Archives For Children

A Pig for the Feast

Varina Patel —  March 28, 2013

When little Eveling got sick, her family was very worried. They prayed for her recovery. When she was well again at last, they purchased this little pig. They are fattening him up to prepare for a feast, celebrating their answered prayers.

Barrios - Granada, Nicaragua

When we visited Granada last year, we were invited to take photographs for one of the Empowerment International families in the barrios. Maybe you remember this photo from that morning. Juanita is washing little Eveling’s hair as they prepare for school in the morning.

Juana Washes Eveling

When we returned to Granada this year, we were thrilled to be able to return and visit the children again. We brought prints (donated by SmugMug) of the photos we took last year and gave them to the families. It was great to see these girls again. Their mother told us that it had been a hard year. Eveling’s illness took it’s toll, but they are so grateful that she is healthy and strong today. Both girls had grown since our last visit, and I got lots and lots of hugs! Lucky me!

Barrios - Granada, Nicaragua

Would you like to help?

Empowerment International: http://empowermentinternational.org
The Giving Lens: http://www.thegivinglens.com

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Sisters

Varina Patel —  March 26, 2013

Barrios - Granada, Nicaragua

These two little beauties don’t have much – they live in the slums of Nicaragua – but they have each other. We photographed so many children on this day – but these two really stood out to me. They were quieter than the other children. They posed for us… but they didn’t hop around giggling and screeching as so many of the others did. They smiled – but not with big toothy grins and shouts of laughter. A second before I took this shot, both girls were smiling for the camera… but when they heard the click, they settled into this more natural pose. Just long enough for me to get a second shot.  This moment was fleeting, but it captured the quiet connection between these two little girls.

Empowerment International: http://empowermentinternational.org
The Giving Lens: http://www.thegivinglens.com

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The Boy in the Cart

Varina Patel —  March 22, 2013

Barrios - Granada, Nicaragua

When we arrived at this family’s home, I noticed the colorful cart near the doorway. And suddenly, a little head appeared in the shadows inside the box. In fact, there were two little boys in the cart. They were playing quietly in the shade. Of course, we couldn’t help ourselves. What a perfect photo op! :)

Barrios - Granada, Nicaragua

Empowerment International: http://empowermentinternational.org
The Giving Lens: http://www.thegivinglens.com

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Home in the Barrio – Part 2

Varina Patel —  July 26, 2012

…continued… (go to part 1)

At the beginning of July, we spent a week in Nicaragua with Empowerment International and The Giving Lens. We spent one morning photographing Alexander’s family as they prepared for their day. This is the second in a two-part photo essay from that morning.

The four younger children stay together as they navigate the road toward the small school. The roads are dirt and at this time of year there is lots of standing water. Raw sewage and sweltering heat make this a breeding ground for bacteria and mosquitoes. There are fleas biting at my ankles as I follow them up the road. But they walk this way every day, so who am I to complain?

They jump over puddles and laugh at each others jokes. Bernardo suddenly remembers that he has forgotten his gym clothes. The others wait for him while he runs back home to get them.

As they leave the barrio, they walk along a paved road – sharing it with cars, motorcycles, bicycles… and more and more children on their way to school. Today is a testing day, so many of the children are allowed to wear street clothes instead of their typical uniforms.

The school is located on a busy street. A chain-link fence surrounds the schoolyard, but it is bent and broken.

The school is painted a bright, welcoming blue – but on this hot and humid day, there is no air conditioning. It’s hot inside already, but the kids don’t seem to mind. They are busy chatting with their friends.

The desks are old, and marked by years of use. Juana is so proud to show me where she sits each day and studies math and science and reading.

And then the bell rings, and it’s time for us to say our goodbyes.

This was an incredible trip for us. Full of laughter and hugs and human interaction… and at the same time, a overwhelming sense of injustice. These beautiful children – smart and funny and full of energy – are living with hardships that those of us in the developed world can only imagine. They don’t get enough to eat. They walk through sewage to get to school. They don’t have access to hospitals. And yet, they are smiling and cheerful. They are friendly and full of life.

It was such a pleasure to spend a few hours with them. Eye-opening. Honest. And life-altering.

Our photographs can’t do justice to the reality of the situation in the Nicaraguan slums. Keeping these kids in school is critical because an education means they can build better lives for themselves and for their families. If you want to help support the organization – or sponsor a child – go to empowermentinternational.org and find out more about what they are doing for these kids, their families, and their communities. All four of Alexander’s younger siblings are still in need of sponsors. If you can help – please do.

