Book Review: Capturing Every Day Life by Jane Goodrich

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from the author,via Bostick Communications, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it

As today is Wordless Wednesday, I thought it a great time to share this new book that focuses on 2 of my loves: Children and photography!
Most parents are looking for better ways to take pictures of their kids,  and Jane has come to the rescue!

Synopsis: Top professional New-York based noted newborn and child photographer Jane Goodrich teaches parents, grandparents, or anyone who wants to take the best photos of children, how to create amazing images which will provide a documented memory for a lifetime. Goodrich begins the book by giving tips on how to choose a camera based on exact needs – outlining camera types, lenses and what to look for when shopping. Goodrich’s easy-to-read and understand format then explains how to work with light and control it – including how to create the “magic triangle” of aperture, depth of field and ISO.

The next chapter examines composition and the difference between a snapshot and a truly artistic photograph. She reviews the rule of thirds, focal points, leading lines and natural frames. The chapter titled “Best Time and Place for Photos” is full of helpful tips for creating the best photos of kids, while the “Advanced Techniques” chapter helps a more experienced photographer learn how to gain more creative control over their images. Goodrich packs decades of knowledge as a professional, award-winning children’s photographer in a paperback that should be on every parent’s or grandparent’s summer reading list.

“I’m excited to now share all of my best tips on how to create amazing photographs of children in my new book ‘Capturing Every Day Life,’” said Jane Goodrich, founder of Jane Goodrich Photography. “It’s a quick, easy read for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and anyone who wants to take the best possible photographs of children. Unlike other photography books, mine is geared specifically for photographing children and is easy to read and understand – especially for people without a lot of free time. In fact the chapter titled, ‘Working With Kids’ draws upon my extensive experience as a professional child photographer and I reveal my tricks and secrets for getting kids to cooperate and work with you. One of the most unique and helpful chapters is ‘Tips By Age,’ where I outline the best methods for photographing infants, babies, toddlers, primary school age children, tweens and teenagers. I also answer the most common questions and problems people have in ‘Troubleshooting & FAQs’,” concluded Goodrich.


Review:  The book is subtitled "The no-nonsense, cheese-free, read-while-they-nap, easy-as-pie guide to taking top-notch, world-class photos of your kids", which means it is perfect for starting the school year off with! Jane offers so much is a slim volume, that you almost wish you had the book BEFORE you had kids (hint hint- excellent baby shower present idea-air it with some SD cards, because you KNOW how many photos a new parent will take!). She takes you from pregnancy into adulthood, with lots of great ideas! Her instructions are simple and to the point and she shows pictures to illustrate very well what she means. Check out this example from the book:

Jane has some really great ideas about how to photograph kids in their NATURAL environments to get pictures that truly showcase your child's personality, not some unnaturally posed robot looking kid! Having them do things they normally doe frequently results in some pretty amazing photos! She also gives you excellent ideas if you want to do your own photo shoot and various locations.

Jane takes the concepts of composition, framing, balance and depth of field and really breaks them down so they are easy to understand and remember. She gives excellent example pictures that will give you ideas for future pictures! Her chapters on the actual settings on your camera and how to alter them to get a better picture are also very simple and EASY. Check out this example:

This is one area that I need to work on, as my interior shots are never quite right! Sigh. My only wish about this book is that is was small enough to take in my purse/camera bag with me, when heading out with the kid, so I could remember everything! It is just that wonderful to have!

If you take pictures of your kids, you need this book! Make sure to put it on your Christmas list (125 days and counting), and for friends and family too!

Check out Jane's Facebook page and blog, for more inspiration and ideas!

(I'm going over this one with Miss Grace, as you'll see why in today's Wordless Wednesday post!)

About Jane:  
A New York based newborn and children’s photographer with an artful eye and a modern edge,
Jane Goodrich’s talent lies in her ability to capture a moment in time – no matter how quickly it passes. Jane has spent her life behind the lens. She staged her first shoot at age 4 and spent much of her childhood as a not-so-patient subject for her sister’s photography business. 

A twin herself, Jane loves shooting other multiples and siblings. With every shot, she aims to let the individuality of each child shine through and capture the uniqueness of their relationship. Jane’s natural connection with babies and children combined with her genuine aesthetic intuition translates into award-winning style photos that are spontaneous, insightful, timeless and charming.