Ok, so last week we covered learning the basics of your camera. If you missed that post, and don't know what aperture and shutter speed and ISO are, please go back and read it. If you've got that down (or don't care or are working on it, or whatever) read on!
When your kids are all grown up, which photo do you think will be most memorable and precious to you? One where your daughter (or son) is looking at the camera, and maybe even attempting to smile for you, but is clearly annoyed at you for interrupting whatever she was doing, OR one where your daughter is playing in her room with her favorite toy and doesn't even notice you're taking her photo and is just being her adorable little self? One that you can look at and remember exactly what her squeeky little-girl voice sounded like? If that is the type of photo you're trying to capture, the first thing you need to learn is to let them be kids. You need to let go of the idea that they need to look at the camera and smile every time you take a photo. Sometimes the ones where they're not looking at the camera are the best ones. Let them play, or read, or draw, or whatever they like to do, and take photos of them doing that.
Ok, so you like the idea, you want photos that show your kids as they are, but how do you do it? You need to learn to be sneaky. Don't announce that you're going to take a photo, just let them play, grab the camera, and go for it. Learning about your camera and practicing changing the settings quickly will really help. You may only be able to take a shot or two before they notice the camera. If they're ok with you taking photos, take a lot. Get different angles and different compositions. Zoom in. Step back. Take close-ups of their faces, their hands, their favorite shoes, whatever you like. Have fun with it. If you're using a digital camera (and who isn't these days?) you can just delete all the bad ones, so don't be afraid to take a lot. A good zoom lens will really help you stay out of their way and get a variety of shots. I love, love, love my prime (non-zooming) lenses for their quality, but when taking photos of kids a zoom lens is a life-saver sometimes.
If your kids are really opposed to the camera in general, or you just want them to cooperate and look at it for once (and of course we want those photos sometimes too), you just might need to bribe them. I know, I know, you're the parent and they just need to obey. I get that, and I generally agree, but if you really, really want a photo once in a while I don't think a piece of candy here and there as a bribe will ruin your kid. My kids know I keep smarties in my camera bag, and my four-year-old will sometimes ask if I will take his picture so can have some. Whatever works, people. Whatever works. Bribes don't have to be candy of course. It could be an extra TV show, some time outside on the swingset, whatever you think will motivate your kids. Sometimes the "bribe" makes for some great photos too! If you let them do something special, they might want photos taken.
Now for getting real smiles. All kids have a "picture smile" and a real smile. I'm not opposed to taking "picture smile" photos of my own kids sometimes - that's them, and apparently how they think they look good, so I go with it. But of course I want to capture their real smiles too. Asking your kids to smile will get you a picture smile if you're lucky. Talking to them and having fun with them might get you a real one. It's OK if they're smiling but not looking at the camera. Take what you can get.
Sometimes it's easier, especially with little ones, to have one person take the photo and another person entertaining the kids and getting them to smile. Try having Daddy stand behind you and do whatever he does best. Funny faces, funny voices, peek-a-boo, telling jokes, making fart noises with his armpits, whatever makes your kid laugh. Dads are usually the "fun one" and great at this. At least that's the way it goes in my house.
If you're the only one around, and your kids are little, playing peek-a-boo behind the camera sometimes works for me. Or peek out and make a funny face, or sing a song. Or turn on their favorite show and stand right beside the TV. Whatever works.
Another trick I sometimes use is letting them make ridiculous, silly faces for a few shots. They'll usually be so amused with themselves that they start smiling and laughing naturally.
If you have a baby, sometimes all you need is a little noise to get them to look at the camera. A rattle, or a squeeky toy, or even snapping your fingers might work.
Don't bother telling your kids to "say cheese" or "show your teeth" or "smile for this picture NOW or you're grounded." That never ends well. You're better off interacting with them to get a real smile, or taking the photo without the cheesy smile.
If you have more than one kid, you know that taking photos of the together is super hard. I have four, and I can usually take a photo of any two together without too much trouble - in fact, they often ask me to. But getting three or four seems to be where the trouble starts. I don't have an easy answer, other than just variations of what I've already said for single kids, but here's one bit of advice: don't expect perfection. Some times the shot where they're all making funny faces or doing their own thing are the best anyway. That's real life, right? And try just letting them have fun together instead of posing. And if you take enough photos, once in a while you just get lucky.
Keep your camera somewhere safe (where the kids can't reach it) but easy for you to get to. If you usually need a flash in your house, just keep it on the camera. Get good at changing settings quickly, or if you tend to use the same settings or mode a lot, keep your camera set to that when you put it away so it will be ready. Have extra batteries and keep them charged. Keep your memory card cleaned off or have extras. These things will help you be able to grab your camera quickly and start shooting.
I personally am paranoid about my professional cameras (I have 4 kids and we live in a small house, so there aren't really many "safe" places other than packed away in a bag in the closet) but I'm pretty quick at getting it out. I also keep my small camera hanging up on the coat rack in the living room so I can always grab it quickly. If nothing else, if there's a cute moment happening right now, just grab your phone and use it. Sometimes catching the moment is more important that the quality of the photo.
