As a parent I can never take enough photos of my children but sometimes it can be difficult to get a really great shot. They are definitely more relaxed with me as their mom, but they are also a little more defiant. Below are a few quick tips that you can apply the next time you take your camera out to capture a moment with your kids.

1. Try and stay away from asking your kids to pose. Instead, be around to capture the emotions they display in a moment. If you’re patient enough and simply enjoy the time with your children, you’ll find it much easier to capture the essence of it.

2. Get down to their level. If you’re photographing very small children try and get down to their level to photograph them. This angle gives you a more interesting background too.

3. Have a conversation with them. Having a conversation with your child about their favorite superhero or their best friend at school will make for lovely facial expressions. You could even have them sing along to their favorite songs for extra fun photos.

4. Your smartphone is the perfect tool for capturing candid moments. Your children are probably very used to seeing you with your smartphone so won’t think anything of you keeping it close by. Have it ready when you’re out and about with them. You never know when they might give you the perfect shot.

5. Use unique locations to your advantage. If you have planned a walk in the woods or a day at the beach, take advantage of your unique surroundings to capture some great pictures.

6. Avoid midday sunlight. Lighting makes a big difference in photos so aim for early morning or evening light for outdoor shots and open windows and doors for indoor shots.

If you are interested in learning more about about catching great shots of your kids, I teach photography classes at my studio. I have a Mom-tographer class that happens once a month at my studio and it's all about learning from this mom how to use the right settings in the right situations to capture those perfect kiddo shots, just visit www.jphairowphotography.com/classes to learn more.

Cheers,

Jackie