 Allen Staley |
Photographing Downs Syndrome Children I have a portrait session on Fri. with a family that has a downs syndrome child and I need help on photographing this child aproximately 5 yrs. old. I will be doing both indivual and family portraits with this child. So please help me out on this one folks. I have been told that it is better to shoot them at a slight angle. Any more ideas? Thanks Allen
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Mark Feldstein |
Over the years, I've photographed developmentally disabled kids of all ages as well as adults including ones with Downs for various purposes including one publication or another with stories about the Gateway Center of Monterey, the Special Olympics and National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, among other agencies. Trust me Allen, if you treat it as such, it'll be a unique experience for you. People with Downs are wonderful folks. Warm, loving and gracious indivbiduals who are deliberately funny at times, open, honest, tremendously insightful and great to be with. In my experience, more so than most other people I know who don't have Downs. The one absolute essential key I've found to photographing them and producing some beautiful images is simply to photograph them just as you would anyone else. While you're working, simply be as candid with them as they are with you. If you can do that, you'll likely find this to be a personally rewarding, remarkable, enlighting and truly enjoyable experience. You don't need any fancy equipment, no special angles, no tricks no gimmicks. Just complete honesty and that's it. As with any other portraiture, that level of your own honesty will show in your work. Take it light ;>)
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John G. Clifford Jr |
I agree with Mark; this is just another child. The parents understand and accept any specific differences, and they won't see a child with Down's Syndrome in the picture, they'll see their beloved child. Your job is to honestly capture that child and the interaction of the family. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.
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Tamera S. Phillips |
I couldn't agree more with Mark and John. Look beyond the Down's Syndrome and see a beautiful child just as the family and others see. I hope that it's a great experience for all of you.
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