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Photographing Your Family: And All the Kids and Friends and Animals Who Wander Through Too
At certain moments—on a trip, on a holiday, or during those first weeks of parenthood, for example—have you ever wished you were a National Geographic photographer? In this unique guide, staff photographer Joel Sartore takes the mystery out of making extraordinary pictures of kids with a hilarious tour through his own family albums. Sartore’s photographs delight and inspire, from the first moments a newborn enters the house to Halloween parades, from visits with family and friends to fireworks on the Fourth of July. Easy-to-follow tips and instructions make the creative process simple, helping parents approach photography in a whole new way. Digital photographers will appreciate tips on editing techniques, album innovations, archiving methods, and printing. Sartore’s charisma and humor make learning a pure delight.
Unlike competitive titles, Photographing Your Family is lavishly illustrated to show the many ways to make pictures, how Sartore captured these images specifically, and the philosophies a world-class photographer brings to his work at home—with emphasis on the contributions that relatives, friends, and pets can make to the story that is family.
Early childhood is a fleeting time that parents and grandparents go to great lengths to capture in photos. This book will appeal to a vast families who want to create memorable albums, parents with new babies, and everyone who wants to give a truly unique and useful family gift.
Unlike competitive titles, Photographing Your Family is lavishly illustrated to show the many ways to make pictures, how Sartore captured these images specifically, and the philosophies a world-class photographer brings to his work at home—with emphasis on the contributions that relatives, friends, and pets can make to the story that is family.
Early childhood is a fleeting time that parents and grandparents go to great lengths to capture in photos. This book will appeal to a vast families who want to create memorable albums, parents with new babies, and everyone who wants to give a truly unique and useful family gift.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 2008
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 15, 2019
Good overview of photography from a master. Lots of examples. Rightful emphasis on composition and lighting rather than technical details - just enough about technique to explain how to use the power of the camera to get the shots you want. Fabulous source of ideas. Given the fast pace of change in digital photography, the sections at the end about equipment and software are a bit dated (copyright is 2008). Would recommend to anyone who would like to step up their photography skills.
December 17, 2019
I'm finding this book to be a good help in understanding the basics in stepping up from lame personal photography to getting a start in using digital single lens reflex photography It gave me enough confidence to buy something, and now to just take photos in different situations and learn by doing, while jumping back and forth from my own stuff to the text. He is a nice guy, and it is fun to feel like I'm getting to know his family through the images and the stories he tells in here.
November 22, 2018
Useful and approachable guide to creating better photographs. Colorful and illustrative examples of how to manipulate digital images to produce a better result.
December 30, 2022
A good guide on shooting your family!
August 28, 2009
Every family has that one person who's running around trying to document their lives, even the most seemingly insignificant moments. This book is for that person. Get it for them. Joel Sartore is a professional photographer for National Geographic and he will say all the things to this person that you've been dying to. Then he'll give them a bunch of really great, practical, easy to understand photography hints so they can get the best photographs of your family.
Some of my favorites:
"If you're living with someone, you have better access to that person than to anyone else on earth. That's huge when it comes to getting great shots. But should you shoot everything? No way. In fact, you shouldn't shoot most things. Bad light, bad composition, and sensitive subject matter are all red flags. There's a time and place for everything."
"Because you have unlimited time and access, your family photos should be the best photos you've ever taken. Just be discriminating. Remember, not everything your loved one does merits photographic preservation."
"Believe it or not, I often construct my pictures from the rear forward. If I can't make the background look good, I move on. You can really tell if photographers know what they're doing by looking at their backgrounds. Are there streetlights and tree limbs sticking out of loved ones? That's the mark of a rookie."
"Being selective about what you shoot is tough, but it's the key to making really interesting frames. Ask yourself, 'Should I take a picture of that?' and most of the time, the answer will be a resounding no because most of the time the light is too harsh, or the kids or the cat or the spouse are not really doing much. Think about why you're taking these images. Are they to preserve some special moment? Are you going to show them to people? Is it worth their time and yours? Have you captured something funny, something joyous, something peaceful, something sad? It can all be good, but you have to give it some thought and time."
"Shoot candidly. Nothing bores me more than seeing photos of people standing stiff and smiling just because the camera is on them. They all look like bowling pins. My mother's camerawork is gawd-awful, for example. She has this little point-and-shoot thing and drags everyone out in front of it, then lines 'em up and shoots. It's predictable and irritating."
