TIPS FOR TAKING GREAT PICTURES OF YOUR KIDS

I think I speak for most Moms when I say that preserving memories of our children is something very important to us and photographs are probably the most popular way to do that. I don't know any Mommy that doesn't love having lots of pictures of their kids. As a professional photographer, I am in a position to give some helpful hints as to how you can get the best shots so you'll have really interesting images to keep, display, and cherish. You don't have to have any experience or fancy equipment. Whether you're using your camera phone, a point-and-shoot or an expensive DSLR, these tips will help you take better pictures of your little ones.

1. Pay Attention to the Light

I recommend using natural light as often as you can. By natural I mean using flash only when necessary and relying on what's there. Shooting with no artificial light at all (lamps, and overhead lights) is best but at night and in certain indoor situations of course, you will need them to an extent. Here is a good example of flash versus natural light:

Both of those images are completely unedited. In the first one (top) a flash was used. The picture looks harsh and there are hard shadows. In the second image (bottom) no flash was used. The image looks much softer, more flattering, and natural. 

Some ways that you can increase the light in a setting so that you don't have to use a flash is by keeping shades and curtains open, bringing your kids closer to windows and doors or having them get close to white walls, mirrors, water and other light-reflecting surfaces.

If you're shooting your kid outdoors, the most flattering light is going to be in the morning before 10am or in the evening after 5pm. Between those times, the sun is overhead and can cast harsh shadows on your child's face and put a lot of contrast into your images. There is a easy fix though-Bring them to some shade. You can move them under a tree, up against a wall, beneath playground equipment, ect. 

My last note about light is that it is also fun to play around with shadows when you photograph your child. Below is a picture of my daughter in the shadows of her window blinds:

2. Get Down on the Same Level as Your Child

When you get down on the same level with your child, you see the world from their viewpoint and you can capture their faces head-on, as they would see themselves when they look in a mirror. Next time you are taking snaps of your little ones, go ahead and get right down on the grass or floor with them; It changes the whole shot. Here are some examples:

3. Shoot from Directly Above Them

Yes, this is in direct opposition to the previous rule but, getting great shots of your kids is more likely to happen when you try all sorts of angles and while we are usually already shooting them at a slightly downward angle because of the height difference, I'm talking about standing very close to them ad aiming the camera directly down so they have to look way up at you. This also makes for interesting shots. Here are some examples:

4. Seek Out More Than A Smile

Kids have a wide arrange of emotions just like all of us and they come with many faces. A good picture isn't always about catching the perfect smile. After about two years old, most kids that I shoot have trouble giving a natural smile on-command. When shooting kids, try to get them to laugh instead, but even if you can't, lots of other expressions are worthy of a place in our hearts, even if it's a crying baby or one who's irritated. We will still look back at these and be glad we took them, because these emotions and faces are a part of who our kids are. A client of mine has a young son who has a dashing go-to expression when he's asked to smile. He calls it his, "handsome eyes." While it may not be the traditional portrait smile, his Mom and I think it is adorable and it puts a smile on our faces every time he does it. Here are some examples of some not-so-smiley keepers:

5. Make Sure You end up in Some Shots Too

Moms are so bad about this one. We take tons of pictures of our kids because we want to preserve those memories. But so much of their childhood revolves around the most important person in that part of their lives-US! Mommies are a huge part of childhood memories and yet so many of us neglect to take pictures WITH our kids. My mother passed away three years ago. While I certainly enjoy seeing pictures of myself growing up, the percentage of the pictures she left behind that actually had her in them was almost negligible. When I ask Moms if they're going to be in any of their kid's portraits too, oftentimes they scrunch their faces up and say things about being overweight, or not having makeup on. In the grand scheme of things, when we pass on and leave these images to our children, they are not going to look at pictures of us and say , "Gosh Mom was chunky" or "She really should've swiped on some lipstick." One day, your kids will want as many images of you as they can get their hands on. I really wish my Mother would've allowed herself to be photographed more. Make a point of taking at least one picture with your child every time they are in front of the camera., even if you've gained weight, or feel like you don't look so hot. This goes for Dads too. Put the camera on a tripod or hand it to someone else. This is especially important at Holidays and birthday parties.

6. Shoot Some Extreme Close-Ups

Go ahead and get close-Very close! Get right up on your kid's face and shoot away! Also, be sure to shoot all the little details like hands, feet, noses, Ect. Many people do this for babies, but it's great for older kids too. Think about shots like their shoes while they ride on  a skateboard, or their hand wrapped around a pencil while they do homework. Getting a close crop of your child also helps to eliminate background clutter. We have kids-There's gonna be stuff laying around our homes, and in our shots. That is a fact of life in homes with children and all the stuff in our rooms can really clutter a photo. By keeping a shot limited to your child's face, you save yourself from having to straighten-up before you pull your camera out. Details and close-ups really round-out a photo collection:

7. Integrate Some Color!

I like lots of color in general but for pictures with children in them, I think the more color you have the better. I think we naturally think of kids as being colorful and vibrant anyway so it just makes sense to me to infuse my shots with color. Dress your kids in colorful clothes, and place them in front of a painted wall, on green grass, in front of a colorful fence or hand them something with a standout color, like a vibrant toy, or a nice orange to eat, or a pretty flower. Don't be afraid to have many different colors in one shot-Matching is not necessary when photographing kids! 

8. Have Your Camera Ready

This one seems like common sense right? But how many times has your kid been in the middle of doing the cutest thing ever and you realize that your camera is on the other side of the house, or the batteries are dead, or the card is full? By the time you get it ready to shoot, the moment has long since passed. Keep your camera in the room with you at all times. Keep it charged, and empty the card as soon as it gets even close to being full. Bring it from room-to-room with you and throw it in the trunk wherever you go, even if you don't plan on using it necessarily. The more shots you take, the better you'll get at shooting, the more images you'll have to choose from, and the greater the likelihood that you'll catch amazing, once-in-a-lifetime moments. People always talk about how I have so many amazing pictures of my daughter. Yes, part of that is because this is what I do for a living, however, as of today, my daughter is a couple of weeks shy of one-years-old, and I have over 8,000 images of her. When you take that many pictures, you're bound to have lots of good ones. Having your camera on-hand is crucial for capturing those candid moments that are just more interesting than posed portraits:

9. Do Something With Your Images

Now that you've put all that effort into making sure your camera is always nearby, shooting tons of pics, trying new angles, hopping into a few shots yourself  and more, you have to put the images to good use. Take them off of your card and put them on your computer. Share them online, order or make your own prints and frame them or put them in albums, order a custom photobook, ect. So many people take al these pictures and then the images stay on a camera or on a hard drive in their computers. It is so easy and cheap now to order prints online at places like Shutterfly or to walk into Walmart or CostCo. Almost any printer on the market today can easily print up to a 5x7 and usually 8x10 as well with enough quality that they can be framed and hung on the wall. There is no end to the number of custom items that you can put pictures on, from tote bags to mugs, mouse pads, shirts, pillows, keychains and even laptop and cell phone covers. It is very easy to upload images online, print them at home, order custom items and more. Please take the time once a month or so, to use the images you've shot so that they can be enjoyed! 

10. Always Use Backup

Take images off your camera in a timely manner and immediately create a second set to be saved on CD's, flash drives, external hard dives, cloud-sharing, any separate location apart from where you already keep your images and access them. Accidents happen, devices can be damaged or stop working, and it would be devastating to loose all your family images because there is no backup. Pictures are the first thing people talk about saving when a house is on fire. Be sure you have duplicate images in case of something happening to the first set, and you may even consider storing the backup somewhere outside your home.