Just for the record – Jay and I don’t work for Empowerment International, and we’re not paid to drum up support for the organization. We’re just photographers who had an amazing opportunity to get to know some of these kids. And they made us smile.

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Home in the Barrio

Varina Patel —  July 25, 2012

At the beginning of July, we spent a week in Nicaragua with Empowerment International and The Giving Lens. We spent one morning photographing Alexander’s family as they prepared for their day. It was an incredible privilege to be invited into their home. What a beautiful family!

The family lives in the heart of the barrio. Their home is built with walls of scrap metal, broken bits of wood, and heavy fabric. It is open to the elements – which means they get a nice cross-breeze when there’s a breeze at all – and that they must live with the bugs, heat, wind, and rain. The floors are dirt, and they use bed sheets to divide their small residence into rooms. Their roof is made of corrugated metal, and there are holes in it that let the rain in. They have a couple of light bulbs, a single tap with cold water, and an old TV. There’s very little privacy.

The front of the house is dedicated to a tiny storefront. There’s a hand-written sign that lists items and prices. This is where the family earns their keep.

Alexander is already awake when we arrive early in the morning. With matches and a plastic bag for kindling, he starts a fire.

His little sisters linger in bed just a little longer… then it’s time to get up and ready for school.

They bathe in their underwear, since there is no private place in the house. They use a bowl to pour water over their heads…

…and Juana helps Eveling wash her hair with soap. This is a well-rehearsed routine, and they are quick about getting the job done. The water is chilly, since they have no way to heat it for a warm bath.

The girls dry off with tattered towels, and pull their school clothes from a sack. Mama helps Eveling get dressed for school.

She combs the girls’ hair, and puts in little pony tails. She is patient and gentle with them, smiling quietly and hugging the small ones.

Breakfast is meager. A bit of powdered milk and some dry bread. The children dip their bread in their milk to soften it. Luckily, they will have a small breakfast at school later in the day. There isn’t enough to fill them up.

After breakfast, we asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. Sweet little Juana says she might want to be a police officer. Eveling and Genero aren’t sure. Bernardo says maybe he’ll be a photographer! We think that’s a great idea! ;)

And then it’s time for them to go. They are smiling and happy this morning. Ready to face the day.

…to be continued…

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Make ‘em Laugh

Varina Patel —  July 17, 2012

Our trip to Nicaragua was packed with powerful moments – but this was one of the most memorable for me. It was a reminder of how much can be said without words.

These three children walked with me into the barrio – or slum – where their families live. I asked them to let me take a photo, and they posed for me, looking seriously into the camera. I took a few shots and then suddenly pulled my camera away from my face, crossed my eyes, and stuck out my tongue. They burst into surprised laughter… and I laughed as hard as they did as I took another photograph.

Beyond a few basic phrases, I don’t speak any Spanish – but language isn’t the only means of communication. My silly face broke the ice and showed a little bit of my personality. It bridged a gap between cultures, and provided the basis for an impromptu friendship. A moment later, they grabbed my hand and started running – pulling me along behind them towards their homes in the barrio. They asked to use my camera. They posed for one another. They laughed at each others antics  – and mine. And we got along just fine.

For more information about The Giving Lens, visit their website at www.thegivinglens.com. For more information about Empowerment International, check out their site at
www.empowermentinternational.org.

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Sleepy Beauties

Varina Patel —  July 13, 2012

We spent the first seven days of July in Nicaragua with Empowerment International and The Giving Lens. It was an incredible experience. We fell in the love with the children, their families, and the EI volunteers – who were always so generous with their smiles and their hearts.

These two little beauties were still in bed when we arrived with our cameras early one morning. They weren’t quite ready to get up, so I captured a few shots of them as they shook off their sleepiness.

Because of the dim light inside the home, I took this photo with my Canon 5D Mk III at it’s highest ISO setting of 25600, and with my lens wide open at f/2.8. I used a shutter speed of 1/50 because I could hold the camera relatively steady for the photograph, and the girls weren’t moving around. As expected, the image was very noisy, so I increased the luminance in Adobe Camera RAW to reduce the noise overall. The result is a smooth image with beautiful details. I’m thoroughly impressed with the Mk IIIs high ISO capabilites, and I’m so glad I had that camera on this morning!

