5 Tips to Take Better Photos
- Stephanie Shanks
- Nov 23, 2016
- 4 min read
I get asked this question a LOT: “How do you get such natural shots of kids?” Great question. I might say “luck” because sometimes that has a lot to do with it. Do you ever find that when the camera comes out, the tears start? Do you find that as the camera comes out, they turn the cheese on? My kids do. It might have something to do with the fact that I’ve had a camera in their faces since they were born. Taking pictures of kids make up probably 75% of my photography business, and while it is ALWAYS a lot of fun, I have found a few tips and tricks that make the whole thing a lot smoother. And now I am sharing 5 of those tips with YOU!
This is probably the tip you will want to implement FIRST. Timing.
How fun would YOU be to photograph at 3am? Probably not much. Why? You’re tired and grumpy. Unless that is the look you’re going for, you will want to be sure that your child is well-rested and happy. YOU know what times would work best for your kids. When is their nap time? Have they been fed? The best times to photograph your kiddos is after a nap, after a snack. Sometimes you can’t control when the funny moments happen, but if you are planning a little photography time, plan the time around THEIR schedule. You’ll be so much happier with the results.
I don’t mean dancing (but, by all means – go for it!) I’m talking about getting DOWN on your knees, DOWN on your hands, DOWN on your tummy. If you want to capture the world from THEIR perspective, be prepared to get down and dirty. You will absolutely LOVE the shots you can capture from this angle. Lay THEM on their tummies, then YOU get down on YOUR tummy and start snapping away. Seeing you on your stomach often gets them giggling, too. It works even with those cranky kids a lot of the time
Unless you want the stinky “Cheese” pics where the kids look like a strangely happy deer in headlights, you will want to be capturing your child’s natural joyful expressions. When are they happiest? When they are playing! I think adults are the same way If you have large camera, like an SLR, it’s fun to “hide” your face behind it, then peek out with a “Peek-A-Boo!” This usually gets them smiling a few times. When I’m “hiding”, I’m actually getting the shot in focus, then when I “peek-a-boo!” I start snapping away. This normally only works a few times before the little ones get bored, so use it wisely! LOL! It’s also fun to play peek-a-boo with the child with them standing behind a tree, or post, or something similar that they can peek out around. Look around the space..I’m sure you’ll find some great ways to “play” and get some fun, happy shots! If they have siblings – perfect! Built-in-playmates. Use that! Oh, and if the kids are a little older…. making a sour face and exclaiming “Hey, who’s feet are so stinky?” also usually gets a good smile
I love using this tip, especially when photographing kids I’m only just meeting, though it works with my own, too. Ask them about school, their teachers, their best friend. Get them talking about their favorite super hero (or in my case – princesses!). After a minute or two, the kids will get lost in talking and you’ll get a lot of genuine expressions. Singing songs with them also works wonders. And if you can get them to dance? Even better!
Awww….isn’t that a cute picture of Joey? Or…wait….IS that Joey? Hmmm… can’t tell. He’s so FAR AWAY! I can’t stress this tip enough. FILL the frame with your subject. If the subject is your child…FILL the frame with your child. Now, if your subject is supposed to be that unique building in the background, move your child closer to YOU and you will still get to see the building AND the person standing in front of it. OR, fill the frame with the building if that is what you want to capture, however I don’t usually find that I look through my albums and exclaim “Wow, I sure love that building” as much as I think “I’m so glad I captured her expression at that moment – because it was gone so fast”. Don’t be afraid to clip off a part of the head, or crop out the legs – just fill the frame!
I hope these tips help you capture photos of your kids just a little better. I could have listed 100 tips, but this is a good start YOU know your kids and I think you are a pretty good judge of what will work for them. Have fun, experiment, and get your kids involved. Most importantly, always have a camera on hand to capture those candid moments. I’d much rather have a bad picture of a sweet moment, than no picture at all. Live life and capture as much as you can!
Happy shooting!
Do you have any tips to share? Email me at stephanie@stephshanks.com
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