Check back next week to learn how to take more creative photos, including different angles and composition, and using shutter speed and aperture for creative effects.
When your kids are all grown up, which photo do you think will be most memorable and precious to you? One where your daughter (or son) is looking at the camera, and maybe even attempting to smile for you, but is clearly annoyed at you for interrupting whatever she was doing, OR one where your daughter is playing in her room with her favorite toy and doesn't even notice you're taking her photo and is just being her adorable little self? One that you can look at and remember exactly what her squeeky little-girl voice sounded like? If that is the type of photo you're trying to capture, the first thing you need to learn is to let them be kids. You need to let go of the idea that they need to look at the camera and smile every time you take a photo. Sometimes the ones where they're not looking at the camera are the best ones. Let them play, or read, or draw, or whatever they like to do, and take photos of them doing that.
Ok, so you like the idea, you want photos that show your kids as they are, but how do you do it? You need to learn to be sneaky. Don't announce that you're going to take a photo, just let them play, grab the camera, and go for it. Learning about your camera and practicing changing the settings quickly will really help. You may only be able to take a shot or two before they notice the camera. If they're ok with you taking photos, take a lot. Get different angles and different compositions. Zoom in. Step back. Take close-ups of their faces, their hands, their favorite shoes, whatever you like. Have fun with it. If you're using a digital camera (and who isn't these days?) you can just delete all the bad ones, so don't be afraid to take a lot. A good zoom lens will really help you stay out of their way and get a variety of shots. I love, love, love my prime (non-zooming) lenses for their quality, but when taking photos of kids a zoom lens is a life-saver sometimes.
If your kids are really opposed to the camera in general, or you just want them to cooperate and look at it for once (and of course we want those photos sometimes too), you just might need to bribe them. I know, I know, you're the parent and they just need to obey. I get that, and I generally agree, but if you really, really want a photo once in a while I don't think a piece of candy here and there as a bribe will ruin your kid. My kids know I keep smarties in my camera bag, and my four-year-old will sometimes ask if I will take his picture so can have some. Whatever works, people. Whatever works. Bribes don't have to be candy of course. It could be an extra TV show, some time outside on the swingset, whatever you think will motivate your kids. Sometimes the "bribe" makes for some great photos too! If you let them do something special, they might want photos taken.
Now for getting real smiles. All kids have a "picture smile" and a real smile. I'm not opposed to taking "picture smile" photos of my own kids sometimes - that's them, and apparently how they think they look good, so I go with it. But of course I want to capture their real smiles too. Asking your kids to smile will get you a picture smile if you're lucky. Talking to them and having fun with them might get you a real one. It's OK if they're smiling but not looking at the camera. Take what you can get.
Sometimes it's easier, especially with little ones, to have one person take the photo and another person entertaining the kids and getting them to smile. Try having Daddy stand behind you and do whatever he does best. Funny faces, funny voices, peek-a-boo, telling jokes, making fart noises with his armpits, whatever makes your kid laugh. Dads are usually the "fun one" and great at this. At least that's the way it goes in my house.
If you're the only one around, and your kids are little, playing peek-a-boo behind the camera sometimes works for me. Or peek out and make a funny face, or sing a song. Or turn on their favorite show and stand right beside the TV. Whatever works.
Another trick I sometimes use is letting them make ridiculous, silly faces for a few shots. They'll usually be so amused with themselves that they start smiling and laughing naturally.
If you have a baby, sometimes all you need is a little noise to get them to look at the camera. A rattle, or a squeeky toy, or even snapping your fingers might work.
Don't bother telling your kids to "say cheese" or "show your teeth" or "smile for this picture NOW or you're grounded." That never ends well. You're better off interacting with them to get a real smile, or taking the photo without the cheesy smile.
If you have more than one kid, you know that taking photos of the together is super hard. I have four, and I can usually take a photo of any two together without too much trouble - in fact, they often ask me to. But getting three or four seems to be where the trouble starts. I don't have an easy answer, other than just variations of what I've already said for single kids, but here's one bit of advice: don't expect perfection. Some times the shot where they're all making funny faces or doing their own thing are the best anyway. That's real life, right? And try just letting them have fun together instead of posing. And if you take enough photos, once in a while you just get lucky.
Keep your camera somewhere safe (where the kids can't reach it) but easy for you to get to. If you usually need a flash in your house, just keep it on the camera. Get good at changing settings quickly, or if you tend to use the same settings or mode a lot, keep your camera set to that when you put it away so it will be ready. Have extra batteries and keep them charged. Keep your memory card cleaned off or have extras. These things will help you be able to grab your camera quickly and start shooting.
I personally am paranoid about my professional cameras (I have 4 kids and we live in a small house, so there aren't really many "safe" places other than packed away in a bag in the closet) but I'm pretty quick at getting it out. I also keep my small camera hanging up on the coat rack in the living room so I can always grab it quickly. If nothing else, if there's a cute moment happening right now, just grab your phone and use it. Sometimes catching the moment is more important that the quality of the photo.
Check back next week to learn how to take more creative photos, including different angles and composition, and using shutter speed and aperture for creative effects.
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