Photographing Your Kids

Before You Begin
1. I like to ask permission to take their picture before I begin taking photos. I have found that kids, just like adults like to feel in control, having someone in your face taking pictures can be intimidating for anyone, so I try my best to let them know what we will be doing throughout the shoot. I have never had them say no when I ask permission but, I come prepared with a little wrapped surprise for them to open after we are all finished with the shoot.




Smiles

A "cheese" smile

2. Have fun with your photo shoot! I try my best to avoid "cheese" it really does not produce authentic smiles. I find a relaxed child will produce more authentic smiles. I like to chat about things that are interesting to them, tell jokes or ask to see silly faces and then keep snapping, often you will end up with a truly genuine smile immediately after they tell a joke or make a silly face.






Take Your Time
3. Do not be in a hurry, kids need breaks! I like to take time for snack breaks, dance breaks or just take a second to put down the camera and sing a favorite song. I also like to bring along a "kid" camera, and let them take some photos of me.






Scenery
4. It is a beautiful time of year to get outside and take photos. The fall leaves can make a  beautiful back drop for your photos, just be sure to check for distractions before you begin shooting. Make sure to scope out your scene for litter, park signs or other possible distractions before you begin shooting.






Have Some Fun

puddle stomping

5. It is a good time of year to get creative with your photos. Take your kids outside in their rain boots after the rain stops for some puddle jumping. Rake up a big pile of leaves and take some fun action photos while your kids jump in the leaves. Let your kids show off their personality, encourage play time.






Turn Off Your Flash
6. Try to use natural light whenever possible, dawn or dusk is your best chance for ideal natural light. The best way to get a great photo in natural light is to experiment with different angles and find the light that you like the best, different angles will produce a different feeling. Avoid sun spots on your subject and do your best to keep them out of your photo all together. Also be careful not to face your child directly in the sun to avoid a scrunched up squinty face. If you must shoot mid day, do your best to find a building or trees to block the sun's glare.






Get Close

beautiful face

7.My personal favorite photos are close up's of my kids. I love every little detail of their cute little faces. These photos are often the ones that end up on our walls and in frames around our house. So, get in there really close and focus on their eyes.








Blurry or Out of Focus Photos?

8.The simplest way to make sure your subject is in focus is to let your camera work for you. When you are taking a photo make sure to hold down on your shutter release button half way and let your camera focus, it will likely place a dot or a square on the point of focus make sure your subject is in that square and then continue to press down your shutter release button the rest of the way. A common cause of blur with kids is that the child moved while the shutter was open. This is usually due to to a slow shutter speed because of low light where the photo is being taken. In this case the easiest fix is to use your flash or bring in more light, this will increase the shutter speed and prevent the blur. 

Griffin Lohn Smith

Look who I got to hang out with this morning. He is more than just a little cute and he sleeps for 10-11 hours a night. His mom is one lucky lady!