We’ve been in quarantine now for 5.5 weeks! It’s hard to believe, right?! Or is it!? I don’t even know anymore. One thing I know is that I miss taking photos of your children SO much. This is such an unprecedented time in our lives and I don’t want you to go through it without capturing any of it. Our grandchildren and great grandchildren will be learning about this in history class. So, I’ve compiled a short list of tips to help you take great photos of your kids while stuck at home. These can be used with either a cell phone camera or with a DSLR 🙂 Please feel free to email me with questions. I can also help with settings on your DSLR which is more tricky than a cell phone.
1. Let them be themselves.
If there is anything I’ve learned during all these years of capturing my own kids is that you will get the absolute best photos of them if you simply allow them to be themselves. What I usually do is I let them make silly faces then I say something like “oh gosh that is the silliest face I’ve ever seen” and in turn that gets them to laugh and I capture all of it from the silly face to the laughter that immediately follows. By letting them be themselves it guarantees real, authentic smiles and laughter and isn’t that what you’re looking to capture?! Try it yourself! Here’s a photo of Madden as an example. I had him lay down on chair with his head hanging back and told him to make the silliest face he could and immediately said something like “gross, never do that again” (because I know that he loves when things gross me out) and he gave me the best laugh that I was able to capture.
2. Get close to a window to allow for the best natural light
We all know that lighting is EVERYTHING when it comes to photos. Taking a bunch of photos of your kids in dimly lit rooms will not result in great photos especially if you’re not using a big camera and not using an editing software for post processing. Getting the lighting right in your camera will allow for great photos. We have a bunch of big windows in our home but my favourite is the one in our front living room. I love positioning the kids beside this window with the light hitting their face or cheeks (depending on how much light is coming through). Being beside windows also helps reduce any harsh shadows. Here is a photo in front of our big window. I love shooting here especially on cloudy days because it allows for such a great contrast between light and dark.
3. De-clutter your space!!!
When I do lifestyle photo sessions in my clients homes the first thing I tell them is “de-clutter”. While I love capturing authentic moments, they’re not always aesthetically pleasing with a bunch of stuff cluttering up the background as it takes away from the subject in the photo. Move the clutter temporarily, move furniture around if needed, it all adds to the capture. One of my favourite places to take photos is in our master bedroom. We get great light in the mornings but sometimes the space gets messy so before I start I always make the bed, take some pillows off the bed so it doesn’t look too busy and make sure our side tables are tidy. The other thing I always recommend when photographing in your bedroom is to put white sheets or comforter on your bed. White photographs really well and helps keep your photos looking clean and timeless. That is literally the reason I upgraded our bedding in the last few years…..and it was worth it for all the times I use my camera in this space.
4. Get down onto their level!
You will get much better photos if you’re down on their level (but don’t take photos up their nose). I always recommend directly on their level or looking down on them. This also allows you to have eye-level interactions with them if you’re on their level. This photo of Myles had both of us sitting on the ground and me shooting just *slightly* higher than his eyes. I also situated him with our patio door behind him allowing all that natural light to come through the blanket.
5. Golden hour is the best hour.
If you’re taking photos outside the best times to shoot are at sunrise or about an hour before sunset. That golden light you get from those two times makes your photos really aesthetically pleasing. Position your subject with the sun behind them (so you’re facing the sun) and if needed filter the sun using trees, houses, or even your subject. This photo of Myles beside our pool from last summer was taken at sunset. You can see the sun starting to set behind him and I used the houses to help filter the light. Too much harsh sun gives off harsh shadows and often makes your subjects squint resulting in less than great photos. Lighting is everything!
6. Follow the Rules of Thirds
It’s no secret that composition is a big factor when taking great photos. This rule involves dividing your image using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. The goal is to position the important part of your image (your subject in this case) along those lines or at points where the lines meet. This photo of Madden during our drive through the Lights display at Wesley Clover Parks is a perfect example. I kept him on the right side of the grid knowing I wanted to keep the lights and the general scene in the shot as well.
7. HAVE FUN.
Whether I’m photographing clients, friends or my own kids the main thing to keep in mind is to HAVE FUN. If I’m not having fun or if I’m stressed then the kids will be stressed too. Your kids will read your mood and if you have fun and allow them to have fun that will truly show in your photos. When I start getting frustrated or stressed or if the kids just aren’t into taking photos then I let it go. You also don’t have to set up every shot perfectly, I love getting candid shots of my kids when they’re having fun without really letting them know what I’m doing. Capturing everyday activities is a great way to truly document their ever changing faces and interests.
Have FUN with it Mamas, you will never regret taking photos of your kids and I hope these tips help you get some great photos of them during this crazy time.
Stay well and healthy xo
Mandy
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