5 Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Kids

Take photos of your children

Mom’s I see you. With your iPhone at the ready or a fancy new camera in hand. You see those kiddos growing up way too fast and you want to remember every tiny bit of them. I get it, trust me I do. It doesn’t matter what camera you have in your hand you can take amazing photos of those Kiddos and I’m here to give you a few really simple tips to help you. The best camera you have in the one in your pocket…. As in the one in your hand. So if you have it, use it and use it well.  So here we go, use the simple tips the next time you want to capture your kiddos and be amazed at your abilities!

Get Down to Their Level

Ok, anyone can take a photo of a kid from the same angle we look at them daily, sure its cute but is it interesting? Probably not. Getting down on their level (yes, you may have to kneel or lay on your belly) to capture them from a new angle will make a huge difference in how they are seen in the frame. Suddenly you get a better view of that cute little nose or that tiny little mouth or oh gosh those big eyes or thick lashes! Looking for a new perspective is a game changer. If they are standing get low and make them look like the KING OF THE WORLD. Are they laying down? Lay down next to them and see them in a new way.  Are they in the crib? Crouch down and look at them through the bars. I promise this will make a huge impact on your images.

Good Light

If you learn nothing else, hear this. LIGHT is KING. You have to have good light to take a good photo. It doesn’t matter how fancy your camera is if you don’t have good light on your subject the image will look sad. Now I know you here this often and you are like “ok cool, but what does that mean” BEEN THERE. Lets start simple. Stick them in the open shade. Open shade will give you nice even light on your subject without crazy contrasting shadows to battle on their face. As you get more advanced you can play with light in different ways but for now stick to the open shade. If you are inside (I’ll do a whole post about this later) keep them lit by the window but not back lit by the window. Anytime you have bright light behind the subject especially indoors your little iPhone will have a hard time figuring out the right exposure to make their face look pretty. So keep it simple for now. Open shade, no backlighting (maybe someday I’ll do a post on how to back light you subjects and make it look nice).

Let Them be Themselves

Here is the thing. You love that kid for who they are right? Let them be themselves. How would they interact with that environment? Let them do it. How would they act in that situation? Let them do it. Your kid standing straight and looking right at you is 1) torture for them and 2) kinda boring. Let them move around, dance, jump, whatever. Just let them be themselves. Something will come through that you will love AND it will tell a better story.

Don’t Force the Smile

These two could be combined I guess. Don’t make the smile. Cause they probably won’t. They will either choose a silly face or just glare at you. You want them to smile? Tell them a joke. Make them laugh. Tickle them. I don’t care they are your kid. But once you get mad and force a smile, it won’t look genuine. Let them play, giggle, sing you a song whatever. Again, you will capture a very authentic and honest photo of your beautiful child.

Look for that Little Thing You Adore

What is that little thing that you absolutely adore about your kid. Is is that thing they do with their hands or the way they scrunch their nose when they tease you? Think about what it is that your child does in this season that you say, “he does that ALL the time and I just think its the cutest” He may grow out of that cute little quirk, so see if you can capture it. Again, this will help you preserve a memory of that kid that is so totally them you will be ecstatic.Thats it! Super simple right?! Biggest take away, get on their level, find good light, and let them be them. You will be so surprised how much this can transform your little snaps of those adorable little kids.