Start with the kid! This sounds obvious when photographing children, but many images start with a couch in a field, or a tutu the size of Montana. What do these props have to do with the child you are photographing? In this funny and beautifully illustrated guide, photographer Allison Tyler Jones provides inspiration and practical techniques for photographers to effectively capture kids in beautiful light. She challenges readers to go a little deeper in their thought processes and to be more personal, more thought provoking, more humorous, and more real. From a practical, photographer’s perspective, this guide approaches studio and on location lighting with a mix of technical information and advise on how to apply these ideas while working with subjects that are shy, sulking, showing off, or constantly in motion. Readers will learn about: Five Ms lighting concept–mood, main, measure, modify, and move–and how to include them into a decision-making process. Selecting a light source, setting the camera to sync, and triggering the flash. White seamless backgrounds and practical considerations for hanging and using them in your studio. Directing the shoot and how to work with kids, clients, and even pets. Choosing props with integrity, clothing suggestions, and styling the shoot. Decisions about setting and lighting on location. Finishing the job you started with presentation of your product to your clients.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Section I: The Vision Chapter 1: Start with the Kid Chapter 2: Brace Yourself Tactics in dealing with the younger set Respect goes a long way The Client Consult Kid Psych 101 Parental Units: Managing Expectations Chapter 3: Developing Your Style Embrace Restraints What do you like? What do you hate? Repeating themes in your work? How I Developed/Refined My Style What’s Their Story? Section II: The Process Chapter 4:  Lighting Equipment Light is Your Medium On Camera vs. Off Camera Flash Lights, Camera, Action Lights: We are lighting kids, not cars, supermodels Technical considerations Fast recycle times on lights Freeze action     Flash Lighting     Studio Strobe     Power Packs - pros/cons     Monolights - pros/cons     Speedlights - pros/cons Camera: Sych Speed             Action: Triggers from PC Cord, Pocket Wizards     Chapter 5: The 5 M’s of Lighting Technique Creating a decision making process(MOOD, MAIN, MODIFY, MEASURE, MOVE Safety considerations My Lighting Gear Chapter 6: One Light Five Ways in the Studio Push the Boundaries or Stay in the Box Lighting Patterns Made Easy One Light, 5 Set-ups #1 Evenly Lit Groups #2 Up and Over #3 Rembrandt-ish #4 Silhouettes     #5 Spotlight/Grid Spots The Five Most Common Lighting Mistakes     #1 Light Too Low     #2 Subject too close to Background     #3 Light too far away from Subject     #4 Too Many Lights     #5 Boring Light Chapter 7: The White Seamless Manifesto in the Studio How to Light White Seamless Background – 3 Lights Lighting your subject separately from the background Controlling light spill    and contrast     V-Flats to cover lights Lighting subject separately with dimension One Background Multiple Looks Cleaning it up in Post                      Chapter 8: Lighting on Location Decisions about Setting Where? Studio or Location Location Lighting Location Flash Exposure Principles My Location Gear Section III – The Shoot Chapter 9: Props and Posing Styling the Shoot        Props with Integrity Posing Ideas/Tricks Point of View-Shooting Angles Chapter 10: Directing the Shoot The Director Directing for Expression Prompted Reality In-Between Moment Photographer Personalities--What kind of Director are you?    Chapter 11: Putting it All Together Start with the Kid(Baby? Toddler? Tween? Be Prepared Safety and Comfort Actual Client Shoots Section IV– The Final Product     Chapter 12: Finishing the Job You Started The Case for Prints/Output Valuing your work Edit Ruthlessly and Refine the End Product Timeless Presentation The “Crack” What would MoMa do?