Last night, I met up with a good friend of mine. His wife bought a DSLR just to take photos of their beloved daughter. He asked one of the most common question in Kids Photography - "What setting should I use?" Coincidentally, the greatest distraction to photography is fiddling with the settings while your child is waiting.
The easiest answer to give him was "Use the auto mode" but I guess he wanted me to share how I capture the moment that becomes a 'Great photo'.
Composition is the key element in any photography.
Here are some practical tips for you to use on any camera (point and shoot included) while taking a photo of your kid.
1. Get Down Low, Really Low
Most poorly compose photos for kids are taken while the photographer is standing tall. While kids are usually on the ground, what the camera capture is the top of the child's head and the child is smaller than anything else in the photo because of the angle. If you really have to, lie on your belly and shoot upwards. Make your kid as the subject and bigger than anything else in the pic.
2. Eyes, Eyes, Eyes
In any portraiture photography, focus on the eyes. A perfectly focused eyes makes a perfect photo.
3. Make It Fun use Props
How many of us tend to say "Baby, look here and smile" to get the kids' attention? Ok, I do that sometimes. This is probably not a good way to get the infant's attention because once they look over they get a loud shuttle click and a blinding flash. It is just not fun to pose for you. I like to interact with the infant by playing with them with a toy. Once they enjoy the company and amused by what you can do with the toy - it is the best time to whip out the camera and start snapping.
4. Review Your Photo
Babies are amazed by their own reflection. Ask any mothers, they would tell you that their baby enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror. After taking a set of photos, show them. Even kids will find it more interesting and fun to see the results of the photoshoot.
5. Lastly, Enjoy The Process
Smiling and laughing are infectious. Show your baby that you are enjoying taking their photo and they will respond.
www.edmundphoto.com
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