Water: The Great Photography Prop!
I have been having a lot of fun this summer photographing kids playing in sprinklers. I don’t know what it is about little drops of water, but man — they just come alive in pictures! Water catches the reflection of the sun and just sparkles. And if you’re lucky (like I happened to be on the 4th of July), your kids will want to run through the sprinklers during that magic hour of the day when the sun is low and the light is gorgeous. A photographers dream! I love the capture of contrasting light and dark in the image above.
A little tip for getting great shots of sprinkler fun: use a zoom lens, if you can get your hands on one. I used my Tamron AF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 for these photos (great lens for the price, by the way). It allows you to feel like you’re right there in all the fun without fear of getting your gear all wet. That is, until your dripping daughter comes running at you for a quick bear hug! Zoom lenses also generally give you great depth of field and make your subject pop.
It was a perfect summer evening watching my daughter and her best friend play in the water. And I’m glad I grabbed my camera and was able to capture such a timeless memory.





Responses and Conversations
I just did some sprinkler shots today, and soon after I realized I couldn’t get close enough without getting wet, I grabbed my Tamron lens! They turned out pretty good, and I just love that other lens to help me feel closer. I love the way the water pops, too. You’re so right!
Comment by Jenny Driscoll on July 27th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Jenny — I’m so glad you thought you use your zoom, too. It’s such a great way to get in close without getting soaked!
Comment by Amy Frazier on July 28th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
who is the this Princess
Comment by joshi on September 11th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I found a site that has great Fake Food Props. I have used them for Childrens photo’s, Bithday Cakes and Ice Creams are my favorite. I also used the fake glasses of Champagne Engagement,Wedding and Anniversaries. They work really well. I resently bought a Fake Wedding Cake that is wonderful! Just wanted to share. The site I bought my props at is. http://www.auntbubbiesfakefood.com
Aunt Bubbies Fake Food. They have many great items.
Comment by Katrina on February 10th, 2009 at 7:55 am