How to Take Better Photos of Your Kids
November 8, 2019
Think of yourself as a storyteller. And to tell a good story you need some context. Many stories can be told within a single photo, you just have to make sure you include the right details so the viewer will understand what is happening. The best advice I can give is to think about your story from a different perspective.
Most parents take pictures of their kids at roughly the same distance all the time, but getting in really close or standing far away can really help tell the story. For example, you know when your kid is doing something naughty because they know they can get away with it- like pulling an entire roll of toilet paper off the roll. You feel the urge to go into the bathroom to take that photo, but the reason your kid is doing that is because she is all alone- so that is a really important detail. My advice-try taking the photo from hallway- that way you can capture your kid’s mischief while they are all alone in the bathroom. It gives more context, tells the complete story, and gets a little more of the emotion you are feeling into the photo.
Then there are photos that are all about the little details- like the unusual way your child holds their spoon or the sweet way your kids hold hands. These little details can easily get lost in a photo, especially if taken from far away. Try getting in really close and taking a photo of just their hands or the minute details that are most special to you. This will really highlight exactly what you were interested in at that moment in time.
There are the times you want to get down low to show the perspective of a small child, or the dog. Being able to view the scene from the same vantage point really helps the viewer understand what the was being felt in that moment.
Other times, getting up high is the best option. You can include more of the scene from up high, which is a great way to show the chaos that exists in life with small kids.
Changing the perspective of your photo is a quick and simple way to improve your photography, even if you are only photographing your child to preserve memories. Hopefully you find these quick tips helpful, and I can’t wait to see the photos you capture and share! Please comment below with any questions you might have about photographing your kids. I would love to chat.