For more information about Empowerment International, please visit their website at www.empowermentinternational.org. Even a small donation can make a big difference!

For more information on The Giving Lens, check out their website at www.thegivinglens.com. They have lots of trips coming up! Maybe there’s one that’s right for you! :)

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Summer Photography with the Kids

Varina Patel —  July 5, 2012

Need a fun, summer activity for your kids? Put a camera in their hands and see what they do with it!

Each of our kids has their own small camera. Six kids, six cameras… and six Gorillapods from Joby. We spent a few hours in the park seeing what they’d do with them. Their instructions? Get creative, and have fun. :)

And boy did they come through! Anna and Ellena used their Gorillapods to steady their cameras on a small tree for a portrait session. They set their automatic timers, put their arms around each other, and grinned like the imps they are.

Nick climbed high to take a few shots, and then used the flexible legs on this gorilla pod to prop the camera – nice and steady – between two saplings.

Anna hung her camera upside down from a branch, and then went low for some detail shots.

The lightweight flexibility of the Gorillapods makes them perfect companions for kids. They attach easily to the camera, and they are easy to remove. We like to leave the small locking-clip screwed into the bottom of the camera, rather than unscrewing it completely. That way, the kids can snap their miniature tripods on and off easily. There’s even a tiny lock mechanism that keeps the Gorillapod securely in place, so it doesn’t fall off in the woods somewhere.

The gorillapods are sturdy too. The kids aren’t always gentle with their gear, so that’s essential. Nobody has managed to break one yet – but not for lack of trying. ;) They’ve been twisted and contorted every which way… but that’s exactly what they are made to do.

I should point out that this little tripods aren’t just for kids. My grandmother has one. She travels extensively, and she carries the little Gorillapod with her. She uses it when she wants a photo of herself with her travel-buddies. It’s easy to set up on a table or a railing, and she can set the timer and then jump into the photograph. And when low light or shaky hands leave her photos blurry, she wraps the legs of the Gorillapod around a railing or a lamp post, and gets the shot she wants – no blur, no problem. I use a little one to hold a flash unit when I need a little extra light… and I have a larger one too… more on that next week! ;)

They’re small enough to fit in your pocket or your carry-on bag. They’re welcome in places that shun bulky tripods. They’re flexible enough to use just about anywhere. And best of all… they’re fun! In the end, that’s what it’s all about, right?

To learn more about photography check out our eBooks below:

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Teaching our Kids to Shoot

Varina Patel —  May 31, 2012

Teaching photography to kids is tons of fun. They pick up on concepts very quickly, and have no preconceived ideas about photography to hinder their learning! Here are some photographs that our kids took. There are some really good tips here – you can learn a lot from a kid!

Nick was 14 when he took this shot of the Washington Monument on a class trip to Washington DC. Notice that he didn’t center the composition, which makes it more appealing. He also took the shot with some pretty dramatic storm clouds – which adds interest. Those clouds also filter the light, so there are no harsh shadows or blown highlights. It’s a beautiful view of the area, and the exposure and colors are really nice.

For this shot of the Air Force Memorial, he pointed the camera straight up. The view is unique and interesting – and the blue sky makes a beautiful backdrop. Notice that his composition isn’t quite symmetrical, which adds to the appeal.

Nora is 13. She took this shot in Everglades National Park in Florida. When we saw the bird grab the fish, she started shooting right away. I told her to check her histogram – and she did. She saw that her first shot was underexposed, made a very quick manual adjustment, and took several more shots as the bird swallowed the fish whole. Quick thinking and an understanding of her histogram made for a beautiful action shot! The image is beautifully sharp, and she zoomed in to fill the frame as much as possible.

Here’s another shot she took during the trip. This time, she waited for the bird to turn his head toward the camera as he soaked up the sun. She captured the details on the birds wings, and his wonderful pose as well. Once again, she zoomed in to fill the frame with the bird and eliminate as much distraction as she could.

Eian took this shot at Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada when he was 13. He worked to get his exposure right in camera – capturing the brilliant light on the distant sandstone cliffs as the sun went down. We teach the kids to shoot in manual mode and keep an eye on their histogram for every shot.

This abstract shot shows some of the incredible detail in the sandstone. Notice that Eian placed the lines at an angle for a more dynamic composition. He also chose a single deep crack as a counterpoint to the lines running at right angles to it. This provides a clear point of interest, and lets your eye rest within the frame.

