5 Simple Tips for Better Photos of Children / Alabama Family Photographer

Of course since I’m a family photographer, I’d love it if you hired me to take beautiful photos of your children, but I’m also a realist; so I know it’s not possible for me to be with you night and day or for you to hire a photographer any ole’ time you have the inclination. My own children have quite often been my subjects so I also know how hard it can be to photograph them. Take a look at these 5 Simple Tips for Better Photos of Children.

1) Find their level.

By finding their level, I mean to literally meet them eye-to-eye. You will create a more honest portrait if you’re looking someone in the eyes. It’s also really interesting to see things from their perspective, so go ahead; try it! It’s fun to experiment with many perspectives, but this is one of my favorites!

2) Let them play.

Children rarely want to pose for a photograph; nor do adults for that matter. With the amount of energy most children have, they are usually on the go. And what better way to get a natural looking portrait than to photograph them in their element. Forcing them to “stand still” or “say cheese” will likely not produce a beautiful portrait.

3) Interact with them.

Children enjoy their parents’ attention. If you interact with them, you’ll probably both have fun. Depending on their age, sing a song, dance with them, pop out from behind your camera and make goofy noises. (I can’t count the number of times I’ve barked like a dog to get attention!) In my experience, these things bring on the big, belly laughs.

4) Use a shallow depth of field.

Achieving a shallow depth of field can be done by adjusting your aperture to the smallest number available (which equates to the largest aperture) or by putting distance between your subject and the background. Using this technique creates an image that makes the person you’re photographing the focal point or center of interest.

5) Check your surroundings.

This tip really depends on the style of photography you like. For more documentary photography, i.e. capturing life as it happens, you might not worry too much about the extra stuff in your scene; but nothing bothers me more than looking at photos and finding “junk” in the background.

I hope you enjoyed these 5 Simple Tips for Better Photos of Your Children. My family photography style isn’t overly posed. I prefer to capture natural photos of kids being kids. If you’d like to see an example of documentary photography, try this link. https://bangimages.com/365-project

To see more family photography, take a look at other family session blog posts by following this link. https://bangimages.com/category/family-photography/