Storytelling Portrait Photography: How to Document the Lives of Children and Families

128 Pages·2017·81.805 MB·English

by  Paula Ferazzi Swift

Story telling
Portrait PhotograPhy
How to Document the Lives of Children and Families
Paula Ferazzi Swift Kodak Gallery Portrait Award Winner
Id edicate this book to my husband Chris for me every step of the way. I also would like to
who believed in my talent as a photographer thank my three boys Ryan, Trevor, and Logan for
when we first met in college as communications being my daily inspirations and for dealing with
majors. He stood behind me through my career my camera from the moment they entered this
as a photojournalist and supported my decision world. If it weren’t for them, I would not be the
to open a child and family portrait photography photographer I am today.
studio. I would like to thank him for being there Paula Ferazzi Swift
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Copyright © 2017 by Paula Ferazzi Swift
All rights reserved.
All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.
Published by:
Amherst Media, Inc., P.O. Box 538, Buffalo, N.Y. 14213
www.AmherstMedia.com
Publisher: Craig Alesse
Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins
Editors: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt and Beth Alesse
Acquisitions Editor: Harvey Goldstein
Associate Publisher: Kate Neaverth
Editorial Assistance from: Ray Bakos, Rebecca Rudell, Jen Sexton
Business Manager: Adam Richards
ISBN-13: 978-1-68203-148-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016945445
Printed in The United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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Contents
About the Author ..........................5 Multiple, Simple Props.....................30
Time to Warm Up .........................6 Entertained..............................30
Capturing Genuine Smiles  .................6 Position Quickly ..........................31
Morning Light Filtered......................7 Children Will Do Things, Over and Over......32
Make the Session Fun  .....................8 Sunlight as a Backlight ....................32
Genuine Moments  ........................8 Tea for Four..............................33
Formal Portrait in the Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Not Feeling Stressed ......................33
Photojournalism Skills .....................9 If They Don’t Like the Grass ................34
Foreground to Show Who Rules ............10 Keep Them in One Spot....................34
Document a Fleeting Time  ................10 Sitting Babies in a Crate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Multiple Ages  ...........................11 Leading Lines ............................36
Interacting and Trusting...................11 Warmer Colors and Light ..................36
A Sweet Moment  ........................12 Sunlit Face...............................37
Filter through the Trees ...................12 Open Sky................................37
Get More in the Foreground ...............13 Siblings and Their Pets ....................38
Children Grow So Fast.....................13 Pets Posing According to Species............39
Layering the Subjects  ....................14 Cats ....................................39
Apply Filter to Desaturate .................14 A Series from a Family Session..............40
Background Action........................15 Using Available Light......................40
The Bag of Tricks  ........................16 Who’s Walking Who?......................41
A Moment of Looking  ....................16 Show Natural, Late-Afternoon Light .........42
Eskimo Kisses ...........................17 Matching Sweaters .......................42
Adorable Twins ..............................18 Matching Colors..........................43
Positioning for the Background .............18 A Great Memory Captured.................43
A Sense of Humor.........................19 Amazing Personalities.....................44
Not Looking at the Camera ................19 Priceless Expressions......................44
End-of-Session Dance......................20 Out-of-Focus Subject Can Work .............45
Ring Around the Rosie.....................21 Follow the Subject, Change Focus ...........45
Song Bring Them Back.....................21 Keep Shooting ...........................46
Have Them Whisper Something.............22 Catch Those Details.......................46
Funny Secrets ............................22 Shoot, Shoot, and Shoot ...................47
A Kiss for Him............................23 A Beautiful Portrait .......................49
A Fun Storytelling Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Shoot Fast...............................49
A Red Wagon ............................24 Running and Walking Away ................49
Genuine Smiles...........................24 Document the Moments ...................50
Warm Afternoon Light.....................25 Just Out of the Frame .....................51
A Simple Prop Helps Catch the Moment......25 Create a Silhouette .......................52
An Expression that Tells the Story ...........26 A Wide-Angle Lens for Sense of Location .....53
Best Smile and Eye Contact ................26 Silhouettes, a Favorite Ending ..............54
