Being able to photograph children well is a photographer’s dream. Children have a natural charm which really comes across well on camera, so getting those incredible shots shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, in theory.
However, in practice, photographing your kids can be a tricky affair and you may feel as though you’re out of your depth when trying to get those perfect shots.
Luckily, there are some hints and tricks that can really help you out when you’re taking pictures of your kids – keep reading for 3!
Get your timings right
Children’s energy levels are fascinating; one moment they’ll be full of beans and the next they’ll be throwing a tiredness induced tantrum. Because of this, planning your photography time around their schedule is essential for getting those quality pictures.
We spoke to Filming With Kids who said: “If your kids are still having regular naps, it’s really important that you don’t try to photograph them during the time when they would usually be asleep or you could just be taking photos of a grizzly child.”
“Pay attention to the periods of the day where your kids’ energy levels are at their highest – that’s the best time to photograph them.”
It should also go without saying that your children shouldn’t be hungry, thirsty, or bored during the photography session. Regardless of who you’re photographing, they shouldn’t be uncomfortable in any way and this is especially the case for children.
Keep snacks, drinks, and toys on hand during your session and you should be onto a winner.
Don’t be afraid to be silly
As adults, many of us are afraid to lose our inhibitions and act silly but, in these instances, it’s great to take a leaf out of our kids’ books and embrace our inner child.
Playing games, acting goofy, and having fun behind the camera is a great way to help your kids to enjoy having their photos taken and you’re more likely to get shots of those coveted cheesy grins, so let loose and have a little bit of fun.
If you’re lacking some inspiration for fun games to play with your kids when photographing them, you can find some ideas here.
Get down to their level
One of the most important things you can do to get the perfect shots of your kids is to get down to their eye level. Depending on how small your children are, you may choose to do this in a few ways; two effective methods are bending down or lying on the floor.
Similarly, when you’re photographing more than one child, aim to make yourself at the level of the taller child (unless they’re especially tall, in which case have the taller child bend down to the height of the smaller child).
If you want to exaggerate the size of your little ones, try getting your camera below their eye level and angling your camera upwards.
For more tips on how to photograph children well, read this article.
