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All across America, children’s museums provide an educational and entertaining
hands-on learning environment for youngsters. They’re affordable, they’re
more fun than a whole basketful of puppies, and they offer a great escape from
wintry weather. They’re also a terrific place to take pictures of your
children in action.
TIP 1: It’s All About Interaction
Kids immediately become absorbed in the stimulating activities, so be prepared
to shoot fast. Musical instruments, art materials and—especially—computers
work like magnets to attract young minds, so find a suitable vantage point and
get into position. Because the museums resemble small-scale movie sets, the
interior walls are often low, so don’t hesitate to peek from one area
into another to get the best shooting angle.
TIP 2: Backgrounds Galore
Take advantage of unique backgrounds to add some new and unusual shots to the
family album. Wall murals, rock textures and mirrors all provide attention-grabbing
backdrops for kids’ portraits. Most museums make good use of video systems,
including green screens and closed-circuit TV setups where you’ll be able
to capture family group shots that are interesting and different. Just be careful
not to fire a flash at a reflective surface.
TIP 3: Optical Illusions Abound
Distortion mirrors, funhouse magic and other illusionary devices all fool the
senses—as well as the camera. Allow your child to interact without direction
while you stand by ready to capture the funniest pose. For best results, wait
until other visitors have moved on to the next exhibit before shooting. And
don’t hesitate to include yourself in the scene.
TIP 4: Pictures You Can’t Take At Home
Children are able to do things at museums that they can’t do at home.
This fact enables you to take photographs that you can’t get at home.
At the museum, kids can put on a puppet show, hatch from a dinosaur egg or battle
a dragon. You can often photograph your child within some elaborately reproduced
settings—cattle ranches, quarter-scale pirate ships and lunar landing
modules, for example.
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