Children have a charm of their own. The unpredictability of their actions is the very definition of candid, and a vivid personification of nature! The precious moments children of all ages gift us is an art, and children’s photographers are the artists that wield the camera that carves these moments into stone!
Alba Soler is a special artist, and a master of the beautiful genre of children’s photography, which is an umbrella term for a variety of sub-genres such as maternity photography, newborn photography, and child photography.
About Alba:
As an advertising professional, Alba underwent a steep learning curve of a substantial range, when she learned photography, web page design, etc. It was through sheer experimentation and open-mindedness that she picked up the camera, and was instantly smitten by photography. It is through photography that Alba learned how to express the knowledge she gained through advertising and picked up the advertising mantra of always trying to sell something, be it an idea or a product.
How To Handle Clients:
The idea of children’s photography appealed to her due to the soul of the genre and the scope for creativity. Alba mentions that her mental bandwidth for creativity had diminished due to the surplus of demanding clients on her plate, and felt the need to take a step back and take time to herself, and set her own pace with respect to clientele. It bore fruit as she began to enjoy working anew and discovered the true creative freedom photographing children can lend. Being a resourceful researcher is the only organic way to approach potential clients. She also instructs us to value ourselves and our work aptly so as to accommodate the necessary investment in order to make business feasible.
Putting Your Work Out There:
Marketing yourself is more than just putting out feelers for clients. It involves communicating to your target audience, making your intentions and ambitions clear, giving them a reason to choose you. For a photographer, especially a children’s photographer, a blog will never go amiss, as it is a good way to introduce yourself and your work to your audience while speaking to them. Constant content creation and Instagram behind the scenes also portray a friendly yet hard-working image that is beneficial to get attention from prospective clients. Effective organic SEO will help elevate you on Google search pages. She also states that giving prices away before collecting the client’s information is obsolete, and she stresses on the need to collect data through forms before allowing website visitors to view price information.
Approach And Shooting Methods:
Alba is someone who loves to derive inspiration through as many sources as possible. Her approach is a unique blend of thorough preparation and fluid innovation. She loves to experiment with lights, props and clothes and find a permutation that works best in context with the requirements of the shoot. The requirements for a shoot can vary depending on factors determined by the clients. The shoot should be moulded based on the clients, and the subject’s features must be highlighted. Their personal preferences must also be taken into account. Meticulous and precise, Alba doesn’t rely on editing as much as she does on planning the right hour and location for the shoot so as to achieve the optimum quality through an organic shoot with minimal touching up.
Catering To The Subjects:
Handling children and their parents is a skill that is essential if you are a budding children’s photographer. Alba mentions that being honest about your expectations with the parents is the best way to handle them, such as asking them not to be too loud for fear of distracting the child. Handling children, however, is a more nuanced task. Alba specifies that boys from ages 7-9 are restless and a quick approach works with them. Girls of the same age are far more agreeable and enjoy the photoshoot to the fullest! For younger age groups, toys which are interesting to look at work well to keep their attention. She mentions that her approach to photographing children is instruction oriented as communication is the best way to get a person to understand what is expected of them.
Alba has been cultivating budding photographers for the best part of 8 years, and is an inspiration within the industry. It is with this experience that she has co-authored the book Child Photography – Techniques and Styles. With the amount she has to offer in terms of knowledge and expertise, it is with utmost interest that we pay heed to the invaluable advice she gives us!
