper!

Dec 24

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My Philosophy on Photographing Children

By Andrew Hughes Andrew Hughes, Atlanta, child phtotography, children, Masqueman Photography

Photographing children is as much psychology and timing as it is a little luck. And, I am not just talking about child psychology either. Dealing with the parents can be just as challenging.

The final usable portrait of Tyler

I once heard a parent threaten their crying child by screeching “Do you want a spanking? If you do not sit there and smile, you will be in big trouble! Quit fidgeting and smile for the camera! Stop crying! You are going to get it when we get home”.

You don’t have to have a PhD to know that this is going to end poorly with either terrified looks, tears or even therapy many years later. Take a chill pill folks… Let kids be kids.

My approach with children is a bit more laid back. I play games with them. I ask them silly questions and make them forget that we are making their portrait. The thing that many adults forget is that children are creative creatures that may come up with a better pose or facial expression all by themselves without being told what to do every second. Sometimes, you just have to get rid of the “sillys” before you can take the portrait, as the photos below clearly show.

Tyler has a lot of personality. I have more silly photos than serious ones…

I try to get the standard posed shots and then see what the kids do. You just might be surprised what wonderful characters they become. Creativity and personality should not be squashed by overbearing parental behavior. It’s my opinion that sometimes the totally wild photos become our favorites many years later.

My own mother told me that her favorite photo of me as a child shows me crying because I did not like the surly Sears photographer who was trying every trick in the book to make me smile. The story only makes the photo better. Thanks Mom.

Full disclosure…. Tyler is my nephew and nobody was yelling at him except maybe his little sister, Sara. Here she is demonstrating the perfect smile. Oh man, I can’t wait to embarrass them when they are teenagers.

Apr 18

Love0

Fall Portraits of Children with a Scarecrow

By Andrew Hughes Andrew Hughes, child phtotography, Fall colors, family, Halloween, Masqueman Photography, portrait photography

My friends Josh and Michelle have one of those beautiful yards that we all wish we had. It is well manicured and during holidays, seasonal decorations come out. I have been taking photos of their children for many years now, and we had been talking about incorporating the Fall scarecrows. Look at the size of this display compared to Little Josh. He could almost get lost in it…