Changing the facts?

[Mary Sparrow]

Hi Joan,

No, I never got around to doing this. I tried to get some pictures one afternoon but no one wanted to cooperate. I then got busy with other work. I still plan to do this, they all have at least 3 individual portraits of themselves and I am sure they will have many more !

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Mary,

I look forward to seeing your portrait when it does get done. It sounds like you have your heart set on painting all three children in the same painting. Maybe they could all be staggered on a staircase? I have two children and I would love to paint them both in the same portrait too but it is a challenge. So far I'm painting them one at a time.

That would make a good threat, 'the multiple portrait'. Some basic tips, thoughts about relative size. I find when I take photos of my kids together unless they are almost exactly on the same plane, the closer one's head always looks huge! I'll do a search, there may already be something on this. First, though, for me, I need to learn how to do a good 'single' portrait!

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

...when I take photos of my kids together, unless they are almost exactly on the same plane, the closer one's head always looks huge!

You'll find that standing well back with your camera and zooming in will help avoid this problem.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Michele,

Sometimes I don't use my head! That makes perfect sense. Thank you for taking the time to post that information. I must not have a strong enough zoom lens because I always feel like I need to get 8-10' away before I can get a good picture that fills the frame. I will pay more attention to this and try to take some photos from farther away. I am finding out how difficult it is to get good reference photos.

Joan

[Kimberly Dow]

I really like that idea of staggering kids on stairs - I have three children and want to do a family portrait of all of us.