How To Take Better Photos of Your Kids (with or without a “real” camera)

How To Get Amazing Shots Of Your Kids Without All The Hassle

It’s no secret I LOVE taking photos of my kids. Whether it’s with my DSLR or my IPhone, I’m always snapping away to ensure I never miss a moment! While every situation, moment & child are different, I’ve gathered some tips to help you get those “scroll-stopping”, smile inducing images without upsetting those kiddos!

First things first, LET THEM BE KIDS.

Sometimes (most times) the best photos come from just letting your kids do their thing, play & interact with the world around them. Telling them to sit still, look at the camera & say cheese is most likely going to end up with some pushback. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to get them to sit still, fix every little detail & it ends in tears & frustration. While I am a sucker for those sweet, perfectly posed photos, wait until the end! Start out with something fun! Have them dance or twirl, smell a flower, tickle their sibling, have a race! Something to interest them and make it fun before you force them to sit still.

Lighting Makes All The Difference

Try to move around to find the best even natural light. When inside, I like to take photos of them with the light in front of them, from a door or window. The goal is to have light in their eyes. This is called a “catch-light”. It instantly brightens up your image and brings life to the photo.

When outdoors, making sure there isn’t a glare from the sun helps give the photo more contrast & depth. Just moving slightly can help avoid a haze on your images.

Play With The Settings & Angles

With IPhones, sometimes just changing to Portrait Mode or using the .5 Zoom can drastically change the outcome of your images. While I’ll argue until I’m blue in the face about DSLRs always being better than an iPhone, you can still get some pretty cool shots.

Changing your angle can make a big difference as well. By moving around, getting on their level, even flipping your phone upside down & tilting up to capture more of the sky can make a photo stand out from the rest.

Editing Is Not Cheating

Editing & brightening up a photo is almost a must. It’s my favorite part! Try messing with your settings on your iPhone or download Lightroom mobile. You could even grab a few presets off Etsy to get you started. I usually like to brighten, up the contrast, lower shadows, & add some warmth & vibrancy.

Have Fun & Enjoy The Moment

With all that said, just remember to have fun, don’t stress too much on making them sit still & smile or the “perfect shot” because all art is perfect! And that’s what photos of your children are, ART.

—Hope