It's summertime, and your kids are out of school. Take advantage of a few (precious) uninterrupted afternoons to snap some pictures of your kids in the backyard or at the ball field. Before you grab your camera, read these tips for making your precious pictures frame-worthy!
• Have problems with your action photos for sports? Keep snapping! The beauty of digital cameras is you can delete what you don't like later. In the meantime, you may surprise yourself with some exciting action shots or even be lucky enough to capture your child scoring their first goal in soccer!
• Remember: when you photograph kids, you MUST get down on their eye level. Also, shoot close to your subjects. Photos shot from farther away tend to have distractions with "stuff" and clutter around your subjects. You can also shoot off-center. For example, when you point and click, don't center your subject. Play around with this one. You may like the variety of shots you capture!
• Use natural light. Let the shadows do the work for you! If it's an overcast day, plop your baby in front of a sliding glass door of picture window, turn your flash OFF and snap away. The shadows you'll create on that little face will be priceless!
• Try using different camera angles. Tilt the camera or shoot from behind, below or above. This creates a bit of interest and creates a variety in your scrapbook or photo album.
• Try to avoid saying "smile" or "say cheese" to your kids. Be patient. Sit and wait for a natural grin from a young baby or toddler. Remind older kids of something funny that just happened that you know is sure to cause laughter.
• While the pictures you snap provide important memories, it's also important to periodically bring your kids to a professional photographer to mark the milestones of their life. Birthdays, exploring the world as a toddler, or losing their first tooth (or many teeth)! Professional posing and lighting makes a dramatic difference.
Your children are only little for a short while, so be sure to capture them at every stage!
Submitted by Terry Farmer with Terry Farmer Photography. For more information on his photography or to schedule a session, visit our Mom's Choice Directory for additional information.
