Schools out for summer and whether you’re venturing off to another country or enjoying the British sunshine, now is the time to capture some really fabulous photos of your kids. The relaxed, fun holiday vibe can provide great opportunity to snap your kids at their best.
But what can you do to ensure you get the best possible photos of your little ones?
Here are my top tips for taking the best photos of your kids this summer.
- Do not ask your child to smile!
This is so important for all child photography. Asking a child to smile almost always results in a grimace or very unnatural expression. Instead tell a joke, act the fool or capture your child in action giggling in a swimming pool or playing with the sand to achieve natural, relaxed, REAL smiles!
2. Beware of the sun!
This tip not only applies to skin safety but also to photographers!
A bright sunny day is one of the most challenging light situations for a photographer. Harsh shadows and squinty eyes are just some of the problems bright sunlight can create. Steer clear of the midday sun and take your photos in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the harsh sunlight and achieve ‘softer’ light conditions.
Keep the sun in front of you, behind the subject. Lots of people automatically place their subjects with the sun on their face. Whilst you can get away with this if the sunlight is diffused, in bright sunlight it will cause harsh shadows and squinted eyes. My favourite use of the sun is to make sure it is behind your subject as this creates a beautiful halo of light behind their head.
If the sunlight is really playing havoc with your photos move your subject into the shade. It may seem silly to do this on a lovely, sunny day but shade can produce really beautiful light. Seek out the shade of a tree (see picture below) or the shadow of a building for the best results.
3. Be creative with angles
The angle at which a photo is taken can either make or break a photo. For example, most photos of children generally involve the shot taken from adult head height looking down at the child. If you squat down so you are at the same level of the child you will be able to better focus on the eyes resulting in a much more intimate and interesting photograph. If you want your photos to stand out always look for a different or unusual angle from which to shoot, this is the easiest and most effective way of making your photos more intriguing.
5. Be in the picture
Remember you were on holiday too! It’s all too easy to stay behind the camera for the whole holiday concentrating on capturing memories of the kids but it is so important to capture memories of your fun with the kids too. However self critical you are it is so important for mum AND dad to be in the picture. Get a friend to take some family shots or if you are just away with family grab someone nearby, I always find there is someone willing to oblige!
4. Make sure your photos tell a story
Of course you want lots of pictures of your children’s faces but if you really want to recreate memories when you look back on photos in years to come it’s important to focus on details as well. Take close ups of that special ice-cream, sandy feet, shells on the beach or use burst mode for fun sequential photos of your child in action. All of these when put together with the pictures of your children’s faces will enhance your holiday memories, which leads me on to my final tip….
6. Print your pictures!!
There is no point taking all these wonderful photos if they are going to stay stuck on your phone or computer never to be looked at again. Put together a photo book to keep on your shelf, it takes no time and you won’t regret it. My kids love dipping in and out of my family photo books reliving special times and laughing at how small they were only a year ago!
Wishing everyone a summer filled with fun, laughter and lots of fantastic photos!
If you are interested in booking a family shoot with me please contact me for more information