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Response to Giving Blood

from Jay Johnson (jay_johnson@delmia.com)
Congratulations on the twins!

My fourth child turned out to be twin girls. Lots of work, lots of rewards. They just started Kindergarten this year, what a milestone! Now we only have one more left at home all day long.

I'm with Tony and Nigel on encouraging you to take lots of informal portraits of your kids. I average about two rolls a months and have been doing it for 14 years. Ever since my firstborn showed up. It's a lot of fun to look back through them. I'm sure when I'm 60 or 70 I'll enjoy them even more.

I've perfected the method of using window light and higher speed film (400 and now 800 ASA) for natural light portraits. I've also found that a 50mm (normal) lens works well with kids until they get to be teenagers. Usually the recommendation for portraits is a longer lens. But young children have such small noses and features anyway that you don't mind the "roundness" that a shorter lens produces. It actually seems to add a feeling of closeness and intamacy.

It also gives me a working distance (for a head shot) of 1.5 to 2 feet. Which is still within arms length so I can reach over and straighten up their hair or clothes or whaterver while oftentimes still looking through the viewfinder.

I don't have any of my photos on the web yet so I don't have a way to show you my ideas. Maybe someday I'll be able to contribute more than just comments to this forum.

Enjoy the parenthood rollercoaster, it goes pretty fast sometimes.

(posted 8444 days ago)

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