Some people tell me that they envy that I have a good camera and good kids who would cooperate with me to take great photographs for my blog. The truth is I do not have an SLR or a professional camera. All I have is a Canon digital camera, and my kids are like any other kids – they fidget and move so much, it’s hard to catch a decent shot most of the time.
So what are some tips to taking nice and good photographs of your kids? I am not a pro, but I’ve been taking photographs of my kids every single day for the last 4 years, so I’ve gone through enough trials and errors to share with you. :)
1) LET THE LIGHT IN
As much as possible, do not use flash when taking photos. Always open a window to let the natural light come in, if you are indoors. Natural light always make photographs look more natural, and brings out the glow on your children’s faces. Outdoor shots are often the best.
2) USE COLOURS GENEROUSLY
Colors add interest to a photograph. If you can find colorful objects like soft toys, building blocks and story books to add to the surroundings, your photographs will turn out interesting. If it’s your kid’s favorite toy, you may even capture the spark in his or her eyes. Adds a lot of ‘soul’ to your photographs.
3) KEEP YOUR CAMERA HANDY
Always have your camera nearby so that you are ever ready to capture a scene or a moment. Children often do the most unexpected stuffs, and you want to be always ready to capture those funny fabulous moments. You don’t want to be caught unprepared. When it happened to me a couple of times before, I felt like knocking myself on the head. =P
4) WATCH YOUR KIDS’ MOODS
Yes even kids have their moods! I’ve realized that I could never get a good photograph if my kids are frustrated, tired or grumpy. They either whine non-stop, or fidget and move so much that I can’t even get a clear shot. The best time to take your kids’ photographs is when they are fed and well-rested. They will smile at your command!
5) THEY DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE CENTREPIECES
Again, this adds interest to your photographs. While it could be a natural instinct for most people to position their object of photography right in the centre of the lens, it does not always have to be so. In fact, when I take photographs of my kids, I sometimes conscientiously position them off focus or more to the right/left/top/bottom, just so that my photographs are more interesting. Shifting the angle slightly makes a lot of difference in the final image.
6) WATCH OUT FOR THE ‘STILL’ MOMENTS
The most common ‘bad’ photographs of children are the blur ones. They are common because children are just active by nature. They keep moving and fidgeting and when you click the button to shoot, they move and every shot turns out blurry. Especially if you use a digital camera like mine, where the shutter speed is retardedly slow. However, after a series of hyperactivity, there are bound to be pockets of ‘still’ moments and you need to be quick to click your camera button during those precious pockets in order to get clear shots. We’re playing the Fastest Finger game here.
7) SNAP SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE SHOTS
You’ll be surprised how different the shots turn out just seconds apart - The facial expressions, smile intensity and body language. This is especially applicable to taking photographs of young kids because they seldom freeze in one pose long enough. They also won’t delay the battling of their eyelids to wait for your click.
8) TAKE SHOTS OF THEM IN ACTION
While it’s nice and lovely to have shots of children posing and smiling at the camera, the great shots are often the natural shots – those catching the children in action doing something and unaware that the camera is shooting at them. Children are just so innocent and pure and those attributes are often reflected in the photographs. I have a soft spot for photograph showing kids staring in a certain direction (not at the camera) intently. In my opinion, it adds a lot of depth and personality to the photograph.
There you are! I hope you find them useful! =D
I like this post!! Great tips! :)
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