Tips on Taking Your Child's Pictures

If you're a mom like me, you love to photo document your children. Seeing them grow and learn each day, and taking pictures of those experiences is a great reward. Having those memories to cherish for years to come is a beautiful thing. Being able to share those photos with people, friends and family from miles away, states away, or even other countries. Giving them an opportunity to see your children in action. Every day candid photos can be allot more telling then profession pictures as to your child.

First keep your camera near you at all times. Children do and say funny things at the most amazing times. Not to mention they are doing something and that moment can pass in an instant. Asking a child to do something again will often get you funny looks. So keep a camera close at hand so you can get them doing their thing.

Along those lines is don't follow your child around with the camera. You do your thing and let them do theirs. When you see them doing something funny, or when they call your attention to something, thats when you want to take their picture. Or catch them unaware. I once walked into a room to see my son talking and playing with his doll. While this is a normal occurrence in my home, what was so amusing was he was trying to change the dolls diaper, and telling it how stinky it was. I had a camera that had video on it, and was able to get a few moments of him on tape.

Try to avoid sitting your kids down and posing them when you want to take pictures for a specific reason. Such as holiday pictures. Take them outside on a sunny day, and use a natural backdrop. Photograph them running, jumping, blowing bubbles, playing in the sand or water. Picking flowers. Try to get pictures of your children in their natural expressions. Don't tell them to smile, take pictures of grumpy faces, or pout-ey faces, even crying faces.

Get children involved in an activity that takes their attention and use that to capture the expressions and feelings they communicate. Give them a cooking project, or one that involves painting and coloring. Seeing them act like little adults or concentrating makes for good pictures. Utilize your zoom and get as close as you can. Close up shots are beautiful.

Some parents may have a toddler like mine. He was a ham when he was a baby, but once he hit 2.5 he decided that getting his picture taken was no longer a good idea. and would run from the camera, or hide his face every time i got it out. I have found that tickling him will get big smiles and laughter that is easy to photograph. I hold the camera in one hand as far back as i can, and i will tickle him till he giggles uncontrollably. Or ask someone to help you do this. Photographing the shyness is another idea. Sometimes even though they hide their eyes, they will peak out at you from behind their fingers. Use those moments to capture their shy faces. Talk to them while taking their pictures can also help bring out their playfulness. As can having a playmate.

But remember keep trying and take many many pictures. Children can be hard to photograph at the best of times. Make sure the camera is close at hand for those spur of the moment images, and click away. Take as many pictures as possible. While you may have to delete some, There is more of a chance of getting a bunch of beautiful photos.