How to Take Great Photos of Your Kids

This one is for you moms out there! We all know how important is to join our child in gorton nursery to keep them engaged. Similarly, it is also important to capture these days when our kids are small. You probably have an iPhone full of candid snaps (let’s be honest, we are all guilty of having way too many photos of our kids on our camera/phones!) – but how many of them are “print worthy,” or capture our kids the way we really wish they could be captured?

You want to get photos of your child that you will love, but sometimes it’s really hard when your kids aren’t into it.  You can’t force things, or you will get frustrated – and worse, they might have a melt down.   The most important thing is to be silly, play, have fun, and you’ll get some great shots! 

While taking photos yourself doesn’t replace getting them taken by a professional, there are a few things you can do to take photos in the best way possible.   So here are my best tips to taking GREAT photos of your kids – photos you will love to display! 🙂

Set Up the Shot

Put your child next to a window or find a shady place outside. When I was on a trip to Japan, I made it a point to find the Best Hidden photogenic spots in Tokyo to get the perfect shot of my children. So if you are outside you want to find even light wherever you are – so no “hot spots” of sunshine or harsh light on their faces!

Next, you’ll want to remove distractions from the background.  The less mess or extra items, the more your focus will be on the kiddo!

Get down on their level – kneel, sit or get down on the floor with them!  We always see kids from several feet above their height, so capturing them from their perspective will make a bigger impact.

Get the Shot

For the most natural photos, let them play. . . catch your child in their natural habitat! Let them do what they like to do!

Don’t force them to smile, or you’ll get that “cheese face” that nobody buys! You have to get them to laugh, so pull out all the fart jokes if you have to! 😉

Try trading off “silly face” then “nice face,” “silly face” then “nice face.” They’ll usually have a genuine laugh or smile after looking silly! 

To get them to look right into the camera, tell them you have “Elsa, Elmo, a tractor. . . “ or whatever they are into at the time in your lens. They’ll look right where you want them to!

Try playing peek-a-boo behind your camera – the little ones just love this!  It’s an oldie, but a goodie. 😉 

Don’t be afraid to capture motion!  Whether they’re twirling, running, or just waving with their hands, these can be the cutest candid moments.

And a final word of advice – keep clicking!  Kids move fast, so snap fast and don’t be afraid to overshoot!  You can always delete images, but it’s often in those lightning-fast moments that you find your favorite photo! 🙂

The moments fly by so quickly, but the images you capture will be treasured for a lifetime!  I hope these have been helpful as you prepare to take beautiful images of your kids! 🙂

Leave me your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!