"Kids can do the darndest things!" Everyone likes to take pictures of their children? Have you taken pictures of your kids when they are doing something really cute, and the pictures just didn't come out like you expected them to? Anyone who has children has taken tons of photos of them. You want to catch all of those cute little things they do. Taking really good pictures of little children is no easy task. Here are a few tips on how to take better pictures of your kids.
· Keep Your Camera Ready - Keep you camera in a handy location. You never know when you are going to see that first smile, their first steps or just anything adorable! You don't want to miss that special moment because you can't find your camera, or your battery is dead. Be sure that you keep your battery charged up and have plenty of room on your memory card or plenty of film on hand.
· Candid Shots - Little children usually don't like to sit still and pose for pictures. If you try to make them, they are not going to be wearing their "happy face" when you do get ready to take the picture. You want your kids to be happy and smiling when you take their picture. The best shots are usually candid shots. Give them something they like to play with. Their favorite toy or stuffed animal usually works great. Bubbles are great for kids of almost any age! If you have a family pet, let them sit with them in the picture. Now they are happy and are smiling!
· Vary Your Shots - Move around and get shots from different angles. Get down on their level. Position yourself so you can get eye to eye with them. Then try lying down on the floor and take some pictures shooting up at them. Remember to take your vertical shots as your full body shots and your close-up shots should be horizontal. How many times have you taken a picture of your child and said, "Look at mommy." Some of your better shots are going to be those where they are not looking directly at you. Take your pictures while they are looking at something other than the camera. See if you can get somewhere between full face and profile. Of course, you can't resist when they do look at you, and I'm not saying those would not be good pictures. Just don't take them all that style.
· Get In Close - I think not getting in close enough, is one of the most common errors people make when taking pictures of their children. You don't want a picture of a room full of kids, you want a picture of your child! If you have zoom capabilities on your camera, don't forget to use it! Zoom lenses are great for taking pictures you're your kids. With a zoom lens, you don't have to be up in their face or so close that you are "in their way". Stand back a little and use your zoom, focus on their eyes and facial expressions.
· Edit With Your View-Finder - Really look through the view- finder before you snap that picture. Look at the background. Does is compliment you picture? You don't want a lot of, what I call, the "junk" in the picture, it will take away from your subject. Try to have a "clean" background. Here is another good use for your zoom lens. By zooming in close, you will also be able to blur out most of the background, which will make your subject stand out. Look at the lighting in your picture also. If there is a really bright light in the background, like a window, the foreground will probably be too dark. Rather than have to adjust the camera settings, move around so the window is not in the background. Try to keep the lighting in the picture fairly even.
· Simple Props - You don't need to run out and buy a lot of "stuff" to use as props. Keep it simple. Big bright bows for the girls, or maybe you have a frilly hat or scarf. Maybe they have a big stuffed animal they can be sitting beside. For the boys, try one of daddy's caps or hats. Little boys are always adorable in an over sized cowboy hat or maybe something from their Halloween costume! The family pet also makes for a great prop.
· Take Lots of Pictures - If you are using a digital camera, it doesn't matter how many pictures you take, you can just delete the ones you don't like. Just keep taking those pictures! The more pictures you take the better the chance of you getting those "wow" photos that you are going to want to show off.
Now go have some fun with your kids! Taking pictures can be a great time to inter-act with your children and spend some quality time together! I hope you have given you some good information with my tips on how to take better pictures of your kids. Happy shooting!
Sheila Brown is an experienced nature photographer who enjoys writing articles to help the amateur photographer improve their photography experience. See her nature photo gallery at http://www.shopbeautifulnaturepictures.com/.
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