Helping A Random Mother and Her Daughter - Free Photoshoot Experience

Hello everyone and good day to all 😇

2 Days ago as I was doing my afternoon ride for my Actifit Post I saw a mother taking pictures of her daughter using her cellphone in the park. I'm typically shy to come over to people and ask them if I could photograph them but this time it was something special. Since the little girl was wearing a very lovely dress and was holding a number 4 balloon I already knew it was a pre-birthday shoot. Since I knew I didn't shy away and I'm 100% sure I wouldn't be rejected if I offer them a free photo shoot since they were just doing it with a cellphone.

I approached them nicely and ask if I can do the shoot instead. At first the mother was reluctant to because she might have to pay a huge fine for the photo shoot but I told her that I would do it for "FREE". She said "Really Sir?" and I replied "Yes, because I want to gain experience first before I actually ask fees from people since I'm just a new photographer in town". We discussed some terms like I asked permission If I could use the photos I will get as a part of my Portfolio and upload it in my social media accounts and she happily said "Yes"

So I went on and did the best I could.

Honestly it was a little hard coz it was a very overcast day and it was almost dark so it really was a little low light for my taste but I think I did good in my shots.

I started in the place where I saw them taking pictures of where the little girl was sitting. The angle of the shot was a little bad because there were photo bombers at the back so I moved a little bit facing the wall and honestly I think it was almost perfect. I say almost because you can still clearly see the background coz I can't let her move forward more or else I'll be right in the middle of the road and that is quite a bad place to be 😅

Then I moved her to a place that I was really desperate to take a picture of and that is the entrance pillar to the park where it was facing our century old church. Though again it was a hard shoot coz there were a lot of vehicles and people walking around the road behind her and so I patiently waited for the perfect opportunity to take the shot. I felt like the kid was getting tired of waiting coz it took so long before the background was empty of vehicles and people. Still I felt like I got it right. Her smile was obviously staged but what do you expect from a 4 year old girl right? 😅

In the third shot I moved her to the children's playground in the park, similar to my First Photoshoot. Though I've learned from my first experience and I've picked the somewhat right place this time. First I put her in front of a little bush just shy smaller than her but enough to show half of her body and it made an important foreground to my subject. Add the tree beside her to make it like a little frame and it is almost perfect. Plus the huge tree in the background really felt it was the perfect place and angle as you can see in the 3rd photo above where she clearly pops out of the image thanks to the dark green background 😍

In the next two pictures I tried to make use of the truck tires made into a small playground to make the shoot more interesting. To me I guess it was kind of so-so to be honest. It didn't really wow me unlike the last photo but I guess it was good enough. I will definitely try this again in the future coz I really love the view of these shots. It's just the girl was already a little big for the truck tires so it was a little awkward for her. Although I say that I still think these photos are quite nice and lovely right? Can you tell me your thoughts in the comment section about this one?

After we were done in the little playground I moved her to the center of the plaza where she showed me was she was capable of. As I was thinking where to put her and how she would pose she took the initiative herself. She laid down beside the stairs where there's an arc shape and now she looked really princess like and I was honestly amazed. I couldn't think of that pose, never in my life! I said to her hold it there baby girl, look at me and smile. Boom! Such a lovely photo indeed 😍

Then I told her to move right beside the bush near her and do that certain pose which she followed 100% and take a look at that. This pose really looked quite natural do you agree? She is graceful like an adult woman 😍

Next was I told her to sit down in the flat circle concrete near the stairs and do a pose for me but man I didn't expect it to be this good. I was wondering why the sudden shift in emotion but I guess maybe wasn't comfortable at first since a stranger was taking pictures of her but now she seemed to be opening up to me. Her poses are now much more natural and graceful that it kinda scares me that these poses are coming from a 3 year old kid 😅 but at the same time I admire her for her talent. The picture I got out of these pose is probably one for my books I mean just look at that. If your lost it's the
7th photo above where she put two of her hands below the chin and touching her cheeks. Isn't she just lovely? 😍

After that picture I thought this is probably enough I guess. I got a lot of photos already and her mother also agreed. So I stopped and her mother kept thanking me and etc. We talked for a bit but then suddenly the little girl had a great idea yet again. She was looking at a bunch of flowers, I saw that and thought "Wait that looks like a great photo!" So I took it and well if you look at that another perfect pitch photo indeed. Her green dress really blends in the green leaves and the flowers add more flavor to the shot. Really perfect for me 😁

I really thought that would be the end of it but the little girl asked me for another couple of shots and since she was such a good model to me I obliged her wishes.

I took a couple more of her but not with ther princess like dress but it looked like a ballerina dress? She really is quite cute despite her changing her dress. I choose the picture where she put a number four sign in the hand to showcase coz she is turning 4 years old. Lastly another close up shot from an above angle showing just how cute she was and her smile is really much more natural now than when we first started.

Honestly I've learned quite a lot from this photoshoot and as the title of this blog post suggest. I would gladly take in any "FREE" experience as I can. I felt that I've improved yet again or maybe it was just because my model was so great? I felt like the credit was all in the model and not me the photographer 😅 She was really that amazing honestly.

Anyways this is the end guys. I hope y'all liked the photos I've shared today and as always take care 😊 Have a great one ahead! Cheers! 😎