1 of 3
Amanda Hansmeyer
Timing and the right position are key to capturing that perfect image, like this post-reception shot of newlyweds Jillian and Jay Lampert.
2 of 3
Amanda Hansmeyer
3 of 3
Amanda Hansmeyer
By anticipating the moment and having her stepladder ready, Amanda was able to capture this moment during an anniversary party.
Let me tell you about a photo that didn’t make it into my family photo album. It was a moment I had eagerly anticipated and it became one of my favorite Christmas moments of last year.
My husband, Brok, and I came up with the perfect gift for my father-in-law, Gene – an aerial photo of the family homestead, labeled to indicate future family “landmarks.” For a laugh, we stuck the future home of Brok’s sister and her husband right next to his mom and dad’s. We labeled a burial ground for the ancient RV that Gene just can’t give up. In short, lots of inside jokes. After Gene opened the gift, I watched with joy as my husband and his dad sat laughing together. Beautiful!
Then everything came to a frozen halt so the “moment” could be commemorated with a posed photo. After the clicks and smiles, the moment passed and the gift opening continued. Sadly, I knew that the moment had ended the instant the camera came out.
How many times do we interrupt true moments to get that posed photo? Too often. So let’s remind ourselves to fight those instincts. Let the situations around us unfold and we can capture with the camera what’s really meaningful.
Here are ways to ensure your future family albums – or Shutterfly books – showcase the memorable, true moments of your lives.
Plan ahead: Think through the event in your mind. If it’s not your event, talk to the person in charge, so you know what will be happening before it happens. The more familiar you are with what’s coming, the more ready you can be when things happen.
Gear check: Know your camera and gear. Are the memory cards handy so you can change cards in a hurry? Are all your batteries charged?
Do you know how to use your flash, or remote lighting? If you’re photographing indoors in the evening, you’ll probably need to use a flash or flashes. Artistic camera blur can make a nice effect, but not if you don’t intend it. If there isn’t enough light, don’t risk losing the moment by trying to shoot without flash.
I use as much ambient light as is available, then add enough light to freeze the moment. You can set flashes on light stands off to the sides of the action or cover your camera flash with a Gary Fong Lightsphere (about $60, but worth it) to help in getting the photo without overpowering the environment with flash.
Try another angle: One of my favorite photographic tools is my plastic, lightweight stepladder. I bring it with me everywhere and set it in an out-of-the-way corner on arrival. It gives me an angle no one else can see. And there’s a bonus – photographing people from a higher angle is definitely more flattering than from below.
Sometimes a balcony, loft or second floor landing will also give you that different view.
Get closer: A common error is not getting close enough to your subject. The instant you notice something developing, move over there. Don’t hesitate; begin taking photos right away. Do not rely on your lens zoom to get to the action. When you think you’ve gotten close enough, move in a step or two more.
Also, make sure you are front and center to the action to add impact to your photos. This may require staking out your position ahead of time. Don’t be coy or humble about being up front. If you block someone’s view, be gracious and apologetic, of course, but most people understand your role for the sake of the photos.
Stay in the background: This seems contrary to the last directive, but it’s not. If people remain aware of you – and of the camera – they’ll never relax enough for great shots. Deflect attention. If people mug for the camera, quickly take that photo, then ask them to ignore you.
Anticipate the moment: One of the most common mistakes made when photographing people is not anticipating “the moment.” And there is a cost at family events; it’s nearly impossible to enjoy the moment while photographing it.
Last Christmas when watching my husband and his dad, I chose to live in the moment and preserve it in my memory instead of in my camera. Decide before the gathering if you really want to shoot photos, or if you’d rather enjoy it and leave the picture-taking to someone else.
If you decide to be the photographer, even with family events, keep chatting to a minimum and focus on what’s happening, ready for the telling moments.
An additional note: Keep checking your camera settings to ensure they are correct for the lighting and action. Then you can whip the camera up to capture the unexpected. If you have a drink in one hand and are checking your iPhone in the other, you’re going to miss the good stuff.
My two photos with this story show how the right timing – and the right position – can work.
When I photographed Lori and Dan’s 20th wedding anniversary party at their Carlton, Minnesota, home during the holidays in 2011, I wanted to tell the story of the event and also show their continued love.
I got a sense of what would happen at the party and knew the cake-cutting would be important. When the couple got into position, I had my stepladder out and was ready.
The delight they still share bubbled out as they fed each other cake – just as they had 20 years ago. The photo at left captured that.
Sometimes hanging around just a little longer gets you the good shot.
When I was photographing the marriage of Jillian and Jay Lampert at Temperance Landing in Tofte, it seemed like my job was done when all of the guests had left the reception. But from my position above the couple, I lingered a little longer.
The newly married couple began one last dance. As the photo above shows, I was able to capture this intimate interlude.
For a photographic hunter of special moments, it pays to stay late.
Photojournalist Amanda Hansmeyer does work as Shutter Stories in Duluth. This is her first story for us, though she joined us as a presenter at our first photography weekend last fall.