So, a lot of us have got a bit of spare time on our hands at the moment, what with social distancing and all that!
And maybe you’ve been thinking to yourself “I really fancy taking some photos of the kids! This downtime with them is a perfect opportunity to capture some fun moments and memories, but I wish the photos were better”.
If you are trying to photograph your kids you might just recognise some of the symptoms (rolling eyes, pouting, screaming, crying) - and that’s just you!! The kids are at it too - not standing still for the camera, hiding under the bed - you get the gist!
I’m on your side…
Why won't they stand still and look cute? After all, we only want them to pose just for a minute.
What’s the big deal? Surely they’ll want these lovely photos to cherish forever? (They’ll appreciate them when they get older and you show them to their first boyfriend/girlfriend, won't they?!)
Yep, you’ve already thought it. NO, they don’t care about the photos! After all, they’re 2, 5, 6 . . . . . .11). Photo memories aren’t a priority for them at all.
So how can you get better photos of the kids and avoid photo burnout? (that’s you as well as the kids!)
Here are 7 simple tips to make things easier for you based on my experience (photographing children at weddings usually means they’re either over-excited, bored, or over-tired!)
Stay natural
Don’t feel the need to photograph them in a pose. Just let them do what they love and be nearby to capture that. More natural photos are the ones that you’ll tend to look back on with the fondest memories as it captures their true personality. Posed photos are too fussy and way too boooooring for kids! Embrace the mess and chaos.
Give your undivided attention
Give them your undivided attention. Then sneak in the camera/phone. They are so much more willing to entertain us, when they feel like they’ve had a good dose of attention!
Compliment them
Compliment them! Tell them how beautiful or strong they are, how nice their eyes are, how pretty that colour is on them (obviously, choose the appropriate phrase for their age etc!) This works surprisingly well.
Ask meaningful questions
While in front of the camera, ask them meaningful questions. What do they want to be when they grow up. Who is the kindest kid at school? What is the yuckiest dinner Mum/Dad makes? Who stuck that bogey on the back of the sofa?!! I’m sure you can think of plenty more…
Show as you go
Let them see the photos as you go along, so they can see what all the fuss is about. I do this for my clients and it works a treat!
Get lower down
As well as taking photos from your height, make the effort to get down to their height so that you change the perspective in the photo. Try taking some photos from the ground level - it can make a big difference to the outcome. Mix this up with photos from directly above with them looking up at you.
Sing!
Depending on their age (this works best with the younger kids), sing to them to catch their attention (yes, really!) You probably know already that if you ask a toddler to look at you there’s a fair chance they’ll ignore you. However, if you sing to them, almost without fail they’ll turn to look at you!
So there you have it! Seven quick tips to up your chances of getting great photos of the kids that you’ll be proud of!
If you’d like to find out a bit more about my photography, or if you have any questions just reach out - I’d love to hear from you.