Documenting our little one’s childhoods has never been easier. We live in an age where we all walk around with a high-quality camera in our pocket and bottling those memories doesn’t involve taking a film to a shop to be developed, waiting a week only to find out that there was a finger in the corner of all thirty snaps! While that gives me a pang of nostalgia (and my father a pained expression stretching back three decades – he’s a photographer too) I do appreciate living in a time where photographing your own kids doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality.
Photographing Your Own Kids: Try This…
1.Use natural light wherever possible
Beautiful moody shots are often the result of dark winter days. Banish the flash and head to a window or doorway. Experiment with different nooks and crannies of your house at different times of day, or find a local hidden gem where the light is pretty at sunset.
Soft mornings and golden evenings are your friend when photographing your own kids!
2. Get closer
It can be tempting to always step back to get their beautiful outfits in, but often the ones you’ll treasure in years to come will catch that hidden dimple or those long eyelashes.
Kneel down so you’re on their level. This makes such a big difference… my husband says I have a ‘photographer walk’ because of the strange scuttle I’ve apparently developed to keep up with them while balancing the camera!
3. Keep props simple
Balloons, blankets, bubbles, umbrellas, knit socks, flowers (careful if you’re shooting outside – know your wildflowers, as even the familiar ones are often toxic) baskets etc. Incorporate a relevant prop in the background for milestone photos. Shoes for those chubby-legged first steps, cake or a gift for a birthday, books for that first day at school etc. If including a toy, using wooden ones looks classic.
4. Take a hundred shots
You can go through and pick which ones capture your little one best at the end. The tiniest change in expression can really bottle something!
Taking more photos will also help you break the habit of looking over what you’ve shot while your children are there. It’s so tempting to have a quick look through while you’re playing, but this really breaks the flow and will draw your child’s attention to the fact they’re being caught on camera – so they’re more likely to play up. You’re also far more likely to miss a wonderful moment if you’re staring at what you’ve shot, rather than watching them.
5. No Poses!
Don’t even attempt to coax them into a pose or orchestrate moments. The less aware of the camera they are, the more natural the shot will be, and usually memories just happen as life unfolds.
6. Interact
Talk to them, sing, make jokes and just get a bit silly. You know your children better than anyone, so if anybody is going to know how to interact with them to capture their spirits on camera – it’s you.
My favourite photos of the children are usually the result of my comically theatrical displays of outrage after they’ve whispered something about bottoms.
7. Notice the details.
Condensation from their breath on a window, icing in their hair, evening light streaming through. It’s all a mood when photographing your own kids and it sets the scene.
It doesn’t always have to be a simple portrait to capture a stage – chubby fingers with dimpled knuckles clutching the ear of a favourite teddy, sand between toes or a curl of hair at the nape of a neck is a beautiful way to remember the things you love.
8. Crop out the busy background
My photos improved considerably when I realised that less really is more. Sometimes where you are or what’s in the background really puts a snapshot of time in context, but more often than not it’s just noise. Focus on you child, their wrist rolls or feral movements… that’s something your future self will thank you for.
9. Keep colours neutral.
Clothes, sheets, backgrounds, toys – it’s not essential so don’t go putting Elmo in the bin, but it does give photos a timeless feel. White cottons, wooden panelling, soft linens and natural chunky knits come off beautifully on camera.
10. Don’t think you need fancy equipment to take stunning photos of your children.
Really! While a lot of these were shot on my Canon EOS R5, some of my favourite shots have been taken on the camera I always have to hand… my iPhone! Set it to portrait mode and you’ll be amazed what these modern smartphones can produce. If you do have a camera and your child is awake, it’s worth setting your shutter speed to 1/500 or above. This will keep your images sharp – they always seem to turn into Olympic-level athletes whenever you need them to stay still after all!
I took the photo below on an iPhone 12 –
11. Try a little Black & White.
Shoot in raw so you have the original colours to look back on, but dabbling in editing images into black & white can be a real game changer. Don’t panic – there are thousands of apps that will allow you to do it with one click on your phone.
I could never remove the colour from all of my family photos as I want to remember the brown fleck in the iris of my son’s eye, the brilliant blonde of my older boy’s hair in the summer and the pink of my baby daughter’s nose in the cold… but there’s something about black & white. Every shot feels like a memory. The way the shadows fall and the lines on skin makes me ache in the best way. Almost everything I choose to frame is in black & white!
12. embrace the Seasons
I’m seasonal in every area of my life. Noticing the changes in the world around me keeps me excited – I find I can’t wait to get out of the house and kick up crunchy Autumn leaves with my children, or find a sunny riverbank for a picnic on Summer evenings.
The colours and natural details will not only lend a gorgeous aesthetic to your shots, but will help take you back to the moment you took that photo. We’re very sensory beings, and it’s amazing how the details of a photo can transport us back in time.
13. set a Timer
Now, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Mums need to get in the photo sometimes too! Messy mum-bun, tired face and post-birth weight included… it’s all a part of this season of life. I sobbed for days after realising that nobody thought to get a snap of me with my son on his first birthday. While no timer will spot that sweet moment between you and your family like a photographer, we’re a military family so I spend months at a time alone with my children as we’ve captured some beautiful moments.
Time slips away and one day all your children will have of you is photographs: make sure you’re in some.
And finally, have fun with it! I started taking photos of my children because I enjoy it. Use hints and tips to improve your style as and where you want to, but don’t let perfectionism stand in the way of you snapping every moment that makes you want to reach for a camera.
I hope you find these tips & tricks for photographing your kids useful – let me know if you try any of them in the comments and what works for you!
Love, Helen
*Disclosure: Some items may be gifted and links within this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you purchase through the links, I earn a small commission though this is at no additional expense to you. As always, I appreciate your support and would never recommend a product we have not tried, tested and loved.
love these tips, thanks for the they are so helpful.