About a year ago, I photographed Jordan’s 1st birthday party (see this post). His friend, Jude, who was born just 2 days after him attended the birthday party then and this year, I had the opportunity to capture their combined birthday celebration!
For this post, I thought that I would try something different and feature a distinguishing mark of my photography that many couples want when they engage me to cover their child’s birthday party. Most photographs I see from children’s parties consist a whole lot of posed ‘smile at the camera’ shots or ‘detail’ shots (birthday cake, decorations, etc). The candid shots capturing quieter moments or the interaction between individuals are in the minority. A big draw to my photography is the ability to capture many beautiful candid moments that, when put together, allows the family and friends to re-live the event.
I have always had a love for street photography as well as black & white photography which I often mix together. I frequently describe my approach to event coverage as photojournalistic or even that of a street photographer who chances upon the event and starts taking photos. In street photography, I tend to look for the way the light is falling on a person’s face or the environment I find myself in. I look at the shapes and lines that form a backdrop or frame the people I am interested in capturing. Things that are not the main subject are purposely left in the frame (whether a person’s hand, a face, an object, etc) that shift the mood of the photograph. This is more or less the same approach I take when I cover a wedding or a party.
The following is a selection of photographs from Jordan (he appears in the first photo) and Jude’s (he appears in the second photo) 2nd birthday party. I have chosen to present all the photographs in my preferred black & white instead of the normal colour photographs (or gimmicky Instagram-like post-processed photographs) we often see of children’s parties. Without the distraction of colour, I personally feel that these photographs are more powerful and focus the viewer on the mood and emotions that are occurring. These photographs highlight my style of photography.
