Father Recreates Classic Paintings With Daughter’s Portraits

1. Pleiadian

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

2. Cameo

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

3. The Merchant's Daughter

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

4. Feline Friend

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

5. Grecian

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

6. Rapunzel

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

7. Plums

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

8. Pears

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

9. Girl Without an Earring

   Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

   

10. Potatoes

    Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

    

Everyone thinks pictures of their kids are the most beautiful things in the world and, if it were possible, would hang them in museums for public viewing (instead, they just subject us to Facebook viewings). But photographer, and father, Bill Gekas can actually make the claim that the pictures of his child are true masterpieces.

Modeled after classic European paintings, Gekas' series of portraits of his daughter are stunning. The pictures would have us imagining that his daughter was posing for oil paintings instead of in front of a digital camera.

The Melbourne, Australia-based photographer began the project in 2010.

"A little time went on, and I was still photographing her, and had noticed that a body of work was developing that both my peers and general public found appealing," Gekas told Mashable. "We continued turning it into a project where it was no longer a portrait of my daughter, but more a portrait portraying a universal child."

We think Gekas should be awarded for creating the first set of kids' pictures that won't embarrass his daughter in a few years.

H/T PetaPixel. Images courtesy of Bill Gekas.

1. Get Down on Their Level

   "One of the first things that I find myself doing when photographing a child, is that I get down on their level by dropping down to one knee, or even sitting on the ground," says photographer and mom Jennifer Ford.

   Image courtesy of Jennifer Ford

   

2. Get Down on Their Level

   Ford continues, "This allows your subject to take center stage in the story that you are trying to capture, and it allows the viewer access into the child's perspective on the world."

   Image courtesy of Jennifer Ford

   

3. Look for Inspiration and Try New Things

   "With so many different ways for photographers to display and share their work these days, inspiration is never far away," says photographer and mom Jodie Griggs.

   "Be creative and don't be afraid to push the boundaries. Kids respond well to new ideas and will often have their own suggestions that you can incorporate."

   Image courtesy of Jodie Griggs

   

4. Keep it Fun

   "Kids can be really hard work when it comes to photography and you can find yourself getting easily frustrated," Griggs says.

   "Try to keep it fun for everybody involved and the results will always show this! Sometimes your little model will be in the right mood, eager to cooperate -- make the most of these occasions and don't be afraid to resort to bribery if you're desperate!"

   Image courtesy of Jodie Griggs

   

5. It's Not About Equipment

   "Shoot with whatever you have, it doesn't really matter! Think more about things like composition, angles and lighting and less about how expensive your camera is," Griggs says.

   "When it comes to kids, the most important thing is simply having your camera, in whatever form that is, with you all the time!"

   Image courtesy of Jodie Griggs

   

6. Get Candid

   "Another thing that I like to do, if we're talking about casual, candid shots, is to try and refrain from too much 'directing' of a shot," Ford says.

   "I might ask for one posed or smiling shot, and then I will just quietly watch the child or children interact with themselves and the world around them, taking pictures as I see good moments happening..."

   Image courtesy of Jennifer Ford

   

7. Get Candid

   Ford continues, "Often times, my favorite photo ends up being one that has not been posed or overly controlled."

   Image courtesy of Jennifer Ford

   

8. Get Out and About

   "As the great photographer Elliott Erwitt once said 'Nothing happens when you sit at home,'" Griggs says.

   Image courtesy of Jodie Griggs

   

9. Get Out and About

   Griggs continues, "Simply taking the kids to the park, the beach or even on a family holiday is a great way to create wonderful new memories just waiting to be captured by you."

   Image courtesy of Jodie Griggs

   

10. Be Quick!

    "While staged photographs can be beautiful and haunting, it's often the more spontaneous moments that really capture the essence of what it is to be a child," Griggs says.

    "Look for these moments because they happen every day, but they're often fleeting, so you need to be quick!"

    Image courtesy of Jodie Griggs