The Best Model in the World

For me the single best model on the planet is my daughter Sophia. And no - the title of this vlog isn’t some naff click-bait incentive. It’s the truth. For me, she is the best model in the world for me simply because I have learned more from shooting portraits of my daughter than I have shooting anybody else.

A lot of that has to do with the time spent shooting her. I’ve been photographing her since birth and she’s now 10 years old.

Jumping Jack Awkwardness

Mostly she and has all of the jumping jack awkwardness that comes with being a child. Let's face it - kids don’t make it easy for us. So photographing Sophia I have learned to shoot portraits with a spontaneity and adaptability. Sometimes she is totally in the mood for being photographed and the shoot flows all that little bit easier for it.

There is movement and she’s susceptible to what I am inviting her to do. It becomes a collaboration. Other times she simply can’t be arsed. It’s then I have to box clever. I have to work around her. I have to think on my feet and improvise.

Energy and Depth of Character

I supposed you could say I’ve used Sophia to develop my craft. How dare you! Well, when she’s paying the rent things may be a little different but until that day comes I will live with the guilt and continue to utilise the best model I know for my own creative ends.

Sophia was born in 2010.

Since 2011 I have been fortunate enough to have photographed portraits all over the world. I’ve photographed portraits of models in the most amazing locations from Marrakech, to Miami, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, San Diego, Italy, France, and Sri Lanka and a whole bunch more.

I’ve photographed brides, I’ve photographed musicians, artists, stand up comedians, actors, and actresses and I am convinced that all of those images captured wouldn’t have quite the same energy and depth of character If it wasn’t for the thousands and thousands of images I’d taken of my beautiful Sophia.

Practice

So if you have children, you too have the best models in the world at your disposal daily. You may have to coerce them a little, bribe them here and there but I promise you if you practice photographing your children consistently and regularly, your photography will improve massively.

Possibly shooting the same person over and over again can be seen as a negative but for me I see repetition in any practice as only a good thing.

Besides, we’re talking about shooting children in this case and children, as we all know, are the least predictable people on the planet. This makes for good practice.

Plan B

If all else fails, and the kids won’t accommodate your creative requirements …

… go to PLAN B.

Thank you for checking out this post. I am currently creating some awesome summer childrens and family photo photography shoots at my forest home in Essex. Full details here. 

My Portrait World