Five Tips for Taking Classic Photos of Children

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Five Tips for Taking Classic Photos of Children

	There's nothing more precious to parents than the memories of their children growing up. Fortunately, photos of children are among the easiest pictures to take. All they require is some basic knowledge of photography and doting parents who are sensitive to everyday photo opportunities.
	Start Early You can make sure your children are comfortable having their pictures taken by bringing your photo gear on family outings, special occasions and even frequent playtimes in the backyard or neighborhood park. The more accustomed they are to being photographed, the less likely they are to freeze up, show off, or (the worst possible scenario) fall to the ground and throw a temper tantrum. No fancy equipment is necessary - a quality point-and-shoot camera will do just fine for most family snapshots (especially if it has an optical zoom lens).
	Avoid "Posed" Pictures While there's nothing wrong with having children look directly into the camera, you want to keep their postures and expressions as natural as possible - as though you are capturing special moments in time. The best opportunities to do this are when they are at play and their minds are preoccupied with what is going on around them. For example, grab a picture at the top of the slide, before your little boy pushes off for the launch, or capture your five-year-old in mid-air as she swings high enough to touch the sky with her toes. In both cases, you can photograph from the front or side (as long as you can see their faces), but your subjects will be completely engaged in their play, instead of the camera.
	Make Composition Count Children can provide a photo opportunity almost anywhere, so use their surroundings to make more interesting photos. For example, if you move in close on your child's torso or face, frame him on at least one side with the bright bold outline of the yellow jungle gym supports or the raw hewn wood of the pirate's lookout nest. If at all possible, try to include soft patches of green, blue, or brown in the background to suggest the trees, grass and blue skies of a perfect summer day.
	Use the Fill Flash When taking children's pictures outdoors, the biggest mistake you can make is to assume that you don't need a flash if the sun is out. Bright sunlight - especially the direct, overhead, middle-of-the-day sun - is the most unflattering type of light you can use to take kid pictures. Children are particularly susceptible to "raccoon eyes," or dark circles under their eyes due to shadows cast from the sun. Setting your camera on "fill" (or "forced") flash mode will automatically trigger the flash with every picture, helping to soften facial features and fill in unwanted shadows.
	Let Friendship Tell its Story Whether it's two girlfriends having a tea party or an older cousin showing his younger cousin how a model train runs, these are the memories you'll want to share with your children as they get older. In both these cases, the surroundings play a more important role than the single child photo. You'll want to take the picture far enough away to show the entire tea party (complete with stuffed guests). And a train track makes a perfect focal point if you can position it to wind away into the background of your picture. Just make sure you're close enough to see the expressions on the children's faces. To gain correct perspective, sit in a chair or on the ground near the activity and wait for a time when they are so adsorbed in play they forget you're there. A wide-angle lens will help pull all the elements together, without having to sit too far away. For more tips on digital photography, visit www.imaging-resource.com.