Tips for Photographing Children

1. Get down to their level. Always try to photograph children from their level, the photos will look much better and the expressions will be more natural.

2. Make it fun. Instead of trying to make you kids pose for the camera, let them play , keeping them entertained will give you more opportunity to get some great pictures. Blowing bubbles is a great choice as it encourages kids to look up – avoid things like sand pits - young children will stare fixedly towards the ground.

3. Location, location, location. Think about where you want to take pictures. Going to the beach or countryside with your camera will give you a great setting and your kids will be having fun and that’s half the battle. If you are shooting at home pay attention to your background -avoid clutter as it will distract from your subject

4. Be Patient...then work quickly. In all likelihood you will not get a great photo the instant you lift your camera to your eye. Young children change from one moment to the next so be prepared to wait for your shots but when you feel good pictures are coming work fast varying your composition and taking lots of shots because the moment will be gone before you know it. It’s not unusual for the best shots from an hour photo session to come from two minutes of magic.

5. Get Close. For portraits, moving close isolates you subject from the background, and makes the most of the eyes, the most important feature in any portrait. Remember thought o use your camera on its telephoto setting to avoid distortion of the face.

6. Think about light. Lighting can make or break a photo. In harsh sunlight move your subject into the shade to avoid distracting shadows on the face and squinty eyes. If there is no shade turn you subject away from the sun and light the face with your on camera flash, if you don’t want to use flash get a friend to reflect light back into the face with a piece of white card or even a newspaper.

7. Choose your camera carefully. The best camera is the one you have with you. There’s no point buying a top of the line DSLR if you find it too heavy and it ends up gathering dust on a shelf. Children are unpredictable so you best pictures may come at any time. A small point and shoot you can keep in your glove box or bag is ideal for candids of your children.

8. Picture your child growing. Take a picture of your child in the same place every year to record them growing. Make sure you include a constant reference like a tree in your garden or the wall of your house, an annual family photo is also a great idea.

9. Place your subject off centre. Don’t simply place your subject in the centre of the frame experiment with composition – off centre composition can make a picture more interesting and dynamic. Remember to check that you camera has focused on what you want by focussing on the subject, locking the focus, and recomposing.

10. Have a game plan. One of the best ways to improve your photography is to look at as much photography as possible. Be inspired by the work of others and the come up with a plan to emulate it, or even improve it. This is far easier than trying to come up with ideas beforehand than it is to be creative on the spot. It also gives you an opportunity to bring any extra equipment or props you might need'

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