Contained in One Place....................27 Recreate a Silhouette......................54
Color Harmony...........................27 Time for Adjustments......................54
An Amazing Prop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 A Welcome Change .......................56
Let Them Have Fun........................28 Time to Warm Up.........................56
A Fun and Easy Session....................29 Start Two Hours Before Sunset..............57
Add a Filter to Match the Scene.............29 A Storytelling Element.....................58
contents 3
Following Them Up the Path................58 Open Shade on the Porch..................93
Go-to Action Poses .......................59 Happiness and Giggles....................93
In Action with Their Child ..................59 Get to Know You..........................94
Moments of a Child’s Discovery.............60 A Peek-a-Boo.............................94
Documenting Family Moments.............61 Happy Expression.........................94
Keepsakes of Mommy-and-Me..............62 A Favorite Location .......................96
Looking at the Same Time..................63 Capture Their Pauses......................97
A Special Moment Captured................64 The Things They Love......................97
Ready for the Swan .......................65 A Parent or Assistant Should Always Be Near .98
Picturesque Background...................65 Two Subjects with Selected Focus ...........99
A Nice Snuggle Moment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 A Zoom Lens Follows the Action.............99
A Kiss on the Cheek.......................67 Finding the Right Light ...................100
A Moment to Remember...................67 Noisemakers to Get Attention .............101
The Setting Sun Lights a Face...............68 Photographic Access.....................101
The Look ................................69 Time to Discover.........................102
A Great Trick.............................70 Capturing Moments of Discovery ..........102
Time in between Moments .................70 Looking ................................103
So Expressive ............................71 “Look at Me”............................104
More In-between Moments.................71 Recording the Awe.......................105
Affection ................................72 Backlit Bubbles..........................105
A Kiss on the Head........................73 Offer a Captivating Location ..............106
Showing Their Love .......................74 Reposition Yourself ......................106
Cheek to Cheek ..........................75 Different Heights of Fence Rails............107
Then and Now............................75 No Prompting Needed....................107
Together and Interacting...................77 Angle to Exaggerate Size and Height .......108
Hugs For a Beautiful Portrait ...............77 Switch to a Telephoto Lens ................108
Have Siblings Interact.....................78 A Dramatic Feel .........................109
Something Fun to Do......................78 Discovering.............................110
A Few Seconds to Capture .................79 Mom Is Just out of the Frame..............110
The Yellow Leaf Road......................80 Zoomed In..............................111
A Beautiful Light from Behind.............. 80 Overcast Sky Filters the Light..............111
A Colorful Element........................81 Piggyback Ride Pose .....................113
A Reflector for Fill.........................81 An Interactive Pose ......................113
Four Sisters..............................82 More in-between Moments................114
Moving Keeps Them Engaged ..............83 During a Break..........................115
All Together..............................83 Follow the Leader........................116
Into the Leaves...........................84 Down the Path ..........................116
Journalistic Sessions ......................84 A Moment, Stopped and Remembered......116
Capture the Peak Action...................85 A Timeless Feel..........................119
Key Motions Are Clues.....................85 Departing Image ........................119
A Starting Place ..........................86 Little Walks.............................120
Be Ready with another Camera and Lens.....86 Returning Walk..........................120
Moving to a Second Location...............87 Free and Roaming .......................121
Zoom in to Capture Activity ................87 Finding That I’ve Made a Capture . . . . . . . . . .122
Doing It Over and Over Again ..............88 Show a Progression......................122
Multiple Angles ..........................88 A Perfect Walking Moment................123
A Great Place to Sit .......................89 Gear...................................124
A Warm Tone from the Setting Sun ..........90 Fill Gear for Natural Light.................124
A Great Ending...........................90 A Tri-Grip Reflector and a Place to Sit .......125
Photographing Children at Their Home ......92 Index...................................126
Photojournalistic Style.....................92
4 storytellinG PortrAit PhotoGrAPhy
about the author
sional organizations as the Professional Photographers
of America, Professional Photographers Association of
Massachusetts, and American Society of Photographers.