Teaching kids photography isn’t difficult. Choose a few simple ideas to get started. Don’t provide too much information all at once, and let them get creative. Then, have them tell you about their image – and why they made the choices they did. Ask how they can improve their photograph, and make some gentle suggestions of your own. Ask them to critique your photos as well – and share your own ideas for improving your work. Challenge them to improve upon their own shot, while you work to improve yours. Above all – make sure learning about photography is fun!

To learn more about how to capture creative images and brilliant colors check our the ebooks below:

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Finding the Balance

Varina Patel —  September 5, 2011

Jay and I have six kids between us. Four are mine, and two are his. They range in age from 8- 14. Here’s a shot of the six of them from a recent trip to West Virginia. Betcha can’t guess which three are adopted… or maybe you can. ;) (Don’t worry – they’re proud of the distinction.)

We are always busy – homework, school programs, soccer games, martial arts classes, show choir, and all the other things that are part of having kids. It’s great fun – but it’s also hard to find time for the things WE love to do. Lots of you have kids, too – and one of the questions we hear a lot is this:

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“How do you balance family and a photographic career?”

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Well, it’s not easy. We work a lot in the evenings and on weekends – and we try hard to make sure that the kids have our attention when they need it most. That means that family time is usually more important than getting those photos from our latest trip processed.

Fitting travel into a busy schedule takes creativity and lots of advance planning. We travel about once a month (if possible), and in most cases, our children stay at home with a trusted adult. Most of our trips last for just a few days – we generally travel over a long weekend – so we try hard to put ourselves in the best possible location at the right time. Research and flexibility are essential.

Before we leave home, we do some serious research. We’re looking for sunrise and sunset times, weather patterns, tide charts, topographical maps, various shooting locations, and the advice of park rangers, local residents, and other photographers. We make sure we know a lot about a variety of potential shooting locations.

Even with good information, we never decide exactly where we’ll shoot until we’re on location. We may plan a trip months in advance, but we wait until we’re there to decide where to shoot. We’re watching weather patterns to make sure we have the best possible conditions… and we’re willing to drive long distances to reach the best destinations. Our plans are constantly changing based upon cloud cover, humidity levels, and the angle of the sun.

If the weather is bad or the light isn’t right for shooting, we explore the area. We look for locations with interesting foreground and background – and we note the topography of the area for future reference. We’ll return to choice spots when conditions are right – maybe a day or two later, and maybe on another trip. We try not to waste any of our travel time, so that future trips might be more fruitful.

Although most of our trips are child-free, the kids do travel with us about once a year. This year, they joined us for a trip to West Virginia, and in past years we’ve taken them to Olympic National Park, Lake Michigan, Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, and The Everglades. We’ve also been to Florida and Colorado with the kids. Those trips are generally geared towards the children rather than photography – so we’re less likely to shoot for our portfolios when the kids are with us. However, if the skies are fantastic, they can listen to an audio book in the car or play nearby while we shoot. These shots were taken from the side of the road in Yellowstone National Park – the kids were listening to a music CD while we photographed the storm clouds at sunset. :)

When the children are with us we choose locations that are child-friendly (no 2000 foot cliffs!), and we looked for daytime lighting conditions that accent the location. Waterfalls, for example, are just beautiful in overcast conditions – and children love the falling water.

When we travel with the kids, we’re also concerned about bed-times… so that means late sunset and early sunrise photography are not going to happen. If you can manage it, why not travel with the kids during the winter months? Our kids are all in school now, so winter travel is difficult, but younger families can take advantage of off-season hotel rates and enjoy parks without the crowds that tourist-season brings. Why not take the family to Death Valley in January or February? (Jay and I have been there many times, but not yet with the kids.) Summer weather in the Mojave Desert is remarkably unpleasant – unless you like scorching heat and bone-dry weather – but the winter months are wonderful. Death Valley is nice and warm in winter, and passing storm-fronts make for wonderful skies. When children are along, shorter winter days mean you can shoot both sunrise and sunset while your child is awake.

And best of all, a playing child makes a perfect “point of interest” for those wide angle nature shots. Although they aren’t part of my public collection, some of the photos I’ve taken of my kids are my favorite shots.

So, get out there and shoot! No excuses! :) And have fun – because that’s what having kids is all about!

To learn more about photography check out our eBooks below:

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