Whether you have a fancy DSLR camera or just your phone, you can shoot more memorable, share-worthy photos of your family with these easy to apply ideas. (And, by the way, it is a myth that you need an expensive camera to take good photos.)
Motion creates emotion. Static, posed photos are lifeless and boring. And no one seems to be quite sure of what to do with their hands. Have your kids run around, spin, jump up in the air or just lay out on the grass. Ask them to bust their best dance moves or just lay out on the grass.
Get down or up. Most amateur photographers shoot every shot from their eye level in a medium shot which is okay if you like the tops of your kids’ heads. For toddlers or younger children kneel down and shoot them head on or get up high (a step ladder comes in handy here) and shoot down while they roll around on their backs in the grass.
Take three steps closer. Once you have taken the photo you want, take three steps closer and shoot again. This is a way to capture some of the more intimate details in a scrunched up face, a little hand grasping a favorite stuffed animal, or little feet in a pair of sneakers. Putting the detail photos in a frame surrounding the main portrait can tell a very special story and create memorable montage.
Don’t say cheese. Stilted, forced smiles create stilted forced photos. Create genuine smiles by telling your kids jokes, tickling them, or playing a silly game. The spontaneous joy that only a child can express will come shining through in your photos.
