A question that I am frequently asked is “How do you take such good candid photos of your kids??” or insert similar questions about capturing the everyday moments more effortlessly. Honestly, the answer is a whole lot of practice and experience in taking photos of children, ha! (NOTE: ALL photos seen in this post were taken on my iPhone 8 and edited in VSCO app on my phone.)
But! I do have a couple of tips that you can use TODAY to start your journey on capturing beautiful, effortless photos of your own children this summer!
When it comes to taking photos of your children (using your phone or a DSLR), you have one of two choices: MAKE the moment happen or ANTICIPATE a moment and be ready. But let’s be real, the best photos I grab of my kids are usually a nice blend of both.
MAKING A MOMENT HAPPEN… NATURALLY
THE SET UP
We went to our local science museum this past week with the cousins and this exhibit really excited the kids! To get this photo, I noticed that Dorothy was naturally drawn to anything with butterflies in it. We walked over to this particular piece, I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and stood where I wanted to be for the final composition.
THE PROMPT
So simple, friends. I looked at Dorothy, pointed to the picture and excitedly said, “WOW!! Look at that one Dorothy!! Go get up close and see the BLUE butterflies!” She toddled right over and I was ready.
TIPS
Notice how in both the set up & the prompting, NOTHING WAS FORCED!! Dorothy was already very into this exhibit. All I did was take notice of what SHE was interested in, then got myself ready and excitedly led her to the art piece. If I could give just one bit of advice for parents taking photos of their kids it would be this: never never never TELL your kids to do something (even smile!). Getting authentic and genuine photos of your children is an art of suggestion and making your kids think it was all their idea.
ANTICIPATING A MOMENT… BE READY!
THE SET UP
I noticed that Dorothy was walking over to the brightly colored bench at a coffee shop we visited. I got my phone out (anticipating a photo-worthy moment) and had the camera ready, waiting to see what she would do. Dorothy immediately stood up on the bench – so cute!! I wanted her sister in the photo, too, so I just said to Maxine, “Haha! Look at your sister standing on that bench! Do you want to see what it’s like, too?” She eagerly walked over and started acting silly on the bench and I was ready with my phone camera.
THE PROMPT
No prompt required for my youngest; she was already there! All it took for Maxine was a simple suggestion. Again, NOTHING FORCED. I didn’t say, “Maxine, go sit on that bench with your sister.” Because guess what, she wouldn’t have! I simply suggested that the bench might be fun and off she went!
TIPS
You know your child best! What moments do you love with them? Write down 2-3 things you hope to capture on your phone and make an effort to create those scenarios and have your phone handy. Some examples: bath time, giggles, a certain toy he/she loves.
BUT REALLY… IT’S BOTH!
I’ll say it again, the best photos I take of my girls on my smart phone are a nice blend of an anticipated moment that I carefully curated to get the exact photo that I want. Just remember:
1) NEVER FORCE YOUR CHILD TO DO SOMETHING! It just won’t work. Or at least not how you want it to, haha!
2) PROMPT YOUR CHILD TO DO SOMETHING BY ASKING THEM A “WONDER” QUESTION. Examples include:
“I wonder what’s over there?”
“Wow! Look at the sky!”
“Hmmm…. what is that?”
“I wonder if brother wants to look at that?”
“I wonder if sister is ticklish….?!”
A FEW MORE TIPS:
1) IF A “WONDER” QUESTION ISN’T WORKING, TRY OFFERING 2 CHOICES.
“Do you want to sit here, or over there?”
“Would you rather stand or sit?”
“Would you rather hug sister or kiss sister?”
2) KNOW WHEN TO ABANDON AND WAIT
If “wonder” questions and offering choices aren’t working, chances are nothing will! Just abandon the photo and try again later. They will do it again, and you’ll be ready 🙂 After all, you don’t want them to learn to hate having their photo taken!
3) IF YOU WANT YOUR KID TO LOOK AT THE CAMERA…
DON’T tell them, “Look at me!” or “Look at the camera!” Try this instead:
For babies (6 months to a year): Call their name! They’ll look every time!
For toddlers & preschoolers: Make a silly noise (seriously, make a fart sound with your mouth or shout a funny word).
FOR EVEN MORE TIPS on how to take better photos of the everyday, hop over to my online shop and snag my guide Capturing the Everyday With the Camera In Your Pocket.
You can also sign up for my newsletter and receive my FREE guide for taking print-worthy photos of your kids in your own home! It’s FREE! Just click the link to sign up for my newsletter and it will land in your inbox after you confirm your email address.
PLEASE SHARE
I would love it if you share your images with me on Instagram using the hashtag #tfkcamerainmypocket!
Happy photo-snapping!
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