Family Photography when travelLing…
Five tips for family photography on your travels
Recently I’ve been sharing pictures from our family trip to the US over New Year. My boys are four and seven, so naturally the jet lag and the big changes gave us plenty of challenge sometimes. The youngest falling asleep literally anywhere and everywhere over the first couple of days was interesting! Someone once said to me ‘you know they won’t remember this when they’re older, kids don’t remember anything at that age’ and that still irritates me to think about it now. The experience of travel for children builds up over the years – learning how to do it, accepting it’s going to have its spicy moments, and leaning into the adventure. Not to mention that we’re all relearning after Covid. Also, I will remember it. And that counts for plenty.
One way to make sure you have a reference when you’re talking about these adventures in future is of course to take your family photography on your travels with you!
Here are five things to think about when taking family photographs on your travels:
One - Observe from their perspective
I love to stand behind my kids and see what they are seeing, it has become a habit for me, to look around as they look. It’s a strong reminder that from where they are, the world doesn’t necessarily look the same and it helps us engage with them when we can see from their perspective.
Two - Give them a camera
If you’re able to, maybe you have an old one in a drawer, or you are happy to hand yours over. Thanks to digital photography we can give them free reign over their shots and it costs us nothing. I have recently purchased a compact canon camera (G7 Mk3) for this exact reason. My two have taken so many photos this trip – just getting used to handing the camera and learning simple settings like how to focus and zoom. Don’t get me wrong, there are some curious shots on the memory card, but I have watched them pick out the things that interest them and they want to record. They are starting to tell their own story in imagery, and I am here for that.
Three - Catch them on the move
There’s so much to be seen in watching your kids move through a new place. We are pretty much always in a park – different places, always a park. As they grow in confidence, start remembering street signs, when they’re queuing for the touristy stuff, sitting on the subway, riding the ferry. Connect with them through your photography as they experience it all.
Four - Notice the downtime
That feeling when you’ve walked thousands of steps and you all collapse in the hotel room and are just grateful for a little bit of quiet and normal. I love that part. Obviously accompanied by snacks.
Five - Take note of the ‘normal’
Don’t get me wrong, I’m always here for a family shot in front of something significant, it’s all part of recording the trip. But in between each of these bigger events, there are a million smaller things that occur. These are the parts that I’m here for the most. Walking up the street, trying a new food, waiting at the airport, sleeping in the car. The bits that give you the feels as they pass by fleetingly. I always fall down the rabbit hole of looking through these long after.
Keep me in the loop! I love to see you all experimenting out in the world with your family photography – make sure you drop me a tag so that I can see what you’re all up to!