Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to capture candid, existing-light portraits of a 3-year old with my new Canon EOS 5D. 3-year olds seem to be naturally inquisitive and expressive. Unfortunately, not knowing I had a 3-year old coming over I didn't have any Disney movies or other G-rated fun (luckily I had Harry Potter DVDs). Harry Potter and the toys his mom brought didn't interest him for long (he did enjoy Monty - the GroundWork Monitor Lizard).
So how do you get a relaxed candid? Patience. 3-year olds explore their worlds and at some point they'll find something they like or or something they don't like. He discovered bubble wrap, and found he could cause a loud pop that no one objected to. Quickly he relaxed as he endeavored to pop the bubble wrap. With each victory, his smile got wider. I shot less than 35 images and of those 35 images got 2 that captured his innocent smile and the sparkle in his eyes.
