How to take good pictures of your kids

Do you have too many bad pictures?

Unhappy kids. Ugly lighting. And that annoying reflection of the flash!
Pictures like these can make a parent throw away the camera, but have no fear.
You CAN take terrific photos of your kids!

Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind:

Hint # 1) If possible, photograph them outside.

Shooting outside eliminates the need for a flash.
Natural light is much more flattering than incandescent bulbs.

Rule #2) Vary the composition of your photographs.

Go ahead and take profiles of your kids.
They don’t have to be looking into the camera.
Let them be themselves, and you’ll capture some beautiful expressions.

Hint #3) Talk while you’re taking pictures.

Standing in front of a camera can make people feel ill at ease.  Reassure them.
Tell them that you’ll only print the shots that make them look good.

If you want to capture laughter, be prepared to tell a silly story.
Reminisce about something that will have her laughing.
Confess an embarrassing moment from your youth.
Unfortunately, I have plenty of these stories.

I also tend to say stuff like:  ”Let’s talk about boys” or “Who invented bubble gum and why?” Goofy questions provoke frowns, smirks, and eye rolls that I like to capture for posterity.

Hint #4) Get down on the floor.

Kids lounge on the floor all the time.
They’re comfortable there.

Go ahead and join them!
A comfortable kid makes a terrific picture.
Good luck getting back up…

Hint #5) If you’re taking a portrait, try to fill the frame with the face of your subject.

When we look at someone, we concentrate on their faces.
Shooting pictures the same way just looks…right.

The next time we focus on photography, we’ll talk about striking a pose!

Say “cheese!”

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