SUNSET (ISSN 0039-5404) publishes 6 issues per year in regional and special editions by Sunset Publishing Corporation, P.O. Box 70710, Oakland, CA 94612-5200. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, CA, and at
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Family man
When Sunset photographer Thomas J. Story
isn’t shooting stunning A-frame cabins
around the West or chasing golden hour at
Mt. Diablo in the Bay Area, he points his cam-
era toward his family. In this issue, he shares
how he captures memorable moments with
his two children, Clara, 12, and Miles, 10, and
partner, ceramicist Sara Paloma. —Maya Wong Celebrate
mistakes
Pictures aren’t meant
to be flawless. If a
photo is slightly blur-
ry, or cropped in a
weird way, you’re
capturing authentic
moments with “mis-
takes” that add a
sense of timelessness
and emotion. A per-
fectly exposed and
composed image
can’t do that.Help them open
up
Talking to camera-
shy kids and engag-
ing with them helps a
lot—make a game of
it, even. Show them
the back of the cam-
era and let them “art
direct.” Take a photo
with your version
and their version,
then compare the
two shots.Use burst mode
Burst mode on cam-
eras or Live Photos
on iPhones is key.
Live Photos records
a 1.5-second clip
before and after you
take a picture, so you
capture a range of
moments and facial
expressions. I select
my favorite photo
from one of the
freeze frames.PHOTO FINISH
This issue’s winner is Tsalani Lassiter’s
shot of Donner Lake in California. Use
#sunset1898 on your best Instagram
shots, and we’ll choose our favorite
for our next issue.Be present, but
also be prepared
To capture authentic
moments you have to
live them first. Get
familiar with your
phone’s quick-draw
camera shortcuts and
you’ll spend more
time engaged with
your kids and less
time fumbling with
the lock screen. For
iPhone: hard press
on the camera icon
on the home screen.
For most Android
phones: Double-press
the home button to
launch.Include the kids
It’s fun to involve
your family and
make sure they’re
also taking photos.
Get the youngsters
a kid-friendly point-
and-shoot camera
(we like Nikon’s
CoolPix W150,$220), or even a
toy camera, to give
them hands-on
experience. Create
a photo contest or
scavenger hunt
where they can
capture people,
places, and things.CLOCKWI
SE
FR
OMTOP^ RIGHT:^ @TSALA
NI^ONINSTAGRAM;^ THOMAS
J.^
STORY
(^2
)BEHIND THE SCENES