[Leica] Techniques Please?

["Hugh Thompson" <painfree@istar.ca>]

Rick - re techniques:
<Smiling? Your job is to take 'mum friendly' portraits of a few hundred
children in a day>

Must say I have never done a large number of children one after another,
most of my work is with family groups, but here are a few of the things I
have learned - firstly, the kids are likely have been dressed up and told by
Mommy that the photographer is coming to town.  That equals some stress
right off the bat.  The most important thing you can do is be prepared to
make a fool of yourself.  I usually have party hats, a red nose, noise
makers, and move / jump around a lot.  For instance, I did a shoot today and
the family were not really good smilers, I accidentally (really) fell off a
small culvert, did a back roll onto my feet, and took two shots as the
family were having a great laugh - don't know if the shots were in focus or
if the smiles were too much, but it sure broke everybody up - sometimes I
really do trip or do something silly to get the kids laughing.

Perhaps with a bunch of kids it would pay to talk to them all at first, try
to settle everybody down and show you are OK - then move fast, don't take
for ever with each kid, and show enthusiasm, I often throw my hat in the air
when I get a good shot.
<Most are natural smilers.  Others haven't got a
clue>
Not every kid is going to cooperate, boys need not smile, just look "cool",
and usually girls are going to giggle about your antics anyway.  Be sure
that there are no distractions to take the kid's eyes away from you.  In the
end, if the odd one does not smile, maybe they just had a bad day, nothing
else you can do sometimes.
.     <Using M6 and 90 AA>  I question the 90, why not use a 50 and  do an
environmental type of shot, against a tree, a wall, or something, possibly
full or three quarter - I get great stuff when the kid is just leaning, and
feeling comfortable, and it is different, the parents may really love it,
instead of those "in your face shots".

<Sportsground Terrorist Gangs?  Difficult Individuals?>

 Here is a different story, suggest you speak with the coaches etc, who are
with each team.  They must (we hope) have some degree of control over the
group.  One of them can help you set everybody up, as you make sure every
face can be seen.  The coach must make it fun, that is where a major problem
will arise, if he is tense it can wreck the shoot.  When ready coach can run
to his spot and you shoot.  In this instance smiling does not matter, just
make sure everybody is looking at you, again move fast or the advantage will
be lost.  Difficult individuals should be handled by the coach not you - he
will already be used to that kid - this is something you can discuss ahead
of time with coach.  As for lens, a 50 might be too tight for a team -
perhaps a wider lens, also have bleachers or something else, like a earth
berm to stack everybody - most team shots are too static, suggest you try
some fun stuff as well, plus do forwards, backs, goalie etc separately -
enjoy, let us know what happens.

Sorry this is a long post - very pleased to be able to contribute something
to the LUG from my experience - Hugh Thompson