5 tips for taking better photos of your kids!
If you're like me, you're an active user of Facebook and Instagram and you're bombarded with beautiful photos of children and babies. It's taken me a while to figure out how to get such great photos of my own child - there are definitely some tips and tricks I've learnt along the way to help you take better photos of your baby and/or child!
1. Get in close
Close up photos of your baby's hands and feet is one of the easiest ways to record how tiny they are, especially for newborns! Hold your new baby's hand or cup their feet to frame the shot and add a reference point. Imagine holding your 3 year old's hand and looking at those photos and comparing how they've grown... nawwwwww cute!
♥️
♥️
Another great idea is to do the hand holding photo every year and create a whole series of images to show how you have both grown together.
Can you do this with just your phone? Let's face it, not many parents have the time to grab their fancy DSLR out when their kid does something cute (I know I don't!).
On your iphone you can get the depth of field effect (where the thing in the foreground is clear and the thing in the background is blurry) by tapping on the screen to focus the camera on the thing you want clear, or by using the portrait mode.
In this case it might be your child's hands, feet or sweet little sleepy smile. It's slightly hard to achieve with children than move quickly! I need to use my DSLR to get a good photo of my toddler because she moves so quickly and is very aware of my phone and that I'll be taking photos.
♥️
♥️
♥️
Cropping images and adding a filter (such as a black and white filter) can really help frame the image and still give a sense of the child. Choose a location with good light, a nice light coloured blanket (maybe a playmat, wrap or muslin, sheepskin or your favourite while bed cover) get your baby comfy and get snapping!!
The better the light, the better the base image will be. You'll only need minimal editing in your favourite app, and you're ready to get printing and sticking in your Monochrome Baby Book!
2. Get up high
Getting up high is a great way to capture full body shots of your small baby (especially before they crawl), and it's also a wonderful way to capture the every day activities of your toddler and child.
♥️
♥️
What to do: hold your phone or camera directly above your child (hold on tight!! No-one wants to drop their phone on their baby!!).. and snap away! I use this technique a lot when my toddler is drawing or painting to get a sense of her world and what she is seeing. It's also a great way to get good photos of babies before they crawl (and particularly newborns, before they're strong enough to hold up their head).
♥️
♥️
♥️
♥️
Don't be afraid to get in on the action too! Work that selfie stick and remember to have fun and take photos of your children and of you with your children!
3. Get down low
Once your baby is sitting and moving around you'll find that getting down low is the best way to capture their world. That means getting on the floor, playing with them and snapping away! This technique means you get a chance at capturing their full expression. Incorporate their activity time: books, toys and food. There are so many first's to capture and by getting down low you can really enjoy these new discoveries with your child as well as capture some pretty amazing photos.
♥️
♥️
♥️
♥️
♥️
As your baby grows into a toddler and small child, this is a great photography technique to get full body shots that show their growing bodies: I use this technique all the time with my two almost year old and it means I can see her whole outfit and capture her and her growing personality. Try setting up a tripod down low (so the camera is square with your child), set your self-timer and get in that photo!! It's so important to capture you with your child as you both get older, grow and change.
4. Co-ordinate outfits
Using colour is one of the best ways to make a simple photo stand out and a beautiful composition, and childhood photography is no different. Get creative and bundle your new baby up in all white and match it with a white tee and work that tripod or selfie stick again. Or why not dress all your children in similar colours (white and denim always looks nice) and line them up! Have fun with it. Use different backgrounds like a plain white wall, your favourite bed spread, the park or the beach. Have fun and turn it into a part of your every day adventures and you'll find your eye will start picking out complimentary colours and good light. Welcome to the world of photography!!
♥️
♥️
♥️
5. Play with Light
Silhouettes and low light can create the most amazing photos with lots of emotion and energy. I've spent so many long summer evenings on the beach and have some amazing shots of me holding my daughter in the air. They're so fun, ad while you can't see our expressions it does show a very big part of our everyday life. In summer the long days and lazy sunsets are fabulous for taking really romantic photos. get down low and try and get as much sky in the image as possible.
♥️
♥️
In winter, the days are shorts and the sun is lower in the sky which means you can play with light during the day too. Sun glare in an image can create a lovely effect. If you mange to get a little bit of this, or you want to play around with editing it, apps like VSCO give you filters to add to your photos and give this effect. Play with layering and have some fun!
♥️
♥️
You don't have to be outside to take advantage of changing light. A west facing window or east (if you have an early riser!) can be the perfect way to frame a quiet cuddle or an inquisitive glance.
♥️
♥️
♥️
♥️
And that's it!! Get started and have fun!! Don't forget to print your photos and stick them in your Monochrome Baby Book, or other memory books!
xxxx Chloe
♥️♥️♥️
♥️♥️♥️
We'd love to see how you use our Free Printable Milestone Cards! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @blueberrycobaby and tag us #blueberrycobaby so we can see your adventures!
Leave a comment