BY HELEN SCHRYVER (GUEST WRITER)
Everything’s a bit rubbish at the moment isn’t it? I can’t wait until I can get back to work with my camera again, capturing glorious everyday family life in my clients’ homes. I know I’m not the only mum trying to juggle home schooling with running a business or working from home too!
Having said that, these are as they say ‘unprecedented times’ .. that I guess we might want to remember in years to come! If you fancy a change from making banana bread why not grab your camera (or phone) and document this weird old time – if nothing else, the photos will be pretty interesting for your kids to look back on when they’re older.
To get you started, here are five top tips for taking photos of your children.
1). Get down low
My number one tip for instantly improving your photographs of younger kids is to get down on their level. Rather than shooting down on them from above, crouch down so you’re at an equal height and snap away. The same applies for babies too (yep, that often means lying down on your tummy!).
2). Don’t say “cheese”..
Ask a child around age 3 and up to “say cheese” and they’ll likely produce an especially fake and well.. “cheesy” grin reserved especially for when they’re asked to smile on cue! Aim for natural smiles and laughs – try capturing them running towards you for a hug, being tickled, or enjoying an ice-cream.
I also love capturing a child’s serious side. Here’s a particularly sulky pic of my daughter Olivia. I love this photo of her!
3). Shoot them just as they are
Forget the hassle of sprucing your kids up for family photos and capture them wild, free and even a little bit scruffy! It’s lovely to embrace the ‘realness’ of your family, just as you are. One of my favourite pics of my daughter is of her sporting her ‘post-beach’ look. Tangled hair, sand stained knickers and bare legs complete with grubby knees. Love.
4). When shooting indoors, use natural light where possible.
The flashes on mobile phones (and even the pop-up ones on expensive cameras) produce light so unflattering you’re honestly better off without them!
Indoors, try capturing photos near a large window whilst it’s still light outside for the best results. Worry less about what the surroundings look like, and more about the quality of light. Turn off that flash!
5). Get outdoors
Outside, you have plenty of options. A cloudy day gives a nice even light that’s easy to work with.
If it’s a sunny day, try holding out until an hour or so before sunset (termed ‘the golden hour’ for good reason) then snap away – you’ll have stunning golden sunlight that’s super pretty, and it’s less ‘squinty’ for your subjects than midday sun too!
Download 5 more bonus tips in my FREE guide here!
Top 10 Tips For Taking Photos of Your Kids In Lockdown
Do let me know how you get on with taking photos of your kids! I’d love for you to share your images with me on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @schryverphoto.
Good luck!
Helen x
P.S. Parents (particularly mums, myself included!) are usually guilty of spending all their time behind the camera and none in front of it. I know, you hate having your photo taken.. but don’t you cherish those old snaps of you as a child with your mum and dad? When they’re older, your children will love to look back on old photographs of you – you’re perfect in their eyes . Consider hiring a professional photographer – like me! – to capture all those perfectly real family moments.
My photo sessions are good fun! It’s just you as a family, hanging out and doing whatever you love (baking, playing games, wrestling, watching Disney films..), with me and my camera there with you to capture the magic.
We hope you enjoyed these top tips for taking photos of your children & thank you Helen for this amazing post! It is going to be so helpful to so many people!
Charity
I don’t have children, but these are great tips for taking photos of kids!