As parents, of course we want to take lots of pictures of our children and capture everything! Doesn't it stink when you want to take a picture to preserve that specific moment and the picture doesn't turn out as you want it?
I know the feeling. We've all had it happen. Below are some tips and tricks for all parents on all devices, including cameras and phone photography.
1. Get in close. The reason you want to get close to your child when taking a picture is so that they are the center of attention. Minimize background distractions by making them the largest object in the photo.
This photo was taken on an iPhone, far away from my daughter. Notice the background distractions, including a passerby!
Much better! A close-up iPhone photo reveals no background distractions, just my lovely daughter!
2. Stand them a couple feet in front of your background. When taking photos, it's best for you to pull your child a few feet away from the background that you are having them stand in front of. This is to get that luscious blur on the background, making your child in focus. This helps contrast them from their surroundings.
3. Don't tilt your camera or take pictures from odd angles. The best photography is natural photography. Stand directly in front of your child and tilt your camera on a vertical or horizontal plane. Side tilted photos make it harder to focus on the subject of the picture.
4. Get down on their level. Bend down and get eye level with them. When you're taking a picture directly above the subject, it makes them look smaller. Plus, when you take a picture at their level, you get more focal connection, making their eyes pop!
Notice how small she looks in this photo where I took the picture from above her!
Perfect! I knelt down to get on her eye level, so that she looks proportionate.
5. Timing. The early morning, about an hour after sunset, or during "golden hour" is the best lighting to take pictures in. Golden hour is about one hour before evening sunset. This light is the softest and most flattering, also eliminating harsh shadows.
6. Shade! I know that soft lighting isn't always possible. A lot of the time we want to take pictures during a day outing, when the sun is bright bright bright! It's okay- you can make this work. Though the light is harsh, shade is usually available somewhere nearby. Shade will allow soft lighting on your subject, also keeping harsh light from shining in their eyes.
7. Invest in Yourself! If you have a nice camera, invest in yourself and learn how to use it. Courtney at Click it Up a Notch has a free guide that could help you get started and also offers some great beginners courses. YouTube is also a great resource for photographers at any level, as it has thorough free tutorials on every topic!
8. Learn How to Use Your Phone Camera. If you're using your phone to take pictures, there are tips and tricks to improve your pictures, too! Did you know that if you are taking a photo with your iPhone, if you click on the focusing box there is a little scale to the right of the box that you can move up and down to make your photo brighter or darker? This can improve photos by ensuring they are properly lit. Another tip is to utilize your burst mode. If you hold down the photo button it will shoot in burst mode and take multiple photos. Then, you can later go through them later and pick the best one. For more iPhone camera tips, click here.
9. Be creative! Photos aren't exactly as they seem. If you see a small flower bush, putting your subject closer to the bush will make it seem like a flower field!
This may just look like the dirty side of the road, but I saw flowers, and that means opportunity!
This is that same dirty old side of the road taken minutes later with my Canon 6D. Pretty magical, huh? Be creative!
As we found out last week in Hawaii, sometimes it's easier to hire a photographer. Photographer sessions are nice to have once in a while to ensure photos turn out well. Of course photographers can't be there every day, so enjoy these tips in improving the photography of your children!
To book a children's session, click here!
