7 Tips for Getting Better Photos of Your Kids (And A Challenge!)

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7-Tips-Photosedit

As a mom, there are several moments with my children that I wish to store in my long-term memory. One way I try to capture and hold onto these forever moments is through photography.  It’s a hobby I picked up around the time I got married and once I had children, the hobby turned into a passion with a purpose. As much as I take photos with my DSLR camera, I take a lot of my photos with my iPhone. The camera lens on smartphones is actually pretty amazing these days and I know a lot of moms who only take photos with their phone due to the huge convenience factor and they get some pretty great results. So in an attempt to encourage mothers everywhere to capture more/better photos of their little ones, here are 7 tips to taking better photos of your children with your phone’s camera.

photosNote: this list isn’t all inclusive but with some minor tweaks and tips, you will see pretty great results.

  1. Don’t use the zoom. Don’t use the zoom on your phone’s camera. The camera lens is not meant to zoom and the quality of the photo will be compromised if you do. If you want a closer shot, either get closer to your subject/child or you can zoom in on the photo after you have taken the picture through an editing app like Instagram.
  2. Don’t use the flash. Using the flash will over expose the image and most times cause your little one’s to get those red dots in their eyes. Instead, use natural light from the sun or use the brightening tool in an editing app like Instagram.
  3. Control your light source. When outside in the sun, take the picture of your child when the sun is in the background or to the side. If your child is facing the sun, they will likely squint and the photo will be over exposed. If in the shade, touch the screen to put the camera focus on your child, this way the camera will adjust exposure to make sure the subject/child is bright enough and not a dark shadow.
  4. Hold the shutter. Hold down the shutter button (button you use to take a picture) to get rapid fire shots. As long as you hold down the button, your phone will capture the shots. This way, if your child is moving a lot or only looks at you for a split second in a 20 second interval, the camera will capture all moves taken. Later you can go into your pictures and choose only those frames that you wish to keep.
  5. Move. Change your position. I see so many moms taking pictures of their children from their level. While this position can be great for some shots, try sitting on the ground or even laying on your stomach if you are willing to get more of a headshot of your child. Different perspectives will capture different qualities of your child.
  6. Use a photo editing app. Instagram and Snapseed are two photo editing applications that you can download to enhance your images. I usually take a million photos and then once my children are in bed, I spend time to go through the images and delete any I don’t like and then use a photo editing app to brighten the image or increase the contrast. There are several possibilities using a photo editing app so my suggestion is to just play around with it until you find your editing style.
  7. Take a selfie. My most important tip is to get out from behind the camera. You may not have spent the time that day to put on makeup or shower or even get dressed. You may be wishing you’d shed a few pounds before getting in front of the camera but let me tell you from experience, get in front of that camera and get in front of that camera with your child. After children, most mothers find their shape has completely changed. There’s just a lot that jiggles and wiggles and excess skin and rolls (you get the picture) that we as moms just don’t know what to do with yet and like me, probably struggling to accept their “new” body. I am still not that comfortable in front of the camera and pretty much ignore it if I can. BUT, there are several reasons to get in front of the camera with your child.  Don’t let your fears of the way you look dictate your actions. You may not look like this forever. In 15 years you may even look back and actually think you looked good. Taking a picture with your one year old will remind you how you always have to bend over at this stage to help them walk. A picture with your three year old reminds you how they always grasp your leg when they are observing an unknown situation at the park. Encourage your spouse to capture these moments between you and your children so you can always remember the little things that they admired about you…plus, kids don’t see flaws, only how perfect their mom is.

Some times it’s hard to remember to take photos or even really know what to take photos of so I’ve attached a small challenge for moms to give you some ideas.

photo challenge

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