Kids grow up so quickly and while we are often left with countless memories, most parents have only a drawer packed with school photos, blurry holiday snaps and
forced grin of inevitable yearly birthday picture to account for years gone by. It’s time to stop bemoaning latest photograph of your thumb obscuring your adorable baby and get on with improving your skills as a photographer.
Why should you bother when near-by mall has a perfectly good photo studio, you ask? Photographing children poses specific challenges but yields numerous rewards.
While it can be frustrating when you miss that spontaneous moment, it is also highly satisfying when you manage to capture joy in their faces as they dance in summer’s first sun shower. Capturing day-to-day moments will provide a treasure trove of memories that you will cherish forever.
As well, your own images take on a more personal feel and a more meaningful connection, something that can never be achieved in a generic mall photography studio.
Follow these easy steps and immediately improve your snaps of kids.
Making The Unusual Usual
Friends with children often say to me “My child always pulls faces for camera and I can’t get a picture without little Johnny sticking his tongue out and crossing his eyes.” Kids --and many adults as well-- are prone to hamming it up for camera, however, they will be more natural if camera is a part of their everyday life instead of brought out once or twice a year. By making it a regular part of their lives, it will increase comfort level and encourage portraits that are more natural. Try bringing out camera once or twice a week and focusing it on your kids. They will become accustomed to having it around and it will give you a chance to practice your technique, too. And, if they still clown around for camera, get into swing of things and enjoy it. Little monkey faces are a part of childhood!
Kids’ Eye View
As adults, we look one another in eye and photograph our friends at eye level. Do same for your children. Bend down on one knee or sit on floor to get a picture that reflects a child’s perspective. To add a little excitement, have fun playing with perspective by shooting image from ground up. Lie down on ground and taking a picture from that viewpoint. Suddenly toddlers become giants and we can witness world as they see it, by looking up.
Patience, Patience!
Small children have a limit of two or three minutes before they become bored with Mummy or Daddy’s photo session. The urge to run off and play becomes just too much! Don’t force kids to stay in one place for long, unless you like pictures of sullen little faces. If you are taking a formal portraiture-style photo be sure to plan ahead for best possible results. Check your batteries, make sure there is film in camera and if you are using a digital camera see that there is space on memory card. Provide your toddler or small child with a prop, like a ball or a favourite toy to help create a more natural expression, instead of one that says, “Just hurry up and take my picture, Mom!” Keep it fun and stress-free.
