Here are some suggestions on where you can go to find great backdrops right here in Westchester to capture your children at play.
Animals at Muscoot Farm
Some kids are animal lovers from birth–they squeal with delight when they first see a puppy. One of my favorite places to photograph kid’s love of animals is at Muscoot Farm in Katonah. The rustic, farm backdrop makes for great photos.
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Art in Peekskill
The backdrop of the Hudson River coupled with the amazing sculpture in Peekskill makes for such a beautiful setting, add in your little one exploring the sculpture and it makes for a very memorable photograph. The tip to photographing against water is to photograph when the sun is low (either early morning or closer to sunset) and using a fill light (either on camera flash or a reflector).
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Chasing Trains in Larchmont
Who knew the train station can make for such great shots of your little ones? Make a trip to the train station to capture great shots (just make sure you have enough people there watching the kids to ensure safety while you photograph them). Kids love the trains. They love watching them arrive at the station, riding on them or watching how fast they pull out of the station. A tip here is to frame the child in such a way that they are in focus and the speed of the train is blurred to capture motion (use your shutter speed to do this).
Climbing Bridges at Larchmont’s Flint Park
Photographing kids climbing is rewarding as you get to photograph their faces beam with accomplishment at the top of their climb – (just make sure it’s safe for them).
Finding Flowers at Untemyer Park in Yonkers
Untemyer Park in Yonkers is a beautiful setting with amazing gardens, fantastic structures, paths, sculptures, and seaside views. Its such a great place to photograph your kids at play –whether climbing the many stairs there, crawling in the grass or picking a dandelion (no flower picking)…A tip here is to let the kids be kids but sometimes you also direct them–bring bubbles or pick a dandelion to encourage their sense of exploration.
Jumping at Harbor Island
Harbor Island in Mamaroneck is a very versatile setting to photograph your children at play, since there are fun tree stumps to jump on, boats to count or look at, trees to climb and after all that fun, there is a great playground for you to capture your children at the traditional playground.
Exploring the Bronx River Parkway Reservation
Westchester’s oldest park, the Bronx River Parkway Reservation is an 807-acre paved linear park that was opened in 1925. Featuring ponds, footbridges, beautiful trees, and shrubs, it is perfect for capturing your little ones exploring.
In Awe of the Water at Rye Beach
What kid doesn’t love the beach? At Rye Town beach there is a 1,200 foot of white sand beach for kids to build sandcastles, swim or genuinely be in awe of the water like the little one in the photo. One tip for photographing at the beach is to never take your lens off your camera body at the beach – sand can really damage your camera if it gets inside!
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Stepping Stones at Rockefeller Park
Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Pleasantville is one location that you want to visit at least once. The views are stunning and kids love to climb, run and explore the park. My favorite is photographing kids climbing on the stepping stones over the water (as it usually slows them down long enough to take a great shot).
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See more photos like these in New York Is My Playground, with photographs by Jane Goodrich and text by Bob Raczka (book cover above).
