7 tips to take better photos of your children with your phone
As you are spending more time with your family with the new Lockdown, and until family photo sessions can resume, I’d love to make sure you keep a visual memory of this weird/strange/annoying/crazy/beautiful/crappy year that is 2020.
Everyone can take photos of their children on their phone but some parents would like to know what to look for when taking photos of their family and this is why I’m sharing with you my 7 tips to be more confident with your phone camera to create photos that look artistic and worth sharing with others.
The tips I am sharing with you in this guide should help you change the way you see your children. Through your camera, you will start spotting things you wouldn't have otherwise.
I hope this will help you get more confident behind your camera. Photography is about observation, patience and perseverance.
You've got this. Let’s begin…
Get to their level
Little people see the world differently than us, grown ups, so bend those knees or lie down to see the world the way they do.
They will interact with you in a different way so you won't stand like the figure of authority anymore. It will also allow you to capture their facial expressions sometimes better than if you were standing up pointing the camera down at them.
2. Change your point of view
This is simply about observing a scene and moving around it. Getting closer and stepping away. You will quickly start noticing the difference in your photos..
The subject, your child, is the same but the angle is different, which means you're telling a different story each time.
Take the example below: there is only one child and one bench. That said every photo is focusing something different: the look on his face, the environment (here, Stonehenge), the giggle while climbing on the bend or the details on his hands. Your turn now!
3. Don’t give up
Observe your kids patiently and notice when they repeat the same actions. Then get ready.
It's often a question of timing. Keep taking photos until you get the right photo with the expression you were hoping to capture.
It doesn't always work but don't give up and keep trying.
4. Look for the natural light
You don't need artificial light when you have the sun.
The main thing you need to be aware of is where is the source of natural light in the room and where does the light starts dropping off. Inside your home, as you can easily understand, the further away you stand from the source of light, the less light you will get on your child's face. Being near a window will help tremendously. Perhaps get your kids to play closer to the window to get some cute shots of them playing while you snap away....
And outside, look for the pockets of light, they’re everywhere.
5. Don’t say “Cheese”
Break with your old habits of shouting 'Say cheese' when you want a 'pretty' photo of your kids. Fake smiles have never made good pictures.
If you are like me, 'pretty pictures' don't say much about your children apart that they can force a smile upon request. What you really want is their true personality. Even the moody or serious one. They will give you a smile when they're ready and soon forget about the camera.
6. Look for clean backgrounds
A great way to get the focus on your children is to look for a background with limited visual distractions.
At home, look for a wall near a window (remember point 4!), and interact with your children while you take photos. They will be distracted and they will give you photos where they stand out. Outside, look for big open spaces (a beach, a wide park...).
7. Be always prepared
The funniest or sweetest moments sometimes happens when we least expect them. As a photographer, you need to anticipate those moments.
You know your children better than anyone else so you know their cheeky habits or the look in the eyes before being silly. Follow your gut and grab your camera, ready to 'trigger' the shot.
How do you feel now about taking photos yourself? It’s more about the thinking process than the final result itself (that comes with time and practice).
You can start your own photo project around special moments in your family life: decorating the Christmas tree, walking the dog, your children’s morning routine, etc… It’s endless.
Please share your photos with me, I’d love to see them. Tag me on Instagram or Facebook or use the hashtag #marionphototips.
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If you love the idea of having professional family photos but you or your partner are worried the photographer will make you pose all the time and that your children will have to be well-behaved at all times, download this guide. It will show you 13 ways to look and feel relaxed on a family photoshoot (such as play, read a book, dance together…) so you can have authentic and heart-warming photos of your family.
Marion & You Photography is a photographer in South London specialising in family, newborn and baby photography.