"There are many, many times when taking pictures is not appropriate. Ever see a fumbling, oblivious photographer draw attention away from a wedding ceremony? Not cool. Or how about the obnoxious click of a shutter during a school exam? Know your limits at solemn ceremonies. Ask permission to shoot sensitive subjects, even among family members."
"Please remember, they're just pictures. Put it in perspective. A hundred years from now, nobody will know you existed. Ever see people who are videotaping every moment of every game their kids game? Or snapping stills endlessly at school plays or piano recitals? Who in the world will be willing to look at all this stuff? Is that harsh? Maybe, but somebody has to tell the truth, and it may as well be me, an objective observer who has had to sit through way too many bad slide shows. It's truly mind-numbing."
Some of my favorites:
"If you're living with someone, you have better access to that person than to anyone else on earth. That's huge when it comes to getting great shots. But should you shoot everything? No way. In fact, you shouldn't shoot most things. Bad light, bad composition, and sensitive subject matter are all red flags. There's a time and place for everything."
"Because you have unlimited time and access, your family photos should be the best photos you've ever taken. Just be discriminating. Remember, not everything your loved one does merits photographic preservation."
"Believe it or not, I often construct my pictures from the rear forward. If I can't make the background look good, I move on. You can really tell if photographers know what they're doing by looking at their backgrounds. Are there streetlights and tree limbs sticking out of loved ones? That's the mark of a rookie."
"Being selective about what you shoot is tough, but it's the key to making really interesting frames. Ask yourself, 'Should I take a picture of that?' and most of the time, the answer will be a resounding no because most of the time the light is too harsh, or the kids or the cat or the spouse are not really doing much. Think about why you're taking these images. Are they to preserve some special moment? Are you going to show them to people? Is it worth their time and yours? Have you captured something funny, something joyous, something peaceful, something sad? It can all be good, but you have to give it some thought and time."
"Shoot candidly. Nothing bores me more than seeing photos of people standing stiff and smiling just because the camera is on them. They all look like bowling pins. My mother's camerawork is gawd-awful, for example. She has this little point-and-shoot thing and drags everyone out in front of it, then lines 'em up and shoots. It's predictable and irritating."
"There are many, many times when taking pictures is not appropriate. Ever see a fumbling, oblivious photographer draw attention away from a wedding ceremony? Not cool. Or how about the obnoxious click of a shutter during a school exam? Know your limits at solemn ceremonies. Ask permission to shoot sensitive subjects, even among family members."
"Please remember, they're just pictures. Put it in perspective. A hundred years from now, nobody will know you existed. Ever see people who are videotaping every moment of every game their kids game? Or snapping stills endlessly at school plays or piano recitals? Who in the world will be willing to look at all this stuff? Is that harsh? Maybe, but somebody has to tell the truth, and it may as well be me, an objective observer who has had to sit through way too many bad slide shows. It's truly mind-numbing."
February 25, 2013
Photographing...your family, written by Joel S. and John H. Was a great book. It had great tips. I enjoyed reading it because I want to have photography as a side job later on in life. I even took a class some years back to really learn how to take creative pictures.
I think the book was a little out dated. Like you can tell from the pictures they used; they seemed like they were taken in the late 80's early 90's. However the tips from the book could still be applied. Out of 10 (being best) I would give it a 10. I liked the fact that he was pleasing himself with the pictures he took and wasn't trying to do what he thought others would like. The reason why I liked the fact that he did this is because when taking pictures it's your memories not someone else's.
I would reccomed this book to everyone. Photographer or not, everyone can benefit from it because everyone will need it at some point. Either for a family picture or just a night at the beach. So get to reading it!!
I think the book was a little out dated. Like you can tell from the pictures they used; they seemed like they were taken in the late 80's early 90's. However the tips from the book could still be applied. Out of 10 (being best) I would give it a 10. I liked the fact that he was pleasing himself with the pictures he took and wasn't trying to do what he thought others would like. The reason why I liked the fact that he did this is because when taking pictures it's your memories not someone else's.
I would reccomed this book to everyone. Photographer or not, everyone can benefit from it because everyone will need it at some point. Either for a family picture or just a night at the beach. So get to reading it!!
November 16, 2015
Now here's a cool idea: get an awesome job that entails taking pictures around the world and in your own backyard. When your bosses ask you to write a book about photography, base it on your family and your experiences and make it into a scrapbook of sorts. The descriptions being a combination of technical how-to and stories about what was happening in the photos.
I loved this book. The information was limited BUT it was detailed (lenses, aperture, etc.). I also liked hearing about how he dragged his family out into a pasture in the middle of a potential storm just because the clouds were so awesome. (It made me feel better anyhow.)
