If your iPhone photos are looking nothing like the Apple ads, or your fancy camera is constantly disappointing you, I’m sharing five quick tips for better photos of your kids—on any device! These take seconds and make a HUGE difference! You can watch the entire video below, or keep reading!
Clean your lens
This first tip is especially true if you are photographing with a phone because you would not BELIEVE the gunk that gets on your camera lens!! Half of blurry, hazy photos come from fingerprints!
Make it a habit to do a quick swipe of your lens if you’re pulling it out to photograph it. For fancy cameras, use the right equipment to keep your lens clean and protected!
Slow Down
The number one tip I give new photographers is to actually slow down when you are photographing! One of the hardest things to do when starting out is simply to slow down and really look. Especially now that smartphones have made photography so accessible, and we are all used to just tapping that white button a million times in the hopes we capture something good.
Now there are a few reasons slowing down benefits us, one being that when we slow down we won’t take as many photos which will inevitably reduce our mental overwhelm from digital clutter.
If you slow down you also have time to check your composition! Meaning what is going on inside your frame. You can look at your the background and reduce clutter by moving you, your subject, or the clutter. I like to use the rule of thirds grid for a quick composition upgrade. Use the grid to straighten your horizon line and place points of interest along the grid.
Take a quick breath before you press the shutter, clean your lens as we said earlier, look at the background and framing, and then use the next step to start understanding how light relates to your subject!
Look for the Light
When you are looking at light, you are really paying attention to the highlights and shadows on your subject! Walk around your subject, or have them turn, but find what looks the most flattering!
Highlights are the brightest spots of light on your image, where light is hitting the hardest, and shadows obviously the darkest.
Typically, the most flattering light is going to be soft light that is coming from above and in front of your subject, so it emulates the position of the sun without harsh shadows and blown out highlights. To make light softer you can step into open shade, face a window to filter light, or even turn your subject away from the direct source and try to bounce light in.
Check your Angle
Have you ever tried looking up to smile? SO uncomfortable! We often just tell children, “look up here, SMILE!” and it is so uncomfortable for them! Shooting down at people rarely feels flattering because it’s unnatural we look at people all day long at eye level or close to it. Bring your camera lens to your subjects eye level and hold your camera plum and level (avoid tilt) for a nice, simple portrait.
Prompt instead of pose
As I just mentioned, taking photos is not very exciting for most children. They are so sweet when they oblige us, but it’s really not their job to sit still and smile for the camera. Their job is to play, grow, and learn. Our job is to keep them safe and help them have fun doing that!
So when you are hoping for a great photo of your kids, I want you to try and prompt over pose. Instead of, “show me how big you can smile!” or, “Say CHEESE!” Try playing a game, telling a joke, or asking them a question to keep their attention. Simon says and red light green light are great game options.
Next time try to drop down to eye level and engage and connect when photographing to capture more authentic smiles.
More Free Tips
If you want even more quick, beginner-friendly photography tips you can use today with any device, download my Pretty Phone Photos Guide by clicking the button below! It works for any device you already have and helps you take prettier photos immediately! Or, check out the other free blog posts linked below!