Tips on Taking Photos at the Pumpkin Patch
It seems like on eof the Great American past times, packing up the kids and hauling them down to the good 'ol pumpkin patch to have some fun, eat some Kettle Popcorn, and oh, yeah, pick out that pumpkin you'll be carving for Halloween.
Let's face it, pumpkin patches are not what they use to be when I was growing up. I'm talking about a corner vacant lot where the farmers would come down and display their pumpkins and you picked one, or two, out and went home. Today, these pumpkin patches are equivalent to the Disneyland of pumpkin patches; they have rides, food stands, little shops and the whole nine yards. So, picking out a pumpkin or two is no longer a trip that lasts, at tops an hour, it's an all day affair. And with all of the different events, you probably will be hauling the camera, tucked away in the back of the stroller no doubt, down with you. Sure, I'd love to accompany you and take professional family photos, but, I don't think the average family could afford a professional, "tag-a-long" photographer for the day, so I offer you some tips on taking photos while you and your family enjoy the day at your local pumpkin patch farm.
11 Tips for Taking Family Photos at teh Pumpkin Patch
- First and foremost, you want to safeguard your camera. Keep it secure. I wrote a whole blog on keeping your camera safe on my photography light and tips blog.
- Take lots of photos. Chances are, you are probably using digital. there's no reason not to take lots of photos of the kids and family at the pumpkin patch. You can sort through the ones you want to keep later.
Capture your family having fun. Natural, candid photos are the best. If they have an area for a hay fight, get your family in the ring and start capturing the fun. These types of photos make the most memorable pictures.- Vary your angle. All too often, actually almost all of the time, people take photos at their eye level. Get down low, or up high and take the photos from different angles. This helps make your photos interesting.
- Capture some "white" or "blank" space in your photos. What I mean is leave room for a message. Take a look at the photo of the three pumpkins on this page. I leave lots of room for a message or to add additional images in Photoshop or Photo Elements. You may want to use the photo for a family invitation holiday photo or invitation to a holiday party.
- Use the pumpkins as a background for your photos. Take a look at the young child holding a pumpkin. I positioned her in a way to where I could use the pumpkins as my background. This could work with hay, or any other type of item at the pumpkin patch. Be creative.
- Get close-up, tight shots. One of my signature shots is the tight, close-ups. I like to see the expression, plus it eliminates any clutter in the background if you happen to be in an area where they don't have good backgrounds.
Take photos of the surrounding environment, to include any signs that name to pumpkin patch. You can use these later if you want to put together a photo album or just remember the pumpkin patch you visited.- Take photos of the process of picking out the pumpkins. Capture your family choosing and picking out the pumpkins.
- Take individual photos of the family. Take individual photos of family members. These can be fun and silly images of the family at the pumpkin patch.
- Finally, don't forget to get a group photo, preferably with pumpkins in the background or the name of the place. If you don't have a camera with a self-timer and tripod, then ask someone, politely, if they would take your photo. The majority of people will stop and help you out, if you're nice and appreciative.
I have worked with second shooters, photographers, on weddings in the past, but I have always been the main wedding photographer bearing the burden of pressure of the day. It wasn't until a recent wedding in Riverside, California, at the Indian Hills Country Club Golf Course, where I had the opportunity to work with a buddy of mine, John W Photography, photo at right. We had worked together many years ago, prior to me photographing his own wedding some ten years prior, but even then I was the main photographer.