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From the moment our kids are born, their photographs become our prized possessions. We love to click our little angels at every opportunity we get and preserve these memories forever. Thanks to the latest technological innovations, you can now take crystal clear and ethereal kids’ photos even from your cellphone. But high-resolution gadgets and the latest gizmos aside, it is not an easy task to capture the beautiful moments of your kids’ lives, partly because they don’t stay still enough for that and partly because you don’t know the tips and tricks for photographing your children.
Well, problem solved!! We bring to you EXPERT PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS from three amazing kid photographers (coincidentally, all of them, women!) who are in the profession of taking THE most natural yet gorgeous photos of babies and kids. Let me first introduce you to these ladies. We have
Anagha and Minal from
Siddhi Madgaonkar from
and Gursimran Kaur from
10 expert photography tips to take great photos of Kids
Lighting
This is probably the most important tip that all the photographers had to give. Peekaboo says lighting is what differentiates a good photo from a great photo. Newborn babies have very sensitive eyes and you do not want to startle them with a flash. You should use all-natural sunlight, so select a room that has an abundance of lighting.
Gursimran agrees to say that this would often mean taking pictures in the morning or early evening when the sun is still benevolent but not strong enough to add to the heat. Nothing contests natural light in how it bathes a child’s cherubic cheeks and adds just the right warm hue to the picture.
Siddhi says that if you can get the child to stand by a bright window or in the shade under a tree, you will have ample light- a prime setting for a good picture! Direct flash is a complete no-no, as it can create large ugly shadows behind the subject, cause red-eye and most likely get a child/baby startled.
Catch them sleeping
According to printposters.in, it is best to photograph newborns when they are sleeping. Newborn babies in this situation are easy to mould and pose. You can snuggle the child until he/ she gets comfortable. Not to mention, all babies look super adorable when they are sleeping. Try to take a photo print of the same.
Visualize and Strategize
Gursimran emphasizes that parents should set up the environment for clicking a photograph and then bring the child to it rather than the other way around. Set up your scene, get them dressed, and take a few snapshots without the child to ensure light and angles before actually putting them in their place. Attention spans in children are quite short, so it’s best to have everything set right before they’re even brought in. Always remember that the best shots aren’t the ones with the widest smiles, they’re the ones where your child is just being themselves. Get Moving For Siddhi, it is important that one be prepared to run and move around, Kids are movers and they aren’t going to sit still for long! So, let them be! Watch them and be prepared with your camera for the good moments. Photos will usually come out more natural and the joys and expressions will be more clearly highlighted as’ ‘children in their own world’.
Close-ups Peekaboo feels that focusing on the smaller details of the baby will help you get those beautiful features that can be overlooked. Lots of parents often try to take the whole baby thinking they want every piece of the baby. But sometimes just focusing on those details will help you get a beautiful picture.
Don’t Forget You Children are the absolute happiest with their parents, especially mothers, according to Gursimran, and so don’t forget yourself in the pictures you so dedicatedly click for your child. What do you think will make a better picture – you sitting across from your child asking them to smile OR mommy blowing raspberries on their little tummies? Learn the art of self-timing or invest in a wireless remote and stay propped with your child as the camera captures the most endearing moments of parenthood. Pick complementary colours for your clothes, try to have as little distraction in the background as possible, and just bask in being the highlight of the frame. Keep it simple. Silly Siddhi is of the firm opinion that a simple foreground and background make for great pictures. Too many props and a cluttered environment take the focus away from the child who should be the star of the show. Avoid having something vertical behind them that will look as if it’s getting out of their head.
Now that you have heard the expert speak, here are three bonus tips from me (I am no expert, but as chief photographer for my daughter,  I sure have learnt on the job.) Get down to their level. If you want to see the kids’ perspective, then you better get on their level. So go on your knees, and hands or lie on your tummy to click pictures that are truly special and lovely. Play Dress Up Kids, especially toddlers, love to dress up. Let them wear something that they don’t usually wear, like a tutu, a princess costume or a pirate dress, and you will find natural, genuine, and smiling expressions from them. If your child has a favourite headband or a favourite jacket, let them wear that and they will be more comfortable for picture-taking. Snap, Snap, Snap Lastly, don’t give up taking a picture. Always have a camera handy and use every opportunity to capture a smile, laughter, or mischief. because they won’t be kids forever. These pictures are the cherished memory capsules that your kids and you will love to look back at again and again. And finally, here is one of my favourite shots of my daughter.
Do you have a special Kodiak moment to share with us? How did you take it?
the most special photograph of your kids? Share your experiences with
us in the comments below.Â
