Taking Pictures of Kids by AndreaGayle Photography +Design

By supernovamommy
25 July, 2012
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Hi all!! I’m Andrea of AndreaGayle Photography + Design. I specialize in family and child
photography in the Northern Virgnia area. I also teach photography classes for beginning DSLR users.
I help them learn how to shoot manually to enhance the quality of their images and use that “BIG”
camera to it’s max. I absolutely love both aspects of my job. I’m currently working on expanding my
classes to include an online class and even kids classes.

Check out my Blog at www.agphotographydesign.com.

One of the best things about teaching is sharing my knowledge and skills with others. It’s wonderful
seeing my student’s really understand their camera’s and leave so excited to start practicing and
capturing pictures of their own family. Check out the tips below for a little sneak peek of a portion of
the beginners class I teach. The majority of the class focuses on learning about Aperature, Shutter
Speed, and ISO and how those three elements work together to create an image.
Tips for capturing great pictures of your kids

GET CLOSER!!

When taking picture of your children it’s so important to capture their personalities, faces, and the
moment they are enjoying (or not..hehehe). Step (or zoom) closer to your subject and really connect.
Most likely you don’t care much about the trees, other kids, or houses in the background, but you do
want to remember that special look they give you, or the toothless grin and baby blue eyes. Instead of
just snapping a shot, fill your frame with your subject.
Clutter on couch is distracting in image 1. Image 2 really focuses on his face instead.

TAKE PICTURES FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES

Using the tip above, also think about different angles. Stand up and take a picture looking down on
your subject, zoom in and focus on those long lashes that the baby boys seem to always get, or lay on
the ground and get an angle that is more artsy and interesting to the eye. Changing the angle you take
your pictures can help tell the story of the moment as well as capture the little things you want to
remember. You can get 5 or more images from your subject sitting in the same spot if you just adjust
your angle from time to time.

CHECK YOUR BACKGROUND

It’s not always possible, but when you do have time, take a look around your subject. Is there an ugly
trash can behind them? Is there too much clutter on the floor or couch? It can sometimes be hard to do
when photographing children, but if you can quickly adjust your angle or just move your subject so the
background doesn’t take away from your subject. IF you can’t get away from it, use the above tip and
get closer. If you have the capabilities to change your aperature, you can change that to decrease your
depth of field and blur out the background and lessen the distraction. Pulling your subject farther away
from the background can help too.

ENGAGE YOUR KIDS

I know we all have had a situation where you just want a great picture, but your child has other ideas.
As soon as the camera comes out they scowl or run, OR just make those silly cheesy, unreal grins.
Instead of pointing the camera and saying “say cheese”, engage them. Play games like peek-a-boo, or
head shoulders knees and toes. Dance with them and giggle right along side them. Then just when
they are all wrapped up in the game, grab that camera and snap away. This is a great way to capture the
true personalities of your subject, and remember the cute things they do.

MOODY IS OK

Don’t put that camera away just because your subject isn’t smiling. Capturing those moods is just
another way to remember the moments. Some of my favorite pictures of my kids are the ones where
they didn’t want to play along. Nobody is happy all the time…it’s ok to be mad, sad, silly, shy, etc. It’s
all part of life and that’s why we are taking the pictures in the first place, right? Just know when to say
when.