Quick Tips for Photographing Your Kids at Home
By Bryn Huntpalmer
Look around on your social media and you’re bound to find photos of your friends and their families taken during very elaborate professional photo shoots. Some families get these pictures taken every year, and sometimes multiple times throughout the year for themed shoots involving their child’s activities like soccer or ballet. I’ve even seen them for various stages of a pet dog’s life! Don’t get me wrong, these photos are typically great. The family portrait has come a long way since the standard Olan Mills portrait days. But is it really necessary to involve a professional for all of our photos? Hire a photographer and you’ll be paying for the time they spend with you, the editing process, and any pictures that you want to purchase. It can add up fast! Here are some simple tips from Modernize for photographing your children at home that will help you save money while still preserving precious memories.
Via DPS
Don’t Force It: Fake smiles and posed photos are no fun. Plus, if you’re chasing your children around the house trying to document every moment of their development, they’ll probably end up fleeing every time you bring out the camera. Try to catch your children in quiet moments, when they are naturally interacting with family members, friends, or discovering new things on their own. These candid shots provide you with the opportunity to take a snapshot of real life. In years to come, those are the memories that you will really cherish.
Via DPS
Get on Their Level: I’ve heard this advice about kneeling down to talk with children, and it makes perfect sense for photographing them as well. By getting closer to your child’s height, you allow her to look straight into the camera, almost like she is making eye contact with you. Play around with angles and perspective and you’ll be documenting memories from your child’s point of view, too.
Use the Camera on Your Phone: Cell phone cameras have come a long way and though they may not be as good as a professional grade camera, they are inexpensive and perfect for taking a picture of a spontaneous moment. They also have a stealth factor, so your kids may not even know you’re documenting a precious moment! If you’re using an iPhone, use the regular camera that you can access from the lock screen in order to take pictures quickly.
Via The Pho.to Blog
Use Burst Mode to Capture Action: Ever notice that in almost all of those professional shoots, at some point, someone is tossing fall leaves into the air? No matter what time of year! You can capture the same type of action by putting your camera on burst mode–taking up to 10 pictures per second. You never know the gem that you may find as your children jump in the pool, race each other in the lawn, dance to their favorite song, or reel in their first fish.
Via Wookmark
Experiment with Black and White Photography: You can significantly change the mood of a photo, while also creating stunning artwork for your home by taking pictures in black and white. If there are too many competing colors and images in a photo or if a landscape is overwhelming, shooting in black and white can focus attention to the subject of the photo, your child.
Get in the Picture, Too! It is difficult to find pictures of my own mother because she was always taking the pictures when I was growing up. Don’t let that happen to either parent. Enlist friends and extended family to capture natural moments of you with your children. Your children will be so grateful for the memories when they are older.