In 2009 Paula was the recipient of the Hallmark
Award for best color portrait. She was also presented the
Kodak Gallery Portrait Award for the highest scoring
portrait print, judges choice ribbon, and three blue merit
ribbons at the Professional Photographers Association of
Massachusetts annual print competition, 2010 through
image by christopher swift
2016. Her work was recognized and awarded the high-
est honor of Loan Collection and General Collection
Paula Ferazzi Swift, M. Photog., Cr., CPP, is a Master at the Professional Photographers of America Interna-
Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, Certi- tional Photographic Competition. Recently, Paula Swift
fied Professional Photographer, and an international, Photography was featured by CBS Boston as one of the
award-winning photographer working in the Boston best Boston Family Photographers. Paula continues to
metropolitan area. She specializes in the art of captur- grow her craft by attending professional photography
ing images of children, their families, and relationships seminars and workshops, and she is currently sharing her
of couples. Paula’s professional photography studio is in knowledge by speaking at seminars and authoring books.
Sudbury, MA. Her work has been published in a variety of publica-
Photography has been Paula’s passion ever since tions, including The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The
she was a child, as she was the subject of many photos Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington
taken by her older sister, a photojournalist. She received Times, Time, Newsweek, USA Today, and Esquire.
her first manual camera and introduction to its magical In 2015, Paula Swift began teaching other photog-
world at age thirteen. Later, she received two college raphers about newborn photography and storytelling
degrees in photography. Paula received an A.S. in Visual portrait photography. She also speaks throughout New
Arts-Photography and B. S. in Communications Media- England on her photojournalism experience and how
Photography. She worked as a staff photojournalist at the she incorporates that unique career into her everyday
Worcester Telegram & Gazette for ten years. After having portrait photography work.
had her first son in April 2003, Paula decided on a new Paula, who grew up in Longmeadow, MA, cur-
path into the world of children and family portraiture. rently lives in Framingham, MA with her husband Chris
Paula is a nationally-recognized photographer for her and their three sons Ryan, Trevor, and Logan—her
published work in newspapers and magazines. She has inspirations.
been nominated for and won several national and inter-
national awards including the recognition of her and the www.paulaswift.com
photography staff at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette as www.facebook.com/PaulaSwiftPhotography
finalists for the 1999 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photog- www.twitter.com/PaulaSwiftPhoto
raphy for their coverage of the Worcester Warehouse fire www.youtube.com/user/PaulaSwiftPhoto
that killed six Worcester, MA, firefighters. Paula has won
National Press Photographers Association and New Eng-
land Associated Press Editors Association awards for her
photojournalism work, as well as local advertising awards
for her photography. She is a member of such profes-
About the Author 5
field and had the
big brother who
was three years old
try and tickle her
as mom and dad
did, too. What
worked perfectly
was when big
brother took a
long piece of grass
to engage his little
sister. Everyone
was smiling and
giggling in the
moment. I love
that they weren’t
looking at the
camera during this
time to Warm up family moment.
Late afternoon light was filtered by light
A family of four, with a three-year-old and cloud cover, which was perfect for this open-
one-year-old, hired me to photograph them sky session.
on a fall afternoon. The little one-year-old
girl needed some time to warm up to me. sPecs > Canon Mark III with 135 2.0 lens at 1/
500
So I started with the family sitting down in a second F3.5, and ISO 400.
,
capturing Genuine smiles
Once the little girl and family were comfort-
able with me, laughs and smiles were abun-
dant during their fall session. We had about
an hour of nice light left. The sun peeked
through the back of a Japanese maple,
adding warm fall colors on a day when the
season’s foliage had not quite turned in
this New England location. I love captur-
ing genuine smiles that families share during
their sessions.
sPecs > Canon Mark III with 135 2.0 lens at 1/
500
second F3.5, and ISO 400.
,
6 storytellinG PortrAit PhotoGrAPhy
Morning light Filtered sPecs > Canon Mark II using a 70–200 II IS at
160mm, f/4, 1/ second, and ISO 250.
