Whether you want to capture memories of your children, or photography is your exciting new hobby, you want to take the best images you can. Photographing children though can be challenging.
When they grow up so quickly, it’s understandable that you want to follow their journey through images and immortalise those moments in pictures. Special occasions and photo shoots have to be photographed with efficiency when children are your subjects.
Keep reading for photography tips on how to get the perfect image of your children.
1. Plan Ahead
Make it easy on yourself and put some planning into your photo shoot. If you’re photographing someone else’s kids, then discuss it with the parents and make sure everybody is comfortable. If you’re photographing your own children then take them to their favourite place, somewhere they love.
Choose your locations and pick outfits ahead of time and take spares in case the little mischief-makers get into something messy. Maybe take wipes too just in case.
Plan your equipment and remember that outdoor lighting is better if you don’t have fancy lighting equipment.
2. Shoot at the Child’s Level
One thing you want to avoid is constantly towering over them. You can experiment with angles and take some shots from a higher viewpoint but remember that you’re taller. To get genuine reactions and capture real moments, you need to get down to their level.
Get down on that ground and start snapping.
3. Keep Them Entertained
You need to keep that kid happy. Once they get bored, you’re in trouble. That means keep the energy up, keep them amused. This is where props can come in handy. Their favourite teddy or some toys.
Make the photo shoot fun for them, and you’ll get smiles and joy rather than tears and tantrums.
4. Use Natural Light
The Beauty of natural light is you don’t have impatient kids waiting for you to fix your setup. Soft natural light gives a magical quality to your image, and sometimes getting them outside is just easier than keeping them in a studio.
If the sun is harsh then find the shade and if you have your heart set on photographing indoors but don’t have lighting equipment, then all you really need is a room with a window.
5. Natural Poses and Candid Shots
If you’re photographing a baby, then it’s up to you to set that pose up, but when it comes to older kids, then don’t discard the idea of not bothering with poses at all. Instead, aim for candid shots. You can still direct, but you’ll get more authentic pictures, by talking to the child and getting them to engage.
6. Be Patient
Odds are, it’s not the kids who want this photo shoot, and that means when they get bored and start getting distracted, you’re going to have to find your patience. That might mean acting silly to get the child smiling, but to get that photo, you need to keep smiling too.
7. Permission Granted
This one is specifically for photographers who want to photograph images of kids that aren’t theirs. It goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: You need the parent’s permission!
When you’re photographing children, the parents should be there, and they should be involved.
Photographing Children
Now you’ve read my top tips on photographing children, the only thing that’s left to do, is to grab your camera and start snapping.
Photography is the perfect way to document and journal your kid’s childhood. Once they’ve grown you’ve lost your chance, so make the most of their childhood and take those photos now.
If you enjoyed reading this article then you can read my blogs about being a romance author here, or take a look at some of my other posts on this website.