5 TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING CHILDREN RUNNING
Do your children love to run? It could be in a park or up and down the supermarket aisles! Either way, here are my 5 tips for photographing children running fast! Before you know it, you’ll be capturing fun shots just like these!
1) CAMERA SET-UP
I’d really suggest using a camera rather than your phone! I know phones are more convenient these days and the quality of the images is far better than they used to be. But I still believe that if you want to capture sharp images without any blur, then a traditional camera is always best!
You need to look for the ‘sports mode’ button. It usually looks like a person running and can be found within the camera’s menu or on a dial on the top of your camera. This basically tells your camera to use a really fast shutter speed to capture movement without blur. Just remember to adjust your settings back to their normal position when you’ve finished!
If you shoot manually like me, or use shutter priority, then I’d recommend a shutter speed of at least 1/500 or higher! And remember to change your focus setting to AF C on a Nikon or Al Servo or Ai on a Canon.
2) POSITION YOURSELF FOR THE BEST SHOT!
Before you take any photos, think about where you need to position yourself. Do you want them to be running towards the camera like the shot below?
Or running from left to right, so you can capture those striding legs!
Or you could zoom in to focus on specific details such as this girl’s hair flying in the wind!
3) GET ON THEIR LEVEL
To add drama to your photos, try sitting, or better still lying on the ground! This instantly changes the perspective of the shot, and the children look like powerful giants thundering towards you!
Trust me, kids love to see you lying down and you can get some great angles!
4) MAKE IT FUN
You know what happens when you ask a child to run…they’ll suddenly decide to sit down! So think of fun ways to get them on the move! It could be racing with their friends, running through tunnels or sprinting over bridges!
And why not add some props such as a giant bubble wand? I got this one from Hobbycraft a few years ago but I’m sure other shops sell them too!
5) DON’T FORGET THE SMALLER DETAILS!
As well as striving for the perfect running shot, don’t forget to keep an eye out for quirky little moments! I don’t know why, but kids always seem to run with their tongues out!
Plus, there will be those moments when they no longer want to run and those smiles turn to frowns! I love this shot with Dad’s compassionate outstretched arm waiting to help him!
Pitstops for refreshments are also a great way to capture an arty shot or two!
Most importantly don’t forget to photograph yourselves as a family! Either put your camera on self timer mode, or ask a friend (or me!) to take the photograph for you!
And don’t worry if you’re not a sporty family like the lovely folks in the shot below. You can simply play a game of tag; run towards each other for a big hug; or recreate any of my shots with the bubbles, tunnels or bridges!
ONE MORE THING!
I am very conscious that this post is entitled ‘5 Top Tips For Photographing Children Running’ but not all children are able to physically run. But I’m pleased to say that the majority of these tips can also be applied to speeding wheelchairs! So adjust the settings on your camera as I suggested and have fun!
Special thanks to all the children in these shots for letting me showcase their images. Especially those from Kids Run Free Banbury who I regularly photograph. Check out my blog about this amazing free kids running experience! Perhaps your children would like to come and join in the fun?