250
This family returned to celebrate their son’s
one-year birthday. I had photographed him
for his newborn session, so it was great to
see him outdoors and to see him grow up
I had favorable
into a little boy. This image was taken in May
when the leaves were nice and green, and the open sky behind
morning light was filtered by the tree cover.
me helping to light
I had favorable open sky behind me helping
to light the family. Mom and dad just looked
the family.
and talked to their boy as he smiled away in
his mom’s arms. The eye contact that mom
and dad had with their son was beautiful at
this moment.
storytellinG PortrAit PhotoGrAPhy 7
son and their daughter came running
up behind dad. It was a moment in
between moments, but they all looked
at my camera at the same time as I
fired away to capture those authentic
expressions.
It was an overcast morning with
open sky behind them and in front of
them for natural fill.
sPecs > Canon Mark II using a 70–200 at
150mm, f/4, 1/ second, and ISO 200.
640
Genuine Moments
I love to sit young families down on the
ground during their sessions whenever
possible. This helps for the younger
children to feel more at ease and not
as nervous when I’m photographing
them. Especially when it’s their first ses-
sion with me. They soon learn to trust
me, as mom and dad are smiling and so
is their older sibling. This session was
one of those instances. Big brother had
been photographed by me years before
and seemed very comfortable with me;
his brother definitely had some reserva-
tions. However, once they sat down
and mom raised him up in the air,
his brother tickled his belly, everyone
started laughing and he began to smile
Make the session Fun
and have fun. He forgot I was there, which is
important so that I can capture those genu-
I first met this family when their little girl ine moments during my family sessions.
was just four months old. Fast forward a few They are sitting under tree cover on an
years and she is a big three-and-one-half- early fall morning with open sky in front of
year-old sister to her little eighteen-month- them for fill. I laid down on my belly a bit to
old brother. These ages can be tough if you get lower than them.
try to pose them. I made it an enjoyable
session by letting them have fun. I sat the sPecs > Canon Mark III using a 135mm, f/3.5, 1/
500
parents down in the grass as mom held her second, and ISO 400.
8 storytellinG PortrAit PhotoGrAPhy
Formal Portrait in the Park
throughout this location. His twins wanted
to be near dad and to touch the trombone,
It was a beautiful fall morning when I met so mom kept on trying to hold them back
this family for a formal portrait session in the gently. I loved this moment as it appeared for
Boston Public Gardens. They had nearly- just a few seconds.
two-year-old twins who were on the go. The
foliage was a great combination with the col- sPecs > Canon Mark II using a 135mm, f/4, 1/
500
ors they wore. Mom and dad would lift each second, and ISO 250.
child up as they would try
to run toward the lagoon.
I followed them through-
out the location, capturing
them as they carried on.
This captured moment was
great as the little girl peered
over at me and smiled. The
sky was overcast with light
reflected in from a nearby
building and the pond-
water surface.
sPecs > Canon EOS 5D Mark
II using a 70–200mm,
f/2.8, 1/ second,
500
and ISO 400.
Photojournalism
skills
I use my photojournalism
skills at every session, wait-
ing for those unexpected
moments like this one. Dad
had brought his trombone
to the session and started
playing it at the Boston
Public Gardens, which if
you have ever been to the
garden, is not unheard
of. Lots of musicians play
storytellinG PortrAit PhotoGrAPhy 9
Foreground to show
Who rules
I photographed this family with their
one-year-old son who loved to show
me around their family farm. I wanted
to show how he was the ruler of the
family, in a nice way, and created a
layer by placing him in the foreground
with his parents smiling in the back-
ground. They stood under green tree
cover, and I used the sky and house
behind me for a nice natural fill.
sPecs > Canon Mark II using a 70–200mm at
85, f/3.5, 1/ second, and ISO 250.
500
This is a great
moment, especially
for a new walker.
Document a Fleeting time
After capturing him looking my way,
I had his mom and dad call him so
he would walk back their way. This is
a great moment, especially for a new
walker. It documents that fleeting time
from toddler to boyhood—a stage
which passes in the blink of an eye,
and parents forget how quickly it hap-
pens. He was still under tree cover, so
my exposure stayed the same.
sPecs > Canon Mark II using a 70–200mm at
85, f/3.5, 1/ second, and ISO 250.
500
10 storytellinG PortrAit PhotoGrAPhy