Photos of Children - How to Take Good Pictures
7th March 2010 by Babies No CommentsIf you want to improve your pictures of children, here are a few tips and tricks that will help you get children pictures truly worth framing in school picture frames.
Usually the best pictures of children tend to be candid photos, but if you are taking a formal portrait, always practice with your camera first so you're ready.
When taking candid shots of children outdoors, use a zoom (preferably optical zoom) or a telephoto lens. This allows you to fade a bit into the background. The more noticeable you are taking pictures, the more likely the children will be silly or clam up making it hard to get a natural expression. Also be patient. Let them get used to you being there with your camera. Over time they will settle down.
Focus on the subject in the picture. Avoid trying to get everything into the shot and instead just focus on the subject.
When taking pictures of children outside, it's best to use “sports” mode or select a high shutter speed like 1/500 and a wide aperture. With the larger aperture, the background will blur when photographing a child from about 10 feet away. Portrait mode also does this, but the nice thing about using manual settings is you can both freeze the action and blur the background.
If you have burst mode on your camera, you can also use this with children on the move. Burst mode will take several pictures in rapid succession, so you can later choose your favorite.
If you're taking pictures inside and have good indirect light, use your camera without a flash to avoid distracting the children.
Be especially carefully when using a flash when you're photographing babies. Before using flash with anyone, consult your camera's manual for the maximum safe distance. In many cases it will be three feet.
The best way to pose a baby is in her/his parent's arms. When posing children, always put safety first. When photographing a child and parent, show relationship by having them look at each other or at the same thing. If you want a baby to look in a specific direction, simply use a baby rattle, bean bag or other quiet noise maker.
When photographing toddlers, be ready to work fast. Always be prepared to take lots of pictures so you'll be sure to catch a few really good ones.
One of the best ways to get a great picture of a child is to wait until they get engrossed in something that distracts their attention away from the camera.
Always focus on getting pictures of the baby “firsts” like the first step, first birthday, bike ride and all of the other important moments. And baby firsts always look great displayed in adorable baby picture frames.
Finally, before taking a picture of someone else's child, unless the child is in public in a group, like marching in a parade, ask the parent for permission. It's legal to take pictures of people, including kids, without permission, but put yourself in the parent's shoes. Most want to be asked.
Preschool age children when hanging out together can be quite charming. Always look for the cute photo opportunities when kids are holding hands or helping each other.
As you take more photos you will find that it isn't difficult to get great pictures of children but it does require some time and forethought. And if you're a parent, take as many pictures as you can, because before you know it, they'll be graduating highschool and you'll be proudly displaying their picture in a graduation picture frame.
