Communions, confirmations, bar mitzvahs — we all want to remember these important milestones with breathtaking pictures of our children and families. You can hand over the studio work to a pro, but when the big day comes, there are still lots of pictures left up to us parents to snap. And let’s face it: most of us are amateur shutterbugs, who can use a lot of help capturing that special moment.
But you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to take terrific candid shots of your little ones. Even an ordinary moment of playtime can turn into a beautiful keepsake, if you know how to use your camera the right way.
Deborah Hope Israeli of Redhead Photography in Wall, New Jersey, is a newborn baby photographer who has been taking pictures of kids since 2005, and offers parents some great tips:
• Go on location. Generally, toddlers do much better outside on location rather than in studio. Studio environments can be intimidating, and if the child shows any type of resistance, it’s best to move the session outdoors where there is a variety of stimulation other than your camera.
• Do not use strobes or flash. Stick to natural (available) light. Strobes are used in most commercial studios, but they scare many kids! If you are in a studio, try to find a photographer who uses continuous lighting (non-flash) or available daylight to photograph.
• Do not pose. Kids this age move around quickly and do not like to stand still. The more you try to “pose” them, the more they will resist and do exactly the opposite from what you want them to do. Leading them (reverse psychology) works much better to get what you want.
• Avoid temper tantrums. If you don’t want photos of your kid playing on playground equipment, don’t go to a location where there is a playground in the distance that is viewable by your toddler! All that will do is create temper tantrums, because the child will want to play rather than cooperate with you. Aim for empty spaces, such as an open field, a park without a playground, and lots of shade, or under a beach boardwalk, away from any rides or other distractions.
• A big “whirly” pop (i.e., large colorful candy lollipop) makes for a great “prop” at the end of a session, when everyone is getting cranky!
• Play with her, and be ready to photograph on continuous (where the camera focus follows moving action), and click away as she runs towards — and away from — you! You can get some amazing photos of your child running towards the camera.
• Directed games. Play “find the leaf” or “find a rock” and talk to your child as she looks around the surroundings, glancing up at you with eager, directed stares.
• Scotch tape. If the toddler is really uncooperative (and on the younger side), taking a piece of clear plastic tape and putting it on the palm of her hand will stop her in her tracks. It’s not visible in the photo (or easy to edit), and usually you can have a conversation with her looking at the camera while she is trying to figure out what is stuck to her hand.
• Turn colorful toys into great props. Many simple, wooden toys (for example, Melissa & Doug) make great photo props, and toddlers will love playing with them, allowing you to capture some very natural, enthusiastic images. She will think she’s playing, and yet you have created a controlled environment with toys that are either vintage or simple and colorful — not distracting. Win-win.
• Less is more. Avoid distractions. If photographing in your home, try to use a big window for good light, or go to an area of your home that is not filled with children’s toys. (Kid toys tend to be brightly colored and will just be a distraction in the background.) A west-facing window in the morning hours and an east-facing window in the afternoon hours will give a nice diffused (soft) light for portraits. And it will be enough light that you can use a fast exposure to capture her movement.
• Get messy. Don’t be afraid to get dirty! Sometimes the best photos are the ones taken in the rain, the mud puddle, the finger paints, or other kid-friendly fun!
• Her perspective. Get down on her level, instead of photographing from above, photograph her from a different vantage point. See the world as she sees it. A wide-angle lens can help expand that idea and make it even more visually interesting.
With a few tips to put into practice, every mom, dad, or grandparent with a camera can make a little magic of their own.
Monica Brown is a television journalist and freelance writer. She is married to one of New York’s Bravest, and has two children whom she loves to photograph!