As an added bonus, as I was reading, I realized the author lives in Lincoln, NE. How cool is that? (Go Huskers.)
This is a great eye-candy book with some really great ideas and technical details. Makes me want to write my own photography book/scrapbook!
I loved this book. The information was limited BUT it was detailed (lenses, aperture, etc.). I also liked hearing about how he dragged his family out into a pasture in the middle of a potential storm just because the clouds were so awesome. (It made me feel better anyhow.)
As an added bonus, as I was reading, I realized the author lives in Lincoln, NE. How cool is that? (Go Huskers.)
This is a great eye-candy book with some really great ideas and technical details. Makes me want to write my own photography book/scrapbook!
June 7, 2011
This book actually improved my photography. It made sense to me and it gave me tips to think about and use as I am shooting photos. It explained the basic settings on the camera and it also talked a lot about composition and it did it all in a way that made sense. My favorite part about this book is that the pictures in it were from one of the co-author's actual family. Pictures he had taken over the years. They were not staged using models or retrieved from a stock photo footage service. Instead they were of real life. That added a lot of strength to this book and helped teach me visually.
May 13, 2008
A well-rounded, easy to read, and amusing manual that covers the basics of photographing your favorite subject (your family). Of all the photo books I've browsed, many filled with intimidating camera configuration recommendations, this one was the clearest in terms of what specific settings mean and how/when to break the rules. Light weight and pleasingly designed, the book also treats readers to MANY amusing photos of the author's family. This would be a good book to keep on one's shelf a quick reference.
January 25, 2010
A good, basic book that teaches basic ways to improve your photography skills. It was all easy to understand. I found it refreshing to read a professional photographer say that there were times to put away the camera and enjoy the experience. I loved that he was honest about the tricks he used in some of his most unusual pictures (i.e. the clear box with a butterfly in it that they set up outside the airport and took three days to get just the right shot---it was a really cool photograph that would have normally made me feel very inferior in my skills.)
September 19, 2008
This was a very great guide for beginning photography. I just purchased a new camera and this book made some of the confusing terms and functions on the camera more understandable. I loved all of the pictures he used as examples and ideas of how to get some great shots of your family. This was my sisters book and I may buy one for a reference guide.
December 4, 2009
Love this book!! Great examples, really good explainations. Technical enough to give me a real feel for creating better photos. Well written. Makes complex (new to me) photo terminology easy to understand. A quick and interesting read. Beautiful and touching photos. Isn't that what it is all about??
September 19, 2008
I cannot say that this was the BEST photography book ever, by any means. It is fine. It got four stars from me mostly because of the timing by which it came into my hands. It just struck me at a moment of when I was particularly aware of how zippity fast my kids are growing...
April 7, 2009
This book wasn't all that technical as far as teaching someone how to use a fancy camera. But, he gave a lot of good advice on how to compose great photographs that make great memories and that will be worth looking at years down the road.
May 7, 2010
Every photo is made up of subject matter, composition, and light. I liked Joel Sartore's style on keeping things as simple as possible. Use natural light whenever you can and keep in the moment to actually capture a moment.
October 18, 2009
The photographs in this book are very inspiring, as they come from one's everyday life. It's just full of great ideas about what to shoot and how to shoot in a creative way.
February 21, 2009
Liked this as he is from Lincoln, almost Kansas, and has lots of interesting photos and good explanations and examples of how to use your camera more successfully.
February 15, 2013
Great advice for how to capture photos of the people you spend the most time with, your family
February 15, 2010
I really like this book. It's inspiring and helps the complete newbie (me) feel much more comfortable around her camera.
October 25, 2010
Very nice for the basic amateurs, but weak in specific tech-info for the advanced ones and professionals.
September 13, 2017
Loved this book - I still return to it - to look certain things up ...
July 28, 2011
Not much too learn from it
April 26, 2012
Nice read. It helped with my taking pictures. Some of the picture were extremely personal.I found myself not finishing would feel rude.
April 1, 2013
I liked the beginning of this book, he had some good tips. Then he started to lose me after that. I'm liking Beyond Snapshots and Mamarazzi much better for my purposes!
June 29, 2013
I loved this book. I love it when photography books are easy to understand but yet I learn new things. And it has lots of pictures.
November 8, 2017
Excellent for amateur photographers!
December 24, 2013
sounds doable...hmmm...
April 4, 2009
A great book on how to photograph your family.
July 19, 2011
A good intro to photography book.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews