This photo gets a lot of people talking.  To see some of the comments you can click on it and it will take you to my flickr page.

I'm flattered by what people write.  I thought I would go ahead and deconstruct the photo and detail the composition behind it.  Hopefully this will give you some insight into how to get shots like this, if you like it, from your kids.

First of all this was taken using one medium light-box and an Alien Bee 800.  I have it at camera right and standing up about 7 ft.  You know this already as you can see the box very clearly in his eyes.

The camera angle is one of the big keys to the success of this photo.  If you'll notice I am not standing above the subject.  I am actually slightly below his nose.

The next time you look at a picture of a kid take a look at the camera angle.   I've noticed that often the camera is above the kid having him or her look up.  This is how we grown-ups always see kids.  They look up at us.  So when you see the photo your brain see what is normal.  No big deal, usually.   When photographing a kid, bend your knees.  Get on the floor.  Become a kid. Roll around on the grass a bit.  I promise your shots will be great.

Another interesting thing is the expression.  This is similar to the 'looking up' cliche.  Why does a kid have to smile? That's what we force kids to do in portrait studios all the time, right?  Of course, grandma will want the picture of the grandson smiling, pretending like he's happy if only for a brief moment.  It's fine to do that, but free yourself and your model.  If he ain't smiling, take a shot of the unsmile.

Next thing I did here was I got right in his face and filled the frame.  I was using my favorite 50MM lens.  The $79 dollar variety that takes astoundlingly clear photos (every photographer should have one).  If I recall correctly I had it piped down to f1.8.  That's why his ears are blurry...etc.  That matters A LOT.  You will have to get creative wth these things to get really interesting photos.




And finally, the post production.  I rolled this into photoshop and I used a filter that I bought online its called LucisART.  I tweeked, ever so slightly, the exposure in that filter program and got some really good detail.  I think the filter adjust the mid-range levels with can be done in photoshop without the filter, but the filter saves me time.

One thing about the filter.  It's really powerful and you can very easily go overboard.  I see it all the time.  Let me be the one to tell you.  Go easy on it.

Those are my tips on how I got this shot.   I hope that helps a ton.
Please leave me some comments.